Individualistic theories influencing policies Flashcards
How many times a week did Freud see his patients
5 times a week, usually for years
What does his sessions involve
bringing these unconscious conflicts and repressed emotions into the conscious mind so they can be resolved.
How did Freud access the unconscious mind
Freud used Hypnosis and free association, where the analyst gives the patient a word and they respond with the first word that comes into their mind
Who applied Psychoanalytic ideas to policies for treating young offenders at the institution he supervised
Aichhorn
What did Aichhorn reject
the harsh environments of young offenders’ institutions at the time (1920s) and treated the children by providing a happy and pleasant environment that would make development of the superego possible
Is psychoanalysis effective?
does not seem very effective.`
What did Eysenck find out
44% of psychoanalysis patients treated for neurosis showed improvement, as against 72% of patients treated by hospitals or GPs
If psychoanalysis doesnt work for neurosis, what does Eysenck argue will happen with criminals
it seems unlikely to work with criminals , as eyesenck argued that criminals are liekly to be neurotics
What is a limitation of psychoanalysis
costly and time-consuming, so neber been used at a large scale
How does abuse affect psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis gives analysts the power to define what is normal or abnormal.
How does a token economy work
The institution draws up a list of desirable behaviours, eg. obeying the rules, interacting with staff
When the offender behaves in the desired way, they earn a token
Tokens may be exchanged for rewards, sweets, phone calls
Through this selective reinforcement, good behaviour becomes more likely.
What have some studies shown about the token economy
shown an improvement in behaviour, but once the reinforcement stops (when they leave prison) the behaviour tends to disappear
What do token economies tend to do within prisons
Makes prisoners more manageable
In the US, what have critics said are a human right for prisoners
In the US, there has been cases of food and drink being withheld as a ‘reward’, critics have now said that it is a human right rather than a privilege
What other theory does Aversion therapy apply to
Eysenck’s personality theory to the treatment of sex offenders
What does Eysenck state
Criminals tend to be extremely extravert and Neurotic
Why does criminals being mainly Neurotic and extravert mean that criminals are harder to condition
they are more resistant to learning through punishment
What are sex offenders asked to think about
an unacceptable sexual fantasy until they are aroused
What is the sex offender administered
A strongly aversive stimulus (one the individual would choose to avoid) is then administered, e.g. an electric shock or a nausea-inducing drug
Is Aversion therapy effective?
very limited success, usually only short term, and its use in attempting to ‘cure’ gay people has also been criticised as a human rights abuse
What has Cognitive theories been applied to
a range of offender treatment programmes known as Cognitive Behavioural therapy (CBT)
What does cognitive theories state
our cognitions (thought processes) shape our behaviour, including offending behaviour
What does CBT programmes aim to change
change offenders’ thoughts and attitudes so as to change their behaviour .
What are 2 examples of CBT training?
Think first and Aggression Replacement Training (ART)
What is the Think First programme
programme of group and one-to-one sessions for repeat offenders on probation.
What does think first aim to do
enable offenders to control their thoughts, feelings and behaviour
What does Think First teach
problem-solving skills, consequential thinking, decision making and seeing things from the others point of view
Is Think First effective?
Those completing the programme are 30% less likely to be re-convicted than offenders who receive an alternative community sentence
Who is ART for?
Violent and Aggressive offenders
What does ART involve
Interpersonal skills training, eg roleplay
Anger control techniques, dealing with emotions and providing offenders with alternative courses of action
Moral reasoning training that challenges their attitudes by confronting them with moral dilemmas to consider
Is ART effective
Evaluations mostly show lower re-conviction rates. However, some evaluations have found that although thinking skill improved, behaviour did not
What is the Home Office’s ‘what works’ policy aims
to ensure that CBT programmes actually reduce offending and so it accredits ones that meet certain criteria
What is the Home Offices criteria
- A clear plan and proven methods for altering offenders behaviours
- Careful matching of offenders to the right programme, in terms of their offence, risk of re-offending and learning abilities
- Targeting the risk factors that lead to offending
What must a successful programme show
Improves offenders’ skills and their everyday behaviour and reduces their re-offending
