- Your case study will be marked according to the following criteria:
Written expression is clear and coherent, and in your own words.
2. Grammar, spelling, and referencing are consistently correct.
3. The essay is well structured, with an introduction, body, and conclusion, and with appropriate use
of sentences, paragraphs, and headings.
4. The content of the essay is appropriate to the topic.
5. References are made to relevant research and theories in order to develop treatment plan.
6. Selected interventions are appropriate to the problem, and are clearly and accurately described.
7. Conclusions are appropriately cautious, and program evaluation is addressed.
8. A list of references appears at the end of the essay, and references match in-text citations. - Description:
Length: Maximum 2000 words
Select one of the following case studies:
1) Bill is a 15-year-old boy beginning a 2-year sentence for theft. He has a very long history of crime and has had previous community-based sentences and contact with the CJS. Almost all of his offences are drug related. He has had a serious drug abuse problem since first using Cannabis at age 9. At various times he has used LSD, and other hallucinogens, ‘party drugs’ like Ecstasy, and Heroin. Over the last few years he has been using amphetamines on average once per week. Bill comes from a relatively well-off family and attends a private school. He presents in interview as an articulate, high achieving young man. His descriptions of his upbringing suggest that his mother was an indulgent parent who could see no wrong in her son, while his father was a distant figure who divorced his mother and now periodically attempts to enforce a strict discipline regime. Over the years he has stolen from most members of the family, but continues to have the support of his mother. In discussing his crimes, Bill expresses remorse and claims he is ready to go straight, but family members and youth workers close to him suggest that this is not the case.
2) Peter is a 49-year-old prisoner 2 years into a 7-year sentence for the sexual assault of children. Peter was a scout master and was arrested after 12 former scouts came forward and claimed they had been sexually assaulted by him during scout activities over the last 10 years. The victims were all boys, aged between 10 and 14. Peter was a pillar of the local community and his arrest was greeted with disbelief from those who knew him. He was a lay-preacher at the local church, and was actively involved in a Safety House program. Peter claimed that the offences began after his wife had become paraplegic as the result of a car accident, placing great strain on him as well as effectively putting an end to their sexual relationship. During initial assessment with the psychologist he claims that when he was a child he was a victim of sexual abuse from an uncle. He expresses great shame about his behaviour and at times is even suicidal. He is very keen to return to youth work with his church, and says although he feels awful about his sexual offences he knows that he has a special affinity with children, especially boys.
Present a case study on your selected individual focussing on the development of an appropriate treatment plan for their problematic behaviours. Your essay should include:
– a clear identification and description of the problem behaviour.
– exactly what problems, concerns, behaviours or cognitive distortions need to be addressed
– conceptualisation of the problem – how can we understand and explain the onset and origin of the offending behaviour? What theoretical approach might assist us in understanding the nature and extent of this behaviour
– what therapeutic approach do you recommend? What sort of rehabilitation program should the individual engage in and why?
– How would you evaluate the outcomes? How would you know if the program was effective? What would success look like?
– based on the current literature, how successful do you believe the program is likely to be for this individual?
Word Count: [insert your word count here]
Rehabilitating Violent Offenders
Introduction
- Set the scene: what is the kind of offending related to your case study offender
- Use references to argue why rehabilitating these kinds of offenders is useful
- Purpose of this case study (NAME your offender, please!)
- Refer to all the sections of the case study report in the order you are writing them
- Finish with a concluding statement that is short and sharp, e.g. offenders chances of rehabilitation; benefits to society; i.e.
Assessment
- Identifying and describing the problem behaviours for treatment; what exactly needs to be addressed?
Conceptualisation
- @ 1 page: comprehensive analysis:
- not just describing; relate it back to theory and research
- Theory is critical in this section- check CRITERIA SHEET!!!
- Link to possible kind of treatment programs based on this conceptualisation
Treatment and Rehabilitation
- Discuss possible treatment programs with reference to offender and the specific behaviours identified in the assessment/conceptualisation that require addressing
- See guide- if there are many programs, give a brief overview of a few then concentrate on two or three relevant ones in detail.
- Programs? Duration, contact time, when best to deliver them (think about sentence length here)
- Think about the risk-needs-responsivity principle which underlies rehabilitation practice:
- g. readiness to change; more than one program may be necessary to get the offender to the stage of accepting treatment (RESPONSIVITY!)
Measuring Outcomes
- Think about course readings references to outcomes of particular treatments and ways of measuring these outcomes
- What are the treatments objectives?
Evaluation
- How do they measure success and failure- what works?
- Draw on the research! DON’T make things up-
- Refer to previous studies and the ways in which they measured these outcomes
- Baseline measure; time of follow ups
- READ, READ, READ!
Likelihood of success
- Discuss potential success of program
- Draw on previous research findings about the effectiveness of these programs for your offender
- Think about what kids of circumstances these programs aren’t effective?
- What features about the offender make it more or less likely to be successful?
- Frame this in general terms of the program NOT each separate component you discussed earlier. E.g. more about overall findings for effectiveness of comprehensive CBT programs for a particular offending group, i.e.
- This will depend on your selected offender and offence/problem type.
Conclusion
- Restate main points; conclude with a nice closing statement similar to the one you used in your introduction.
References
- At least 6 appropriate references for a Pass – meaning 6 references are the minimum
- This is a substantial effort on your part- we need to see that you’ve done the research to justify a 40% weighting!
- RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH!