NCJ Number
62499
Date Published
1979
Length
309 pages
Annotation
THE USE OF BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION TECHNIQUES IN EFFECTING REHABILITATION OF CRIMINALS IN INSTITUTIONAL AND NONINSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS, AS COMPARED WITH SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY, IS DISCUSSED.
Abstract
PSYCHOLOGISTS HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN APPLYING THEIR SCIENCE TO THE RESOLUTION OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS. SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY DOES NOT ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN THE COMPLEXITY OF CRIME, BUT BEHAVIORAL TECHNIQUES CAN BE DESIGNED TO CAUSE DURABLE REHABILITATION MORE SUCCESSFULLY THAN ANY OTHER CORRECTIONAL ALTERNATIVES. BEHAVIORAL CORRECTIONS SHOULD BE DELIVERED IN THE ENVIRONMENTS WHERE MOST CRIME ACTUALLY OCCURS. BEHAVIORISTS SHOULD EXERT MORE PREVENTIVE INFLUENCE ON THE PROBLEMS OF CRIME THAN THEY DO PRESENTLY. BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION HAS REFLECTED AN EMPHASIS ON AN ADJUSTMENT MODEL, RATHER THAN ONE WHICH IS DIRECTED AT SYSTEM-LEVEL CHANGES. THUS, EFFORTS SHOULD FOCUS ON CRIME CONTROL RATHER THAN CRIMINAL CORRECTION. TECHNIQUES SHOULD BE DEVELOPED WHICH WILL INCREASE THE GENERALIZABILITY AND MAINTENANCE OF SOME INTERVENTION EFFECTS. TECHNIQUES WHICH PROVIDE SHORT-TERM IMPROVEMENT ONLY HAVE BEEN OVER-EMPHASIZED. MULTIPLE DETERMINANTS OF THE CRIME PROBLEM SHOULD BE CONSIDERED, SUCH AS LEGAL, POLITICAL, SOCIOLOGICAL, AND ECONOMIC VARIABLES. ALTHOUGH BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION TECHNIQUES ARE VALUABLE, TREATMENT IS NOT ALWAYS MORALLY, SOCIALLY, OR ETHICALLY PREFERABLE TO PUNISHMENT IS ALL CASES. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THE WORK INCLUDE THEORIES OF CRIME, MEASUREMENT OF CRIME, BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION TECHNIQUES USED IN VARIOUS SETTINGS (E.G., INSTITUTIONAL, NONRESIDENTIAL, COMMUNITY-BASED), LEGAL AND ETHICAL CHALLENGES TO CORRECTIONAL BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION, AND RECOMMENDED CHANGES IN TECHNIQUES. REFERENCES, INDEXES, AND SOME TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED IN THE BOOK. (LWM)