NCJ Number
67169
Date Published
1980
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR THE SERVICES OF MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS IN TREATING OFFENDERS IS APPRAISED BY A FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGIST, WHO SUGGESTS THERAPEUTIC TECHNIQUES.
Abstract
THE TREATMENT OF MENTALLY ILL OFFENDERS IS A CHALLENGE TO MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS. PERSONS WITH ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR PATTERNS ARE UNPOPULAR WITH TREATMENT SPECIALISTS, BECAUSE OF THEIR CAPACITY TO AROUSE FEELINGS OF HOSTILITY. MOREOVER, THE EFFICACY OF TREATING SO-CALLED CHARACTER AND BEHAVIOR DISORDERS HAS BEEN QUESTIONED FOR YEARS. HOWEVER, PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPY IS FEASIBLE, PROVIDED ADJUSTMENTS IN ORIENTATION AND TECHNIQUES ARE MADE. THE HOSTILITY TOWARDS THERAPISTS ON THE PART OF OFFENDERS BEGINNING TREATMENT MUST BE OVERCOME, TOGETHER WITH OFFENDERS' FAILURE TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN THERAPEUTIC PROGRESS. THE PATIENTS ANTAGONIZE THERAPISTS BY ATTACKING SOCIETY AND ITS VALUES, IN WHICH THERAPISTS HAVE EMOTIONAL INVESTMENTS. THUS, THERAPISTS MUST LEARN TO AVOID CONFRONTATIONS, UNLESS THEY CAN SERVE THE OFFENDERS' NEEDS. PATIENTS USE OTHER TECHNIQUES TO EXPRESS THEIR HOSTILITY, SUCH AS PASSIVE RESISTANCE, SURREPTITIOUS MISBEHAVIOR DURING PERIODS OF SEEMING PROGRESS, ATTEMPTS AT MANIPULATION, AND ENTRAPMENT OF THERAPISTS IN THEIR ANXIETIES AND HOSTILITIES. A LIST OF MOTIVES UNDERLYING CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, RANGING FROM CONSCIOUS TO DEEPLY REPRESSED, WHICH WERE FOUND OF FUNCTIONAL VALUE IN TREATMENT, IS GIVEN, TOGETHER WITH APPROPRIATE TECHNIQUES TO BE USED. THE THERAPIST SHOULD BE CONSTANTLY AWARE THAT HE IS DEALING WITH NONVOLUNTARY PATIENTS, OR PATIENTS WHO SEEK TREATMENT FOR ULTERIOR MOTIVES. TREATING MENTALLY ILL OFFENDERS REQUIRES SKILLS AND SOPHISTICATION OF A MUCH HIGHER ORDER THAN THOSE USUALLY REQUIRED BY ROUTINE INTERACTION WITH VOLUNTARY, NONOFFENDER PATIENTS. A LIST OF NINE REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LGR)