- Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
- Currently professor of clinical psychology at Victoria University of Wellington. I have over 450 publications, mainly... moreCurrently professor of clinical psychology at Victoria University of Wellington. I have over 450 publications, mainly in the clinical forensic area. My current research projects include: (a) explanation and inquiry in research and practice . This includes the nature of protective and dynamic risk factors and their theoretical grounding in embodied agencyedit
Our understanding of criminal behavior can, in principle, be informed by our understanding of the evolutionary functions and evolutionary history of the relevant behaviors, and the proximate psychological and neurobiological processes... more
Our understanding of criminal behavior can, in principle, be informed by our understanding of the evolutionary functions and evolutionary history of the relevant behaviors, and the proximate psychological and neurobiological processes that underpin them. In this chapter we aim to explore the contribution of distal explanations to our understanding of crime. These correspond to Tinbergen's first two levels of explanation: adaptation and phylogeny. We begin by outlining some key explanatory targets for criminological theories. In particular, we suggest that any comprehensive explanation for crime needs to be able to explain why it is that certain types of criminal acts occur, why they tend to be patterned in particular ways (in terms of the social relationships between offenders and victims), and why it is that males are more likely to commit crimes than females. We will argue throughout this chapter, focusing largely on interpersonal violence, that the distal level of explanation is the most salient for our explanation of these criminological phenomena.
Research Interests: Psychology and Salient
In this chapter, we introduce some key theoretical concepts that evolutionary biologists employ to understand the biological world, and offer a sketch of the unique trajectory of hominin evolution over the past seven million years. An... more
In this chapter, we introduce some key theoretical concepts that evolutionary biologists employ to understand the biological world, and offer a sketch of the unique trajectory of hominin evolution over the past seven million years. An important evolutionary feature of all living organisms is adaptation. We begin this chapter with a discussion of plant adaptation in the presence of (now extinct) predators, and then proceed to the more specific instance of human evolution. Although it is largely understood that all forms of life on our planet have evolved in some way from their ancestral lineage, Homo sapiens is unique among Earth’s creatures for its astounding (and continuing) evolutionary success. Much of this success can be attributed not only to an amazing ability to adapt to, and in fact change, the external environment, but also to an ability to construct social norms, expectations, and penalties, through a positive feedback mechanism, that ensure the best possible evolutionary outcome for the species as a whole.
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Page 193. 8 The Management of Sex Offenders: Introducing a Good Lives Approach Rachael M. Collie, Tony Ward, and Theresa A. Gannon Sexual offending is a socially significant and complex problem that has become the ...
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Rates of offending vary over time and space. In this chapter, we first provide an overview of the nature of this variation and identify the main criminological explanations that have been developed to account for the patterns that are... more
Rates of offending vary over time and space. In this chapter, we first provide an overview of the nature of this variation and identify the main criminological explanations that have been developed to account for the patterns that are found. Our focus is, therefore, on cultural and social structural explanations. We begin with an overview of historical trends in crime, focusing on the long-term trends in Western society since the middle ages, then turning to a discussion of the international crime drop that began in the early 1990s. We next provide an overview of ecological variation in crime rates at various levels of spatial aggregation: neighborhoods, cities, regions, and countries. We outline various explanations for these temporal and spatial patterns focusing on social structural changes, changes in routine activities, and cultural changes. In the final section of the chapter, we argue that an evolutionary perspective is relevant for understanding the findings that we present and can add explanatory value to existing theoretical accounts.
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In this chapter, we concentrate on Tinbergen’s fourth type of causal explanation: proximate mechanisms operating at the time the offence occurs. In selecting the proximate mechanisms to discuss in this chapter, our intention is to focus... more
In this chapter, we concentrate on Tinbergen’s fourth type of causal explanation: proximate mechanisms operating at the time the offence occurs. In selecting the proximate mechanisms to discuss in this chapter, our intention is to focus on those that have been linked to the onset and reoccurrence of offending, and can be plausibly conceptualized as adaptations or by-products of adaptations. We first outline the concepts of dynamic risk factors, criminogenic needs, protective factors, and desistance processes. The ability of these concepts to function as explanations of crime is critically evaluated and their relationships to adaptations are explored. Second, the agency model of risk is systematically outlined and its grounding in biological and cultural processes is discussed. Third, we demonstrate how dynamic risk factors and protective factors once distributed across the components of human agency contribute to the occurrence of crime. Finally, we conclude the chapter with a discussion of some research implications of our model.
