Individual Psychological Therapies In Forensic Settings

From the ‘nothing works’ maxim of the 1970s to evidence-based interventions to challenge recidivism and promote pro-social behavior, psychological therapy has played an important role in rehabilitation and risk reduction within forensic settings in recent years. And yet the typical group therapy model isn’t always the appropriate path to take. In this important new book, the aims and effectiveness of individual therapies within forensic settings, both old and new, are assessed and discussed. Including contributions from authors based in the UK, North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, a broad range of therapies are covered, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mentalisation Based Therapy, Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Compassion Focussed Therapy. Each chapter provides: an assessment of the evidence base for effectiveness; the adaptations required in a forensic setting; whether the therapy is aimed at recidivism or psychological change; the client or patient characteristics it is aimed at; a case study of the therapy in action. The final section of the book looks at ethical issues, the relationship between individual and group-based treatment, therapist supervision and deciding which therapies and therapists to select. This book is essential reading for probation staff, psychologists, criminal justice and liaison workers and specialist treatment staff. It will also be a valuable resource for any student of forensic or clinical psychology.

From the ‘nothing works’ maxim of the 1970s to evidence-based interventions to challenge recidivism and promote pro-social behavior, psychological therapy has played an important role in rehabilitation and risk reduction within forensic settings in recent years. And yet the typical group therapy model isn’t always the appropriate path to take. In this important new book, the aims and effectiveness of individual therapies within forensic settings, both old and new, are assessed and discussed. Including contributions from authors based in the UK, North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, a broad range of therapies are covered, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mentalisation Based Therapy, Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Compassion Focussed Therapy. Each chapter provides: an assessment of the evidence base for effectiveness; the adaptations required in a forensic setting; whether the therapy is aimed at recidivism or psychological change; the client or patient characteristics it is aimed at; a case study of the therapy in action. The final section of the book looks at ethical issues, the relationship between individual and group-based treatment, therapist supervision and deciding which therapies and therapists to select. This book is essential reading for probation staff, psychologists, criminal justice and liaison workers and specialist treatment staff. It will also be a valuable resource for any student of forensic or clinical psychology.

This book examines a range of therapeutic approaches used in prisons and other secure settings and explores the challenges in such work. The approaches include Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Cognitive-Analytic Therapy (CAT), Attachment-Based Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Systemic Psychotherapy. It provides insights into debates about providing therapy in prisons and other secure settings and discusses specific topics such as mental health in-reach teams, working with women in prison, therapy within therapeutic communities and therapy with black and minority ethnic groups. This book addresses developments in mental healthcare by the National Health Service (NHS) within prisons and on-going policy developments which aim to improve access to psychological therapies for prisoners. The contributors draw on experience both in clinical psychology and forensic psychology, as well as psychotherapy and criminology. They draw on experience too in a range of environments, including juvenile and young offender establishments, local prisons and dispersal prisons. Psychological Therapy in Prisons and Other Secure Settings will be essential reading for people who work to improve the psychological wellbeing of individuals in prisons and other secure settings.

Forensic Interventions for Therapy and Rehabilitation: Case Studies and Analysis provides an up-to-date overview of the latest therapeutic ideas being used for forensic service users and prisoners in both custodial and community settings. The field of forensic work is increasingly being recognised for its importance, both in terms of the value of the work in reducing reoffending and in terms of the salience given to it by the media, the public, and politically. This text reflects current policy and practice, and furthermore considers the therapeutic encounter from a broad perspective, which incorporates individual, group, and systemic interventions. Forensic Interventions for Therapy and Rehabilitation includes chapters on a range of therapeutic models, issues pertinent to specific groups of people with criminal convictions, and discussion on the various contexts in which interventions take place. Forensic Interventions for Therapy and Rehabilitation is essential reading for all students of Forensic or Clinical Psychology, as well as practitioners in the field.

Case Studies in Forensic Psychology offers the reader a unique insight into the often-hidden world of psychological assessment and intervention with people who have committed serious crimes. The book contains a breadth of forensic case studies, and each chapter details the real forensic work that psychologists do in their clinical practice in prison, psychiatric, and community settings. Assessment and therapeutic approaches used in each case study are discussed, as well as the state of the literature in each area (e.g. sexual violence risk assessment, schema therapy). Each chapter will take the reader through a variety of offender profiles, their personal background, any relevant psychiatric or psychological diagnoses, and assessments and/or treatment completed. Case studies offer valuable insight into the clinical practice and day-to-day role of a forensic psychologist, demonstrating the work undertaken that empirical research does not offer. Uniquely, Case Studies in Forensic Psychology brings together treatment models and forensic research, demonstrating how theory translates into practice and considering whether it is effective at an individual level. It is ideal for students of forensic psychology and forensic mental health, as well as practitioners at any stage of their career in this rapidly expanding field.

This book explores applied research methods used in forensic settings – prisons, the probation service, courts and forensic mental health establishments – and provides a comprehensive 'how-to' guide for forensic practitioners and researchers. It provides practitioners and researchers with grounding in the practical techniques appropriate for research in applied forensic settings. This includes knowledge and skills of the research process and the wide range of research methods (both quantitative and qualitative) being applied in this arena. The text provides a critical understanding of the problems, challenges and ethical issues which can arise and ideas for managing these. Specific attention is paid to empirical research within forensic populations and settings including researching vulnerable groups (e.g. offenders and the mentally ill in secure settings), evaluating treatment programmes, and the uses and problems of randomised control trials. The book is clearly structured, with each methodology chapter describing the background of the approach; the type of research questions addressed; design principles and issues; the types of analysis that can be utilised; strengths and limitations of the method; future directions and further sources of information. Through the inclusion of case studies and illustrative examples from forensic researchers and practitioners who have extensive experience of conducting applied research, this book tackles real-life problems typically faced by researchers and practitioners. Research in Practice for Forensic Professionals is an essential one-stop resource for practitioners (such as psychologists, nursing and medical staff, prison and probation workers, social workers, occupational therapists) who have an interest in research and in evaluating their own work and the services in which they work. It will also be of interest to students studying areas of applied research, such as forensic psychology or applied criminology and those teaching them.

The Routledge International Handbook of Forensic Psychology in Secure Settings is the first volume to identify, discuss and analyse the most important psychological issues within prisons and secure hospitals. Including contributions from leading researchers and practitioners from the UK, US, Australia and Canada, the book covers not only the key groups that forensic psychologists work with, but also the treatment options available to them, workplace issues unique to secure settings, and some of the wider topics that impact upon offender populations. The book is divided into four sections: population and issues; treatment; staff and workplace issues; contemporary issues for forensic application. With chapters offering both theoretical rigour and practical application, this is a unique resource that will be essential reading for any student, researcher or practitioner of forensic psychology or criminology. It will also be relevant for those interested in social policy and social care.

This book represents a comprehensive collection of theoretical and empirical work at the nexus of clinical and forensic psychology written by world-renowned experts in the field. It is among the first books in the field to focus entirely on clinical psychological science applied to the understanding and treatment of offending. Part I addresses the main theoretical and clinical models used to explain and predict antisocial behavior, spanning biological, cognitive, experimental, individual differences, and interpersonal perspectives. Part II focuses on forms of psychopathology associated with an increased tendency to offend, with the emphasis on describing the clinical constructs most relevant for forensic psychology. Each chapter describes the clinical characteristics of one form of psychopathology, their assessment, their links with antisocial behavior, and treatment considerations. Part III focuses on different types of offense or offender groups as starting points. This perspective has relevance since many criminal justice and forensic mental health systems allocate offenders to interventions based on their index offense (or history of offenses). Finally, Part IV addresses the application of clinical psychology in the service of assessment and treatment in forensic settings. It includes the state of the art on diagnostic and risk assessment, as well as both widely used and recently developed interventions. This book is an excellent resource for students at both Bachelor’s and Master’s level, while also representing a comprehensive handbook for experienced researchers and practitioners.