F11. DwOB: Behaviour Modification In Custody

Question 1

Behaviour Modification Basis

Answer 1

Features a Token Economy (systems based on Operant Conditioning, and Reinforcement)

Question 2

Reinforcement

Answer 2

Positive or Negative. Increased likelihood of desired behaviour being repeated. Selected socially-desired behaviours more likely to be repeated.

Question 3

Token Economy

Answer 3

• token received when desired behaviour carried out
• secondary reinforcer (value derived from exchange for privilege - primary reinforcer)
• rewards (rec time, TV)
• offender more likely to repeat rewarding behaviours due to motivation by same reward

Question 4

Effectiveness

Answer 4

• 125 criminal male juveniles in Alabama
• 14 moths, significant increase in display of desirable behaviours for majority
• suggests token economy is effective

Question 5

• Eval: Behaviour Modification

Answer 5

Only treats proximal cause of offending. Contrast to anger management which addresses distal (main) cause of offending. Behaviour Modification only TEMPORARILY improves behaviour, as long as they’re motivated by instant rewards. However, same rewards not present outside prison, so change is only temporary.

Question 6

• Eval: Token Economy Ethics

Answer 6

Participation in token economy schemes is compulsory, and failure to do so (maybe due to mental health) would mean some prisoners are denied certain rewards which may be considered rights (e.g. family visits, calling home)

Question 7

+ Eval: Token Economy

Answer 7

Flexibility. Easy to implement. Although exact Token terms/systems may be different, as long as the exchange rules and tokens are consistent, then some sort of improvement in prisoner behaviour is likely to be seen