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In this chapter we provide an overview of evolutionary approaches to crime prevention, punishment, and public policy. We begin by considering some important conceptual issues that arise in applying evolutionary criminology to the... more
In this chapter we provide an overview of evolutionary approaches to crime prevention, punishment, and public policy. We begin by considering some important conceptual issues that arise in applying evolutionary criminology to the effective management of crime. We focus first on how an evolutionary approach can contribute to social and situational crime prevention efforts. Drawing from the material presented in Chapter 5 , we then consider what an evolutionary perspective has to offer in terms of understanding how we should punish offenders and what potential opportunities there are for restorative justice initiatives. We conclude this chapter by considering the wider public policy implications of an evolutionary approach to crime prevention. Preventing crime (and the harms caused by crime) is no straightforward task and an evolutionary perspective offers no magical solutions. However, armed with a conceptually richer account of why individuals offend, why we punish, and what accounts for variation in offending (and punishment), provides us with an opportunity to help guide the development of effective strategies for managing crime.
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In this chapter we argue that understanding the evolution of altruism, cooperation, and punishment can inform the foundational assumptions of many criminological theories, and has important implications for the understanding of punishment... more
In this chapter we argue that understanding the evolution of altruism, cooperation, and punishment can inform the foundational assumptions of many criminological theories, and has important implications for the understanding of punishment as it is administered in the criminal justice system. We are by nature normative animals and therefore predisposed to make normative judgments of many kinds, including moral ones centered on social coherence and conflict resolution. Like most other primates we are a highly social species that has “other-regarding” preferences, especially for kin and people who we interact with on a regular basis, but also for nonrelated individuals. Such other regarding preferences rely on an evolved collection of emotions and emotional processes including empathy, compassion, guilt, shame, and remorse that function to motivate prosocial, and prevent antisocial, behavior. Any attempt to understand why humans engage in antisocial and criminal behavior needs to take into account what is known about our social nature.
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In this chapter, we address Tinbergen's third level of explanation: ontogeny or development. We first outline the key explanatory targets for developmental criminology. We highlight here the importance of explaining the overall shape... more
In this chapter, we address Tinbergen's third level of explanation: ontogeny or development. We first outline the key explanatory targets for developmental criminology. We highlight here the importance of explaining the overall shape of the age–crime curve, individual differences in the rate and prevalence of offending, and the factors that lead to desistance from crime. We then turn to a review of criminological explanations for these key explanatory targets, highlighting the most prominent developmental theories or models of offending. We then consider how an evolutionary approach can contribute to our existing theoretical understanding of the developmental processes underlying criminal behavior. Drawing from life history theory we argue that a better understanding of the patterns of offending that are found can be obtained by considering both our species-specific life history trajectory and how individual differences may reflect alternate life history strategies in response to different environmental contexts.
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In this paper, we argue that evolutionary behavioural science can be fruitfully applied to the explanation of criminal behaviour and subsequent interventions with offenders based on this understanding. First, we provide a brief overview... more
In this paper, we argue that evolutionary behavioural science can be fruitfully applied to the explanation of criminal behaviour and subsequent interventions with offenders based on this understanding. First, we provide a brief overview of evolutionary theory and the three main approaches applied to the social and behavioural sciences, human behavioural ecology, evolutionary psychology, and gene‐culture co‐evolution theory. Second, we examine two examples of crimes that have been approached from an evolutionary standpoint, psychopathy, and rape. Third, we discuss four implications of adopting an evolutionary behavioural perspective for therapeutic and prevention work with offenders.
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APA PsycNET Our Apologies! - The following features are not available with your current Browser configuration. - alerts user that their session is about to expire - display, print, save, export, and email selected records - get My ...
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The issue of dual roles within forensic and correctional fields has typically been conceptualized as dissonance—experienced by practitioners—when attempting to adhere to the conflicting ethical requirements associated with client... more
The issue of dual roles within forensic and correctional fields has typically been conceptualized as dissonance—experienced by practitioners—when attempting to adhere to the conflicting ethical requirements associated with client well-being and community protection. In this article, we argue that the dual role problem should be conceptualized more broadly to incorporate the relationship between the offender and their victim. We also propose that restorative justice (RJ) is able to provide a preliminary ethical framework to deal with this common ethical oversight. Furthermore, we unite the RJ framework with that of Ward’s moral acquaintance model to provide a more powerful approach ( RJ-informed moral acquaintance) aimed at addressing the ethical challenges faced by practitioners within forensic and correctional roles.
