Correctional Treatment, Essay Example

Correctional treatment is an effective practice of reducing crime rate. Last decades the interest has been increased regarding whether or not correctional treatments are effective for offenders. There are several principles of effective involvement. Each one of them is equally important and provides specific results.

Correctional treatment must be adapted to the needs of the offenders and based on the evaluation of him/her as individual and in accordance with their crime levels. Risk differentiation method states that higher risk offenders are likely to benefit from the treatment more than lower risk ones. At the same time the level of treatment must be more intensive. Riskiest offenders usually have most needs and have to be paid more attention to. “Responsivity” principle is based on the match of client learning styles with staff teaching methods. These programs must be adapted thoroughly with accordance to the specific needs and learning styles of offenders. Multimodal programs as one of the types of the correctional treatment state that all criminal deficits must be treated. The examiners must access the deficits adequately and indentify the best sequencing of involvement. Criminal need in its turn is a principle that permits intervention efforts be linked to criminal needs. Among such needs are impulsivity, taste for risk, weak communication and problem solving skills, pro-criminal attitudes, etc.

Behavioral (cognitive) treatment is a method that provides offenders with programs that teach skills necessary to allow better understanding and resistance towards anti-social behavior. This approach involves effective social learning skills that help offenders shape and model their attitude. Program implementation and continuity of care is another principle that states clients should be treated in well-supported programs. It brings about the issue of the suitability of prison environment for successful outcome and emphasizes the continuity of care. It is important that a treatment is comprehensive and has sufficient duration. Principle of dosage clearly supports this idea.

All the principles mentioned form the basis of psychological model of behavioral change. Corrective treatments are effective tools that must be conducted with accordance to the personal characteristics of the offenders. This requires specialists working in jails to clearly evaluate the progress, history and opportunity of committing other crimes by criminals. After a methodical analysis they will be able to plan educational and training programs that will improve prisoner’s skills and provide anger management, sex abuse counseling or any treatment that prisoner requires.

References

Bourgon, G. & Armstrong, B. (2005). Transferring the principles of effective treatment into a “Real World” prison setting. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 32, 3-25.