10) Dealing with Offending Behaviour - Token Economy Systems

Outline what is meant by behaviour modification within custody?

Behaviour modification is one of several schemes that may form part of the custodial sentence.

• The aim is to effectively manage and monitor offenders during their sentence, and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.

According to the behaviourist approach, all human behaviour is learnt.

• In which case, it should be possible to encourage the unlearning of behaviour.

Behaviour modification programs are designed with the aim of reinforcing obedient behaviour in offenders whilst punishing disobedient/ undesirable behaviour.

• The reward leads to repeating.

• The punishment leads to extinction.

Outline what is meant by token economy systems in prisons?

Token economy systems are based on operant conditioning.

• Rewarding desirable behaviours such as following rules and keeping cell tidy.

In a token economy, prisoners are given a token every time they perform a desirable behaviour.

• Behaviours and rewards are made clear to the prisoner before the program is implemented.

• Non compliance or disobedience may result in tokens being removed = punishment.

Tokens are secondary reinforcers as they have no value in themselves.

• Tokens can be exchanged for a primary reinforcer.

  • Such as a phone call to loved one, time in the gym, or extra cigarettes or food.

Describe how token economies are designed and used?

Operationalising target behaviours:

• Behaviours are broken down into component parts.

• The units of behaviour should be measurable and objective, and agreed by all parties in advance.

Scoring system:

• Staff and prisoners are made aware of the scoring system.

• Behaviours are hierarchical - some receive greater rewards.

• Some systems award tokens directly, others may award points.

• Reinforcement should outnumber punishments by a ratio of 4:1 (Gendreau et al)

Training:

• Training should be standardised so that all prison staff are awarding the same behaviours in the same way.

Discuss research support for token economy systems?

STRENGTH: RESEARCH SUPPORT

HOBBS AND HOLT:
Introduced a token economy program with groups of young offenders across three behavioural units, and one control.

• They observed a significant difference in positive behaviour compared to the non-token economy group.

FIELD ET AL:
Found a token economy program used with young people with behavioural problems was generally effective.

• Although there were still a number of young people who did not respond.

Later, these youths were placed on a special program where the rewards were more immediate and more frequent which led to more positive results.

COUNTERPOINT:

BASSETT AND BLANCHARD:
Found that benefits were lost if staff applied the techniques inconsistently.

• Something that happens quite a lot, according to researchers, was inappropriate staff training or high staff turnover.

This research suggests that behaviour modification systems can work well but will only do so, if full and consistent staff participation is ensured.

Evaluate one strength of token economy systems?

STRENGTH: EASY TO IMPLEMENT

It is relatively straightforward to set up and run in custody.

• No need for specialist professionals to be involved as they would be for other forms of treatment such as CBT.

  • Token economy systems can be designed and implemented by virtually anybody.

• Cost - effective

• Easy to follow once systems have been established.

This suggests that behaviour modification techniques can be established in most prisons and accessed by most prisoners.

Evaluate one limitation of token economy systems?

LIMITATION: LITTLE REHABILITATIVE VALUE

BLACKBURN:
Suggests that any positive changes in behaviour made whilst in prison would quickly be lost the prisoners are released.

• Token economy systems do not require the offender to understand the cause of their offending or take responsibility for their rehabilitation.

  • It is easy to fake it and play along in a token economy system in order to get the rewards.

    • Doesn’t change overall character.

This could explain why, once the token economy id discontinued, an offender may quickly regress back to former habits and maybe cognitive based treatments, such as anger management would be more successful.

Evaluate a discussion point for token economy systems?

MOYA AND ACHTENBERG:
However, critics have described behaviour modification as manipulative and dehumanising.

• Participation is obligatory, not optional.

Some human rights campaigners have argued that withdrawal of certain ‘privileges’ such as contact with loved ones is unethical.

• We have to weigh up whether the benefits of employing a system like this.

  • Decreased conflicts, ease of management, more power to person staff.

Is this enough?

Do the benefits outweigh the means and the ethical objectives?