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Page 76. Chapter 3 COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS AS BELIEF, VALUE, AND ACTION JUDGMENTS TONY WARD AND KIRSTEN KEOWN Victoria University of Wellington, NZ THERESA A. GANNON University of Kent, UK Sexual ...
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Purpose – There is increasing interest in applying strength-based approaches to offender rehabilitation. The purpose of this paper is to use the Good Lives Model (GLM) as an example to illustrate the fit that exists between strength-based... more
Purpose – There is increasing interest in applying strength-based approaches to offender rehabilitation. The purpose of this paper is to use the Good Lives Model (GLM) as an example to illustrate the fit that exists between strength-based approaches to offender rehabilitation and therapeutic communities. Design/methodology/approach – The authors briefly describe the GLM before discussing the key themes that link the two perspectives; the authors argue they naturally fit together in a number of areas. Findings – Both perspectives emphasise the importance of creating a safe and trusting therapeutic environment in which capacities (e.g. skills) can be developed that assist individuals to go on to live lives which are personally meaningful, and in which all their needs are met, enabling them to live offence free. Both also place importance on the role of personal responsibility. Originality/value – The authors conclude the GLM could usefully contribute to improving outcomes for those tr...
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Research into the heterogeneity of female violent offending is sparse, even though females constitute a growing part of the prisoner population. There is evidence that the majority of female violent offenders display over-controlled... more
Research into the heterogeneity of female violent offending is sparse, even though females constitute a growing part of the prisoner population. There is evidence that the majority of female violent offenders display over-controlled traits related to uncharacteristic offending. This hypothesis was explored through a multivariate model, the Pathways Model of Assault, with interview data from 17 female assault offenders. Five different offence types were displayed, reflecting the same offence styles as male offenders. However, only two participants displayed an over-controlled offence type. Qualitative differences within the data suggested that offender rehabilitation should be tailored specifically for different gender needs in addition to the needs suggested by the different offence types.
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Human rights create a protective zone around persons and allow them the opportunity to further their own valued personal projects without interference from others. All human beings hold human rights and that includes sex offenders,... more
Human rights create a protective zone around persons and allow them the opportunity to further their own valued personal projects without interference from others. All human beings hold human rights and that includes sex offenders, although some of their freedom rights may be legitimately curtailed by the State. In this paper we apply the concept of human rights to sex offenders. First we briefly analyze the concept of human rights, their structure, and justification. Second, we apply our own model of human rights to the assessment and treatment of sex offenders. We conclude that a significant advantage of a human rights approach is that it is able to integrate the value and capability aspects of offender treatment.
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Child sexual offenders are hypothesized to hold offence-supportive beliefs that set them apart from others. The current study seeks support for this view via a cognitive-experimental approach. Child sexual offenders and offender controls... more
Child sexual offenders are hypothesized to hold offence-supportive beliefs that set them apart from others. The current study seeks support for this view via a cognitive-experimental approach. Child sexual offenders and offender controls were exposed to pictures of semi-...
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Although violent offenders are widely considered to be difficult to engage in therapeutic change, few methods of assessing treatment readiness currently exist. In this article the validation of a brief self-report measure designed to... more
Although violent offenders are widely considered to be difficult to engage in therapeutic change, few methods of assessing treatment readiness currently exist. In this article the validation of a brief self-report measure designed to assess treatment readiness in offenders who have been referred to violent offender treatment programs is described. The measure, which is an adaptation of a general measure of treatment readiness developed in a previous work, displayed acceptable levels of convergent and discriminant validity and was able to successfully predict treatment engagement in violent offender treatment. These results suggest that the measure has utility in the assessment of treatment readiness in violent offenders.
Research Interests: Criminology, Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Assessment, Prediction, and 15 moreSocialization, Injury Prevention, Medicine, Humans, Behavior Therapy, Male, Prisoners, Questionnaires, Self Assessment, Adult, Interpersonal Violence, Poison Control, Discriminant Validity, Responsivity, and Personality Inventory
Research on offending behavior rehabilitation suggests that offenders would gain the maximum benefit from programs that reflect the individual needs of different types of offender. Multivariate theories of offending behavior are thus... more
Research on offending behavior rehabilitation suggests that offenders would gain the maximum benefit from programs that reflect the individual needs of different types of offender. Multivariate theories of offending behavior are thus required to inform individualized rehabilitation. The aim of the current study was to construct a multivariate model for the prolific offense of assault. Qualitative methodology was used to construct a descriptive model of assault for 25 adult assault offenders. The model incorporated the development of violent behavior, types of anger, violence motivation, and the assault offense. The model consisted of 14 categories, 10 of which allowed for individual differences in behavior. A total of 35 participant transcripts were then coded through the model where the individual differences occurred. Five main offense types were found. The characteristics of the types of assault offense gave indications for how rehabilitation may be targeted for each group.
