NCJ Number
162054
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 23 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1996) Pages: 5-11
Date Published
1996
Length
7 pages
Annotation
Several significant differences are noted between correctional psychology in the early 1970's and the mid-1990's, and it is pointed out that psychology in corrections has become conceptually more complex.
Abstract
Prison psychologists have become better educated and more aware of limitations associated with their therapeutic interventions. In addition, contracting for psychological services has become a prominent part of mental health service delivery. Moreover, controversy between treatment efforts and security demands has diminished in intensity as treatment programs have assumed a better defined role, and limitations on what psychologists can do has been balanced by realistic expectations. Psychologists have correctly given up assumptions that much criminality has psychological causes and therefore requires psychotherapeutic treatment. These assumptions have been replaced by the views that seriously disturbed men and women need quality treatment both in prison and on the outside and that intensive programs can narrowly and successfully target homogeneous groups of prisoners. 6 references