18282644
Description
Mind Map by Katie Greensted, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Katie Greensted
over 5 years ago
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Evaluation: Psychological Formulation
- Psychological formulation is when the
offence in question is analysed in order
to help try and understand why the
offender did what they did, and how
likely they are to reoffend. Eventually, a
treatment plan is drawn up in order to
minimise the risk of reoffending in the
future.
- A weakness of psychological formulation is that there are
sources of bias in the process. Information tends to be
gathered through clinical interviews with the offender, and
the offender's recall of events in their life, such as family
circumstances, may be flawed and unreliable. Furthermore,
any conclusions are based on the psychologist's own
subjective interpretation of the information gathered. This
introduces bias within the process which may have an
influence on the effectiveness of the treatment given by the
end of the process.
- A weakness of psychological formulation is that there are
sources of bias in the process. Information tends to be
gathered through clinical interviews with the offender, and
the offender's recall of events in their life, such as family
circumstances, may be flawed and unreliable. Furthermore,
any conclusions are based on the psychologist's own
subjective interpretation of the information gathered. This
introduces bias within the process which may have an
influence on the effectiveness of the treatment given by the
end of the process.
- Phase 1: Offence Analysis
- The offence or offences are analysed in
order to give an insight into possible
motives for the offender. This is likely
difficult due to the complex reasons why
people turn to crime. Identifying the
reasons why an individual has offended
will help the psychologist determine the
risk of them reoffending, and if possible
causes can be removed or changed to
reduce this risk.
- A strength of the process is that it can help provide insight
into particularly complex cases of offending. Many
agencies and professionals in the criminal justice system
are brought together as well as psychologists, and it is this
pooling of expertise which is helpful when deciding the
best way forward for the offender. This ensures that cases
are managed effectively in order to work towards the best
outcome.
- However, this may lead to practical issues when trying
to make sense of the abundance of information gained
through the process. Some evidence gained from the
different sources may be contradictory, and therefore
there may be no obvious rehabilitative programme to
suggest to the offender. It may be difficult for
psychologists to work this information into a clear,
structured formulation.
- However, this may lead to practical issues when trying
to make sense of the abundance of information gained
through the process. Some evidence gained from the
different sources may be contradictory, and therefore
there may be no obvious rehabilitative programme to
suggest to the offender. It may be difficult for
psychologists to work this information into a clear,
structured formulation.
- The offence or offences are analysed in
order to give an insight into possible
motives for the offender. This is likely
difficult due to the complex reasons why
people turn to crime. Identifying the
reasons why an individual has offended
will help the psychologist determine the
risk of them reoffending, and if possible
causes can be removed or changed to
reduce this risk.
- Phase 2: Understanding the Function of Offending
- Offence analysis helps us understand how the
offending behaviour benefitted the offender. For
example, some people may find criminal activity
addictive, and turn to crime in order to fulfil the
need and desire to break the law. This doesn't
excuse their behaviour, but it helps understand
what compels the individual to do the offending
behaviour.
- By understanding what compels an individual to offend,
this can have useful applications to reduce reoffending.
The process helps to educate the offender as to how they
arrived in their current predicament, and if successful,
this would likely lead to reduced reoffending rates. This
suggests that adopting the psychological formulation
methodology may help to reduce reoffending.
- By understanding what compels an individual to offend,
this can have useful applications to reduce reoffending.
The process helps to educate the offender as to how they
arrived in their current predicament, and if successful,
this would likely lead to reduced reoffending rates. This
suggests that adopting the psychological formulation
methodology may help to reduce reoffending.
- Offence analysis helps us understand how the
offending behaviour benefitted the offender. For
example, some people may find criminal activity
addictive, and turn to crime in order to fulfil the
need and desire to break the law. This doesn't
excuse their behaviour, but it helps understand
what compels the individual to do the offending
behaviour.
- Phase 3: Application to treatment
- An important end goal of psychological
formulation is to establish a form of
intervention for the offender which is based
on the conclusions drawn. The
rehabilitative programme decided on
should reflect how the offending started in
the first place, the risk of reoffending, and
how likely an offender is to stick to the
programme selected.
- A weakness of psychological formulation is that success is hard to
measure. The level of success of psychological formulation is
usually assessed in terms of whether the offender goes on to
reoffend. However, a lot of reoffending goes unnoticed, so they
are actually measuring reconviction rates rather than reoffending
rates. The success may be better judges by whether the individual
has changed their sense of identity or their social circumstances.
This suggests that the successes of psychological formulation
should perhaps be based on different, more valid, criteria.
- A weakness of psychological formulation is that success is hard to
measure. The level of success of psychological formulation is
usually assessed in terms of whether the offender goes on to
reoffend. However, a lot of reoffending goes unnoticed, so they
are actually measuring reconviction rates rather than reoffending
rates. The success may be better judges by whether the individual
has changed their sense of identity or their social circumstances.
This suggests that the successes of psychological formulation
should perhaps be based on different, more valid, criteria.
- An important end goal of psychological
formulation is to establish a form of
intervention for the offender which is based
on the conclusions drawn. The
rehabilitative programme decided on
should reflect how the offending started in
the first place, the risk of reoffending, and
how likely an offender is to stick to the
programme selected.
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