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The purpose of this article is to explore three concepts namely dignity, human rights and capabilities and to argue for their relevance in advancing the theory and practice of rehabilitation. A narrative review of selected academic... more
The purpose of this article is to explore three concepts namely dignity, human rights and capabilities and to argue for their relevance in advancing the theory and practice of rehabilitation. A narrative review of selected academic writing on the three constructs is considered with respect to the rehabilitation literature. Each concept is defined and technical terms are explained for readers unfamiliar with these topics. Salient aspects of academic or scientific writing on each of these three topics is summarised and attempts are made to integrate these with rehabilitation. Dignity, rights and capabilities are three concepts that have the potential to enhance theory development in rehabilitation.
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The good lives model (GLM) represents a new theoretical framework informing sex offender treatment programs; however, substantial variation has been observed in terms of how GLM-related ideas and practices have been applied. Integrated... more
The good lives model (GLM) represents a new theoretical framework informing sex offender treatment programs; however, substantial variation has been observed in terms of how GLM-related ideas and practices have been applied. Integrated appropriately, the GLM offers potential for improving outcomes of programs following a cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) approach and operating according to a narrow operationalization of risk, need, responsivity (RNR) principles. Conversely, misguided or otherwise poor integration could increase the very risk practitioners work to prevent and manage. The purpose of this article is to provide an introduction and overview on how to integrate the GLM into treatment using CBT and RNR. The authors describe clinical implications of the GLM as they relate to program aims and orientation, assessment and intervention planning, content, and delivery.
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... Despite this level of force, the average level of vic-tim physical injury was judged to be just 2.8 on an 8-point ... Sometimes offenders have developed an identity that distorts aspects of their cultural background to their criminal... more
... Despite this level of force, the average level of vic-tim physical injury was judged to be just 2.8 on an 8-point ... Sometimes offenders have developed an identity that distorts aspects of their cultural background to their criminal behavior (Maynard, Coebergh, Anstiss, Bakker, & ...
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Mayumi Purvis, BA (Hons), is a post-graduate (PhD) criminology student at the University of Melbourne. Her research interests in the area of sexual offending are treatment frameworks and offender rehabilitation.
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Background: As the need to involve more students in STEM learning and future careers becomes more pressing, identifying successful methods of engaging students in meaningful scientific learning that increases their interest in science is... more
Background: As the need to involve more students in STEM learning and future careers becomes more pressing, identifying successful methods of engaging students in meaningful scientific learning that increases their interest in science is essential. Student self-efficacy (their confidence or belief in their ability to accomplish tasks) is closely tied to student interest in science, as is student future scientific possible selves. Material and Methods: This manuscript presents the findings of a study that evaluated the Clean Air and Healthy Homes Program (CAHHP), which provides students the opportunity to design and implement authentic scientific research on indoor air quality issues. The program’s influence on student self-efficacy, scientific research and experimental design skills, and future scientific possible selves was examined. Students (n=169) from six schools completed a pre- and post-assessment at the beginning and end of the program. Results: Results showed the greatest i...
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Having sought 22 clinicians’ views of how rehabilitation was practised in a forensic mental health service, this study explores whether or not these views are consistent with claims that forensic rehabilitation can be hampered by the lack... more
Having sought 22 clinicians’ views of how rehabilitation was practised in a forensic mental health service, this study explores whether or not these views are consistent with claims that forensic rehabilitation can be hampered by the lack of a coherent rehabilitation framework. Two major, mutually influencing themes emerged from the participants’ narratives, the first of which delineates the culture and functioning of individuals and systems in a forensic service and the underlying philosophies and beliefs guiding professional behaviour. The second theme outlines the participants’ views of the ways in which client needs are assessed and how clients are subsequently provided with the skills and opportunities required for their rehabilitation. The results indicate that while the participants perceived that there were positive aspects to the forensic mental health care that was provided; they also stated that systematicity in the formulation and provision of forensic mental health clients’ needs was lacking. These findings reinforce previous claims that there needs to be a theoretically sound means of embedding and systematising effective rehabilitation practice in forensic services.
