Forensic Psychology For Dummies (125 page)
Read Forensic Psychology For Dummies Online
Authors: David Canter
• Being offered interesting theories.
• Being given time to explore ideas.
• Having the opportunity to question.
• Being intellectually stretched.
• Facing structured situations with a clear purpose.
• Reading about logical ideas/concepts.
• Analysing success or failure.
• Participating in complex situations.
Pragmatists
learn best by:
• Dealing with links between the topic and their job.
• Trying things out and receiving feedback.
• Following models provided.
• Being shown techniques applicable to their job.
• Implementing what they’ve learned.
• Understanding that the activity has validity outside of the situation.
• Concentrating on practical issues.
Employing rational-emotive therapy
Some therapists put more emphasis on thought processes and their implications for emotional responses than on the action component that I describe in the preceding section. This emphasis on rational thought processes is a dominant aspect of
rational-emotive therapy
(RET), which is distinct from CBT. One central concept is that some thoughts are irrational and if the person can appreciate their illogicality and act on this realisation, problems caused by those thoughts can be reduced.
Three programmes based on CBT
Enhanced Thinking Skills
(ETS) is the programme most frequently used in the UK, with over 40,000 offenders having completed it within British prisons over the past 12 years.ETS, which consists of 20 group sessions of 40 hours in total, is based on the idea that much antisocial behaviour stems from offenders’ inability to do what they want in acceptable ways because they lack effective ways of thinking about themselves, others and their actions. These problems aren’t due to low intelligence or educational attainment, although they may contribute, but to styles of thinking and attitudes that lead to antisocial behaviour.
The course explores:
Another popular programme is
Chromis
(no one seems quite sure why it’s called this!), a complex and intensive one that aims to reduce violence in high-risk offenders whose level or combination of psychopathic traits disrupts their ability to accept treatment and change. Chromis is specifically designed to meet the needs of highly psychopathic individuals and provides participants with the skills to reduce and manage their risk of offending. In other words, it recognises the chronic problems these individuals have in generating acceptable behaviour and explores ways of managing it and reducing it, while accepting that getting rid of it altogether may not be possible.Prison Addressing Substance Related Offending
(PASRO) is a cognitive behavioural group work programme designed to address drug dependence and related offending. The programme targets offenders who are dependent on one or more drugs or on a combination of drugs and alcohol.
For example, a person who thinks that failure at a given task is an indication that they’re no good at all would be regarded as irrational and a possible contributor to depression and low self-esteem. By examining with the client why that illogical link has been made can help to reduce the power of this thought. Another example, particularly relevant in the criminal context, is the belief of some men that being domineering towards a female partner is essential to being a ‘real man’. Considerations of the origins and implications of this belief may in some cases help an offender to stop his violence.