forensics- behaviour management

Question 1

Combo whopper, ease of token systems

Answer 1

Token economy systems are easy to implement.
Specialist professionals are not needed, and the program is cost effective and easy to implement once it has been set up.
However, the benefits of the system are lost with inconsistent staff application, lack of training or high staff turnover.
Although it is easy to implement, there are factors that undermine its effectiveness.

Question 2

strength, hamburger, BM effectiveness

Answer 2

Behaviour modification is most effective when individually tailored programmes are used.
Field et al (2004) examined a token economy programme for young people. When some young people did not respond, they were placed on a special programme where the rewards were more frequent and immediate, and the results were more positive.
This suggests that effectiveness can be maximised when rewards, and frequency of rewards suit each individual.

Question 3

limitation, hamburger, rehabilitative value

Answer 3

Behaviour modification programmes have little rehabilitative value.
Token economy works inside the prison but in the outside world law-abiding behaviour is not always reinforced or rewarded.
In the outside world, the rewards from breaking the law may be more powerful, for example gaining material goods through theft, meaning that the behaviour does not continue outside of prison.
Token economies are limited in their value due to their low applicability.

Question 4

limitation, double whopper, ethics

Answer 4

There are ethical concerns with using token economy programmes.
Behaviour modification is regarded as manipulative and dehumanising by some. Participation is often obligatory for offenders rather than optional.
An offender who decides not to comply with the scheme loses their privileges for example, contact with loved ones.
The withdrawal of tokens is ethically questionable.

Question 5

limitation,double whopper,

PRISONERS REGRESS QUICKLY

Answer 5

Prisoners gain no insight into the causes of offending unlike other treatments.
Behaviour modification only deals with surface level behaviour and encourages superficial learning when compared to anger management programmes for example.
Offenders may play along with the token economy system in order to access the rewards, but this produces little change in their overall character/behaviour.
This may explain why, once rewards for behaviour have stopped, the individual quickly regresses back to their former behaviour