Prison Group Climate Instrument

Helm, Peer van der; Stams, Geert Jan; Laan, Peter van der

doi:10.1037/t55012-000

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, Baron-Cohen (2011) has argued that empathy, which is difficult to combine with CU traits, can be “shut on or shut off,” depending on the quality of the environment. In prison, where the environment is thought to have a great (or even extreme) impact on the behavior of inmates (Van der Helm, 2011), callous and unemotional behavior can therefore be more state- than trait like. This may particularly be the case for adolescents whose brain is still maturating and personality is still developing (Lenroot & Giedd, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Relation Between Living Group Climate, Aggression, and Callous-Unemotional Traits in Delinquent Boys in Detention

Heynen

Helm

Cima

et al. 2016

Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aggression and callous-unemotional (CU) traits are common problems in incarcerated delinquent youth. The present study was conducted to examine whether living group climate was associated with aggression and CU traits in late adolescent male offenders ( N = 156) in a German youth prison. A structural equation model was fitted to the data and showed associations between repression and reactive aggression and CU traits, but no associations between an open and supportive living group climate and aggression and CU traits. Previous research in Dutch youth prisons did not find a relation between repression and aggression, buta relation between a positive living group climate and less aggression. These different findings may reflect differences in the German and Dutch prison system. Implications for practice are discussed.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Relation Between Living Group Climate, Aggression, and Callous-Unemotional Traits in Delinquent Boys in Detention

Heynen

Helm

Cima

et al. 2016

Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This is undesirable, as a negative social climate (e.g., perceptions of lack of safety and disempowering) will counteract rehabilitation effects of therapeutic programs during imprisonment (Harding, 2014). Increasing levels of security restricts flexibility in secure institutions and often creates reactance in inmates who try to maintain some sort of self by “playing the system” (Haralambos & Holbourn, 1995), gang-activities, misconduct, and even violence (Van der Helm, 2011). Staff have to cope with these behaviors to maintain order and prevent chaos.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Young people’s Perception of Group Climate in Juvenile Justice Centers in an Australian State, a Pilot Study

Miert

Dekker

Helm

et al. 2021

Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

There is ample evidence to demonstrate that a positive group climate in juvenile justice centers contributes to improvements in motivation for positive behavior and reducing incidents and even recidivism. Being provided opportunities for growth and development and being actively supported by well-trained staff creates a positive atmosphere and minimal repression. Such a pedagogical group climate is strongly related to fulfilling the basic psychological needs of the young people and is promoted by relational security. Following a series of challenging situations inside youth justice centers in Australia, we explored the opportunities for investing in staff training on awareness of basic psychological needs of these young people and introducing the concept of an open, positive group climate. This study reports the results of an explorative measurement of perceived group climate in four units of two juvenile justice centers in Victoria (Australia). The young people ( N = 57) were provided with the Prison Group Climate Instrument. The results of the group climate research and a cross-cultural comparison show that there are inherent strengths but also important opportunities for improvement in the group climate experienced by young people. Recommendations to improve the group climate are discussed in this paper.

show abstract

“…Next, being granted more freedom and autonomy (i.e., "excellence in agency") in and outside the detention centers also seemed beneficial in enhancing treatment motivation. Previous research showed that youth detention interventions tend to be highly structured and can be (experienced as) repressive (Schubert et al, 2012;van der Helm et al, 2014;Van der Helm et al, 2018;De Valk et al, 2019). Furthermore, these studies show that a repressive environment could restrict the youth's (sense of) autonomy, reduce treatment motivation, and create resistance.…”

Section: Matching Needs and Goalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-perceived views on offender rehabilitation in detained adolescent boys: a qualitative analysis in the context of the good lives model

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

IntroductionAn upcoming offender rehabilitation model, the Good Lives Model (GLM), proposes that effective offender rehabilitation should adopt a dual focus: reducing recidivism risk as well as enhancing the offender’s well-being. To achieve this, the GLM suggests rehabilitation should include the prosocial fulfilment of a universal set of human needs termed “primary goods.” A focus on primary goods attainment and well-being is hypothesized to improve treatment motivation and achieve more sustainable desistance from future offending. Although this model sounds promising, empirical evidence for these assumptions is limited, especially among youth.MethodsTwenty Flemish and Dutch detained adolescent boys (14 to 17 years old at the time of their arrest) were interviewed during their detention using a semi-structured interview. They were asked about their well-being, needs and goals during rehabilitation, their treatment motivation, and their views on recidivism and rehabilitation.ResultsThe results show that a match between the boys’ well-being needs, and the treatment goals set in collaboration with the institution could improve treatment motivation and rehabilitation efforts. The boys also mentioned other factors with a positive impact on their treatment motivation: increased levels of freedom and autonomy; having a future (prosocial) perspective; investing in a therapeutic alliance; and, working on individual factors (i.e., improving coping skills, school or work skills, and relationships with prosocial friends and family).DiscussionThese factors closely align with working on the GLM primary goods of “excellence in work and play,” “excellence in agency,” and “relatedness,” which can be helpful in enhancing well-being and treatment motivation in offender rehabilitation.

show abstract

Prison Group Climate Instrument

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

The Relation Between Living Group Climate, Aggression, and Callous-Unemotional Traits in Delinquent Boys in Detention

The Relation Between Living Group Climate, Aggression, and Callous-Unemotional Traits in Delinquent Boys in Detention

Young people’s Perception of Group Climate in Juvenile Justice Centers in an Australian State, a Pilot Study

Self-perceived views on offender rehabilitation in detained adolescent boys: a qualitative analysis in the context of the good lives model

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About