Behaviour Modification and the Treatment of Offenders
| Date | 01 December 1974 |
| Author | Cameron Stuart,Suzanne Bettison |
| Published date | 01 December 1974 |
| DOI | 10.1177/000486587400700405 |
AUST. &N.Z. JOURNAL
OF
CRIMINOLOGY
(December,
1974): 7,4
Behaviour
Modification
and
the
Treatment
_of
Offenders
SUZANNE
BETTISON*
and
CAMERON
STUART**
241
INTRODUCTION
THIS
ARTICLE
considers
certain
aspects
of
the South
Australian
penal system·
.which can be 'seen,
in
the
light
of
well-es'tablished
learning
theory
and p·rinciples,
to
be
working
against
its
aims
of
deterrence
and
rehabilitation.
The goal
of
a
penal system is an
overall
reduction
in
delinquency. Such asystem thus repre-
sents an
attempt
to
modif¥
behaviour
by
exchanging the acceptable
for
the unac-
ceptable.
At
the sentence. level, this
modification
is presently
attempted
by way
of
monetary
penalties, probation and irriprisonment. This
article
examines the
probable
efficacy
of
these methods
in
achieving this goal
in
the
light
of
current
psychological theory.
A
summary
is included
of
some
of
the
main
principles
of
learning
which have
been
effectively
put
into
practice
in the
rehabilitation
of
psychotics, disturbed
children and adults, and
juvenile
offenders.
We
suggest ways
in
which changes
in
the present systelTI could incorporate such
principles
and
facilitate
the devel-
opment
of
more
acceptable behaviour
in
place
of
that
which
leads to sentencing.
We
also
indicate
how we
see
psychologists
contributing
more
effectively
within
the penal system.
We
wish to emphasise that
many
of
the statements in this
article
are
hypothe-
tical
rather
than
factual
as
there is
little
published evidence
of
effective
use
of
learning
principles
with
adult
offenders. The
overwhelming
need
is
for
system-
atic
research
so
tl)at changes can
be
maoe on the basis
of
knowledge
rather
than
surmise. '
PSYCHOLOGICAL
PRINCIPLES
The basic assumption
of
apenal system is that behaviour may' be
modified
either
by
deterring
offenders
from
the commission
of
further
offences,
or
by
application
of
rehabilitative
techniques. A
great
deal
of
evidence
from
research
with
both humans and
animals
demonstrates that behaviour can ,in
fact
be modi-
fied, and much
of
this research has established
very
precisely
many
of
the condi-
tions necessary
for
behavioural change to occur. The conditions and
principles
for
producing behavioural change
are
found
in
current
learning
theory
and
their
practical
application
to
human
problems
is
usually known as behaviour
modi-
fication. These
are
the
principles
which
are
proving
effective
in
socialising and
educating
normal
and handicapped
children
and
psychiatric
patients. There
has",
also been some research
into
their
effectiveness
with
young offenders.
It
is sug-
gested
that
such
principles
are
similarly
applicable to
adult
offenders.
The basic assumption
of
learning theory is
that
the
principles
of
learning,
which have been
d~monstrated
by research, operate
n~turally
in the
community
to establish
most
human behaviour,
whether
it
be
acceptable Of unacceptable,
and that behaviour can
be
unlearned according to these same principles.
Fur-
thermore,
behaviour can
be
~hanged
by aconscious
and
systematic
application
of
these principles.
*B.A. (Hons.) Dip. Ed.
26
MacKinnon Parade.
North
Adelaide. S.A.
5006.
**
B.A.
LL.B.
34
Strangwavs Terrace.
North
AdeJaide. S.A.
5006.
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