PENITENTIAL PSYCHOLOGY COGNITIVE-CONTUCTUAL INTERVENTIONS

The Penitentiary psychology It is a discipline within the legal psychology that deals with forensic psychological evaluation and intervention in the field of prison. Penitentiary psychologists have different approaches, the majority being cognitive-behavioral.

From this theoretical framework it is argued that criminal behavior is learned. This behavior is regulated in terms of acquisition, maintenance and extinction by the same set of laws that govern any other type of behavior.

Content

• Penitentiary psychology: cognitive-behavioral interventions
  • The chip economy
  • Behavioral contracts
• Cognitive-behavioral interventions
• Conclusions about penitentiary psychology
  • References

Penitentiary psychology: cognitive-behavioral interventions

Interventions derived from learning orientation are agglutinated in a set of procedures and techniques that have common characteristics:

1. They are theoretically based on different learning paradigms, operant conditioning, social learning.
2. They rely on empirically proven data and incorporate the most relevant contributions of different scientific disciplines.
3. They result considerably simple procedures.
4. They are oriented to specific behavior control and treatment.

The application of these techniques to the treatment of criminal behaviors has a very recent story. They host with some optimism, based on the successes obtained with the application of these techniques in other contexts.

In addition, penitentiary institutions provide an unparalleled frame for the application of these techniques. This is because In these centers reinforcement and punishment contingencies can be regulated with precision comparable to the laboratory.

The chip economy

A very frequent application of behavior therapy with imprisoned is Token Economy. It has been used fundamentally for training purposes, such as assistance to certain courses, as well as the development of Basic cleaning behaviors (Cleaning of the cell, personal hygiene) and the development of alternative behaviors to violent and antisocial behaviors.

Behavioral contracts

Behavioral contracts are another exclusively behavioral technique, although little used in prisons. The problem is that by exercising less control over the subject, it loses part of its effectiveness. It is seen that, many inmates, they cannot be left to their free will or trust that they will do something simply because they commit to it.

Strictly behavioral treatments, except for the economy of chips have not been used excessively within the penitentiary world.

Following the inconveniences seen with strictly behavioral techniques, specialists have been necessary to develop in the inmates a wide set of skills:

• That allow them unfold in difficult and conflicting situations
• Plan your way of acting
• Take decisions
• Behave in the most appropriate and effective way

These objectives are covered by another set of techniques that focus on the cognitive aspects that must be modified.

Cognitive-behavioral interventions

An example of this is the Social Competition Program, which includes some of these techniques, which have also been applied in isolation. Next, this program is detailed:

1. Evaluation of cognitive deficits and subject interaction skills.
2. You work with small groups (8-12 subjects) in 1-2-hour sessions, 1-5 times per week.
3. The following techniques are applied:

• • Troubleshooting: subjects are taught to recognize problematic situations and generate solutions to them.
  • Training in social skills: It is intended to improve the interaction of individuals in their social environment (modeling, role-play, structured practice ...)
  • Emotional control: You learn to anticipate cholera situations and use certain cognitive skills to avoid them.
  • Critical thinking: subjects are taught to think reflectively and critically about their own behavior and that of others.
  • Securities development: technique in which, through work on "moral dilemmas", individuals are taught to take a social perspective, putting themselves in the role of the other.
  • Negotiation skills: It is taught to negotiate strategies as an alternative to confrontation.
  • Creative reasoning: It seeks to develop the “lateral thought” or alternative, in the face of the usual solutions frequently violent that many criminals use to address their problems

Conclusions about penitentiary psychology

Rehabilitation programs, psychological intervention techniques and their correct application can positively influence crime. Above all, they can help reduce the recidivism and adjustment of the person once he leaves the penitentiary establishment.

However, many more data are still needed to establish firmer conclusions. Research in penitentiary centers, on many occasions, is not usually easy. In addition, the data we have are mainly nomotetic. It would be ideal to be able to make individualized evaluations and interventions.

References

• Bringas Molleda, C., Rodríguez Díaz, F. J., Gutiérrez Cienfuegos, and., & Pérez Sánchez, B. (2010). Penitentiary socialization and history. Ibero -American Magazine of Psychology and Health.
• Echeverri-Vera, J. TO. (2010). Prisonization, its psychological effects and its evaluation. Thinking psychology, 6(11), 157-166.
• Fabian, t. (Ed.). (2006). New paths and concepts in legal psychology (Vol. 4). Lit Verlag Münster.
• Soria Verde, M. (2005). Manual of Legal Psychology and Criminal Investigation. Madrid: Pyramid Editions.