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Practitioners working in the criminal justice system pride themselves on their high standards of ethical behaviour and are typically adamant that the assessment and rehabilitation of offenders can proceed according to traditional,... more
Practitioners working in the criminal justice system pride themselves on their high standards of ethical behaviour and are typically adamant that the assessment and rehabilitation of offenders can proceed according to traditional, although possibly modified, professional codes of practice(Bush, Connell and Denny, 2006; Haag,2006; Levenson and D’Amora, 2005).The claim made by such individuals is that offender rehabilitation meets the ethical standards of mental health practice and does not involve coercion or punishment in any meaningful sense. However, some researchers have strongly contested this view and argue that the treatment of offenders departs so radically from traditional rehabilitation practice that it is best conceptualised as a form of punishment. According to this perspective, traditional professional codes are hopelessly inadequate to guide correctional and forensic interventions and ought to be replaced by legal frameworks (Glaser, 2003).
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Contemporary forensic psychology is characterized by a relative lack of attention to theory building and conceptual analysis. In my view, this neglect of theory amounts to theoretical illiteracy and represents a significant obstacle to... more
Contemporary forensic psychology is characterized by a relative lack of attention to theory building and conceptual analysis. In my view, this neglect of theory amounts to theoretical illiteracy and represents a significant obstacle to the explanation of crime and its management. In this paper I explore the problem of theoretical illiteracy for forensic psychological research and practice. First, I discuss why theory is important in science and the dangers of ignoring it. Second, I review the role of theory in addressing the myriad of practical problems facing human beings. Third, I outline three strategies to increase researchers and practitioners’ appreciation of theory construction and development: adopting a more comprehensive model of scientific method, epistemic iteration, and promoting model pluralism. Fourth, I examine two examples of core concepts from correctional psychology, that of dynamic risk factors and classification, and demonstrate how the above strategies can be u...
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The Air Toxics under the Big Sky program developed at the University of Montana is a regional outreach and education initiative that offers a yearlong exploration of air quality and its relation to respiratory health. The program was... more
The Air Toxics under the Big Sky program developed at the University of Montana is a regional outreach and education initiative that offers a yearlong exploration of air quality and its relation to respiratory health. The program was designed to connect university staff and resources with rural schools enabling students to learn and apply science process skills through self-designed research projects conducted within their communities. As part of the program, students develop and conduct independent projects, then share their findings at the conclusion of the school year in some type of interactive capstone experience, the most prominent being a high school symposium held at The University of Montana campus. Student feedback collected through a carefully controlled evaluation program suggest that the annual symposium as the culminating event is a critical component of the Air Toxics Under the Big Sky program, and a valuable learning experience as many of the students go on to post-s...
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ABSTRACT In light of the growing interest in forensic neuroscience, a pressing question concerns whether or not neurobiological evidence and explanations can make a useful contribution to understanding and managing crime. Here we argue... more
ABSTRACT In light of the growing interest in forensic neuroscience, a pressing question concerns whether or not neurobiological evidence and explanations can make a useful contribution to understanding and managing crime. Here we argue that neuroscience methodologies, such as EEG and fMRI, can provide a valuable source of information about phenomena related to criminal behaviour, which complements traditional sources such as interviews and self-report scales. However, despite this optimistic message, there is good reason to be cautious in interpreting neurobiological data. It is tempting to see this type of evidence as somehow ‘privileged’ over other sources. However, elucidating the neurobiological mechanisms that support a behaviour does not tell us what led to that behaviour. Given how little we currently know about the relationship between neural activity and specific mental functions, we should be cautious about inferring psychological processes on the basis of brain activity measures alone. Finally, we should always keep in mind that every neuroscience study is predicated upon a psychological framework, and this framework affects all aspects of the project. Therefore, the evidence obtained from a neuroscience study is only ever as good as the psychological framework on which that study was founded.
Research Interests: Psychology and Routledge
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The focus of this paper is on the role that dynamic risk factors should play in the development of explanations of crime. Following a discussion of the nature of explanation we propose that in their current form dynamic risk factors... more
The focus of this paper is on the role that dynamic risk factors should play in the development of explanations of crime. Following a discussion of the nature of explanation we propose that in their current form dynamic risk factors should not be regarded as causes of crime because they cannot be coherently conceptualized as causal mechanisms. We then examine the issue of how best to ascertain whether risk factors are causes and a number of methodological guidelines are suggested to assist in this evaluation process. Finally, we conclude that dynamic risk factors are valuable predictors of recidivism and that, additionally, suitably reconstructed they can serve an important methodological function in identifying the causes of crime and reoffending.
KEYWORDS: Dynamic risk factors, explanation of crime, risk prediction
KEYWORDS: Dynamic risk factors, explanation of crime, risk prediction
