Topic 6 Criminal psychology Flashcards
What is the summary of Haney et al?
Haney et al aimed to investigate whether it is the individuals or the situation that makes prisons brutal places. Participants responded to an advert in a local newspaper asking them to take part in a study of prison life. 75 participants responded to this advert, and of these, 24 were selected who were judged to be the most stable, mature and who had no history of anti-social behaviour. They were randomly assigned the role of guard or prisoner. Guards had an induction and were given a khaki uniform, sunglasses and night-stick. They were told to maintain order within the prison and to prevent prisoners escaping but to not use physical punishment. The prisoners were arrested outside their homes and taken to the mock prison in the university basement. They wore loose muslin smocks, nylon stockings on their heads and a chain around their ankles. They were referred to only by their prison number. The study was meant to last 14 days but was stopped after 6 days due to the increasing level of abuse by the guards. Many of the prisoners became passive and obedient, but five had to be released early due to extreme emotional stress.
What is Gillis and Nafekh about?
Aim: Investigate effectiveness of employment programmes for Canadian prisoners
Sample: 23,525 individuals on conditional release (95% male, 5% female)
Research method: Quasi experiment in which IV was whether the released offenders had been on an employment based programmes or not and the DV was whether they successfully completed their conditional release period in the community- study had matched groups design
Results: Employment programme group-70% completed conditional release without reoffending 55% for those not in the programme
Median time taken to go back to prison was also longer (37 months vs 11 months)
What is restorative justice about?
Tries to recognise the needs of the V and five them more of a sense of control and often take place as an alternative.
It allows V to explain the impact the crime has had on them to the offender and try to understand why they were targeted
The process involved drawing up a contract that is agreed upon by both parties where the offender agrees to take action or make amends
It can help reduce the V fears that they will be targeted for future crimes
Sherman and strong analysed the effectiveness in 36 studies. It seemed to work in property crime and violent crimes where there is a clear personal V, also violent crimes where process reduced the stress caused to the V and it also reduces reoffending and it also reduced reoffending rate when used instead of prison sentence.
What is anger-management problems about?
Violent crimes may be the result of inability to control your anger in 3 stages:
1- Cognitive preparation: The offender learns which situations trigger angry outbursts and watch out for internal cues
2- Skill acquisition: Learns relaxation techniques to regulate breathing and heartrate or to remove themselves from the situation.
3- Application practice: Often involves role playing during therapy sessions
What are community sentences about?
This is used as an alternative to prison and is given for less serious crimes such as damage to property assault or benefit fraud.
There are 13 different requirements an offender must follow when serving a community sentence such as:
-Curfew
-Rehabilitation
-unpaid work
What are the applications of topic 6 criminal psychology?
Giving programmes to inmates
Employment programmes
Restorative justice
