Forensic Psychology For Dummies (124 page)

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Authors: David Canter

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This vicious circle can make someone feel worse and is likely to give rise to other situations that produce even worse feelings. The person’s beliefs can also be distorted during this process, leading to unrealistic and uncomfortable thoughts about themselves. The added distress can make a person more jumpy and ready to interpret things in extreme and unhelpful ways.

Here’s an example of how this process works in practice. A prisoner is expecting a visit from his partner who promised to arrive by 2 p.m. At 2:15 p.m., he’s escorted to the visits room and she’s not there. Table 13-1 contains some helpful and unhelpful responses that he may feel.

Table 13-1 An Example of CBT Being Used with a Prisoner

Helpful	Unhelpful
Thoughts	Perhaps she’s missed the bus; she won’t be long.	She’s left me and doesn’t want to tell me.
Feelings	Happy, positive, in high spirits.	Angry, upset, jealous.
Physical	None; feel comfortable.	Stomach cramps, low energy, feel sick.
Action	Wait quietly, get a coffee and chat with prison staff.	Go back to the wing, telephone, accusing her of being unfaithful.

It’s explained to the prisoner that if he goes back to his cell feeling depressed, he may become moody and brood on what has happened. This reaction would make him feel worse. If he doesn’t do this, he has the chance to correct any misunderstandings about what his partner thinks of him and what he thinks of her.

A great deal of skill is involved in providing CBT and setting up effective programmes. In general, these programmes only work if they:

Use methods that take account of how participants come to understand what they’re told.
For example, some people learn by active involvement and others from reflecting on what they have to learn. Some want to see immediately the practical implications of what they’re learning, whereas some may want fully to understand the ideas behind what they’re being taught.

Address specific factors associated with offending in a clearly planned way,
instead of the programme being general explorations of unacceptable behaviour.

Are delivered as designed.
This requirement may be more difficult than it seems, because staff and inmates get moved around and pressures from other areas – such as attendance at court – can interfere with participation. The staff in a prison may offer the programme without adequate training.