NCJ Number
227012
Journal
Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 248 Issue: 228 Dated: April 2009 Pages: 228-248
Date Published
April 2009
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This study examined the effectiveness of a Missouri Department of Corrections 1-week Impact of Crime on Victims Class (ICVC) on decreasing an offender’s propensity to externalize and blame.
Abstract
Findings indicate that offenders are responding positively to the cognitive training. After completing the program, offenders were less likely to externalize responsibility for their behavior and were more likely to accept responsibility for their incarceration. Those offenders who indicated a lower level of externalization were also less likely to blame either the victim or society. Offenders who are not willing to accept responsibility for their actions are more likely to weaken their ties with reality and use external attribution as a means of eliminating feelings of guilt which are important for reconciliation and healing. Results also revealed differences between violent and nonviolent offenders on their levels of externalization and blaming. In particular, violent offenders were more prone to external attribution. Results further indicate that after completing the ICVC program, in some cases, violent offenders increased their propensity to externalize, which was significantly correlated with their propensity to blame the victim, society, or both. Results suggest that cognitive programs that utilize a “shotgun curriculum” approach do little to address the needs of violent offenders specifically. Instead of allowing violent offenders to participate in these types of cognitive programs, it may be more prudent to direct violent offenders toward other programs that are more knowledge-based, comprehensive, and include intensive counseling sessions as a strategy. Data were collected from 97 adult females incarcerated in the Women’s Eastern Reception and Diagnostic Center who completed both the pre- and post-questionnaire. Tables, notes, and references