BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION IN AMERICAN PENAL INSTITUTIONS

• NCJ Number: 63382
• Journal: British Journal of Criminology Volume: 19 Issue: 4 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (OCTOBER 1979) Pages: 333-352
• Author(s): R E REMINGTON
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 20 pages
• Corporate Author: Stevens and Sons
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

THIS ARTICLE NARROWS THE DEFINITION OF BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION, OUTLINES ITS BASIC THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK, EXAMINES FOUR CASES OF ITS APPLICATION, AND EVALUATES IMPLICATIONS FOR ITS USE IN PRISONS.

Abstract

APPLYING THE TERM TO ANY SCIENTIFICALLY-BASED TECHNIQUES WHOSE GOAL IS BEHAVIORAL CHANGE INCLUDES SUCH DEPLORABLE METHODS AS AVERSION THERAPY AND BRAINWASHING. THE DEFINITION PREFERRED INVOLVES BEHAVIOR INFLUENCE THROUGH APPLICATION OF EXPERIEMNTAL PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH TO ALLEVIATE SUFFERING AND ENHANCE HUMAN FUNCTIONING. THE BASIS FOR THIS APPROACH IS SKINNER'S LEARNING AND BEHAVIOR THEORY, DERIVED FROM EXPERIMENTS WITH RELATIVELY SIMPLE CREATURES. APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS ATTEMPTS THE STUDY OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN MORE COMPLEX CONDITIONS SUCH AS THE CLINIC, THE CLASSROOM, AND THE CELLBLOCK. A COMPLETE PROGRAM REQUIRES THE FOUR BASIC STAGES OF BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS, PROGRAM DESIGN, INTERVENTION, AND EVALUATION. FOUR AMERICAN PROGRAMS ARE DESCRIBED AS EXAMPLES OF APPLIED BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH IN PRISONS: THE PATUXENT PROGRAM IN MARYLAND, THE START PROGRAM IN MISSOURI, THE CMP PROGRAM IN VIRGINIA, AND THE DRAPER CORRECTIONAL CENTER. FAILURES OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE EVALUATED IN VIEW OF THEIR METHODOLOGIES AND REHABILITATIVE GOALS. THEY SHARED A LACK OF CONCERN FOR EVALUATION, WHEREAS EFFECTIVE BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS SCHEMES RELY ON RESEARCH FOR EVALUATING THE EFFECT OF INTERVENTION, CONFIRMING THE METHODOLOGY AS EFFECTIVE AND THE RESULTS MORE THAN ARTIFACTUAL. FOR LONG-TERM VALUE, THE GOAL OF BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION MUST BE THE PREVENTION OF FURTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IN THE COMMUNITY RATHER THAN MORE CONTROL WITHIN THE INSTITUTION. BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION IN PRISONS SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS A LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF CRIME, BUT RATHER AS A SHORT-TERM SOLUTION WHICH MAY HELP TO BREAK THE CIRCLE OF RECIDIVISM. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (MRK)