Rehabilitation von Straftätern

The German correctional treatment in prison, social therapeutic units and social therapy capitalizes on therapeutic interventions developed in English-speaking countries, which are based on the risk-need-responsivity model (RNR). However, this approach is rarely discussed in the German literature. The present article aims at filling this gap by illustrating the basic assumptions, strengths and limitations of the RNR model. Moreover, this presentation highlights the usefulness of the RNR model for the treatment of offenders.     

Die Rehabilitation von Straftätern

The rehabilitation of offenders in English-speaking countries is primarily guided by a risk management framework (the risk-need-responsivity principles: RNR model), which aims at reducing the possibility of harm to the community rather than improving offenders’ quality of life. In the last decade Tony Ward and his colleagues have developed the good lives model of offender rehabilitation (GLM) as an alternative to the RNR model. The GLM incorporates the RNR principles of risk, need and responsivity into its theoretical structure while aiming to provide a more constructive and comprehensive approach to correctional practice. More specifically, it aims to both reduce risk while enhancing the quality of offenders’ lives. The present article aims at outlining the general, etiological assumptions and practice implications of the GLM. In addition, its strengths and limitations and evidence base are reported. These illustrations highlight the usefulness of the GLM for the treatment of offenders and sex offenders in particular.     

Sind Exhibitionisten gefährliche Straftäter?

Exhibitionists are generally considered to be repeated but otherwise inoffensive delinquents. In contrast to this position in the past politicians repeatedly declared acting exhibitionistically to be the starting point of a development leading to sexual assaults. The following analysis is based on conviction records for the years 1998 to 2000. Out of 1979 Federal Registry records a total of 34 showed a development toward sexual assault. A far greater number of delinquents were convicted for property crime or common crime like assault or libel. This could has been confirmed for the time before they have committed exhibitionistic acts in public as well as after that. Convictions for similar offenses like indecent behaviour or sexual acts in front of children are common as well. More than one fifth of all offenders committed such an offence over the evaluated period of about 5 years after the reference crime. A much more decisive fact is that absolutely as well as relatively more offenders had been convicted of sexual assault before they were convicted of exhibitionistic acts in public. So from a statistical point of view a correlation between acting exhibitionistically and sexual assaults is not obvious. The ongoing dissection of files gives reason to classify the above mentioned 34 offenders to be a atypical type of exhibitionist, what means that their behavior is dominated by a antisocial personality and not by exhibitionism in psychiatric terms.     

Rechtliche Gesichtspunkte zur Rückfallprognose und Vollstreckung bei älteren Straftätern

As our society ages, the number of offenders who are older than 60 when they are up to release from prison or forensic hospital also increases steadily. Instruments of prognosis (e.g. HCR-20, PCL, SVR, Static-99, Dittmann-List) currently in use are not validated for this group, which means that forensic-psychiatric and -psychological experts have to rely on casuistry with all it’s methodical problems for their reports on whether or not there is a risk for relapse (which are obligatory by German law). Therefore the Courts of Execution Matters (in Germany dealing with conditional discharge; same question for any kind of Parole Board in other countries) have to apply standards as provided by the law and the jurisdiction up to the Constitutional Court to a much higher degree than they have to do regarding the much better researched group of younger offenders. In doing so, the focus has to be much more on the special circumstances of senior citizen in general and specifically on the aged offender’s life. There is a urgent need to intensify research on this group of offenders.     

Rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen und Behandlungspraxis bei persönlichkeitsgestörten Straftätern in den Niederlanden

Zusammenfassung   Die Behandlung pers?nlichkeitsgest?rter Straft?ter, die in den Niederlanden haupts?chlich dem Ma?regelvollzug obliegt, steht durch die Forderung von Politik und ?ffentlichkeit nach maximaler Sicherheit der Allgemeinheit momentan unter st?ndigem Druck. Gleichzeitig finden im Ma?regelvollzug Entwicklungen statt, die gew?hrleisten sollen, dass der Sektor seine prim?re Aufgabe, die Gesellschaft vor rückfallgef?hrdeten Straft?tern zu schützen, besser erfüllen kann. Dabei wird ebenfalls versucht, den unterschiedlichen Sicherungs- und Behandlungsbedürfnissen der verschiedenen Patientengruppen durch ein differenziertes, wissenschaftlich fundiertes Behandlungsangebot gerecht zu werden. In diesem Beitrag werden die Errungenschaften in der Behandlung psychisch gest?rter Straft?ter beschrieben und es wird erl?utert, inwieweit die Panikmache von Politik und Medien die gemachten Fortschritte zu untergraben droht.      

Zum Umgang mit Destruktivität in der Paartherapie

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Der Behandlungsbedarf bei jungen Straftätern (BB-JuSt)

The BB-JuSt is a newly developed standardized instrument used in juvenile correctional settings to document the results of the inital assessment of treatment and educational needs of young offenders. It is made up of 23 items with 5-point rating scales (with the exception of the item caring for a child) which refer to specific needs and responsivity factors relating to educational attainments and basic reading/writing and mathematic skills, alcohol/drug/gambling problems, criminogenic disposition (e.g., aggressiveness), psychological disorders, lifestyle and social environment (e.g. associates and family). To determine the interrater reliability of this instrument 42 young offenders were classified by professional prison staff as usual, and additionally by 2 external researchers. Whereas excellent agreement between the external researchers was achieved on all items, the comparison between staff and researchers showed only moderate correlations. These results indicate that the BB-JuSt is a reliable instrument that can be used for treatment planning decisions and for research purposes but extensive training is required for users.     

Die Kriminalprognose bei persönlichkeitsgestörten Straftätern

Many studies have shown that there is an elevated prevalence of personality disorders in criminal offenders in addition to the statistically higher probability of becoming repeat offenders. This article highlights the method of Applied Criminology which explains how this method can help to detect the relevance of personality disorders when applied to an individual case. In a second part of this article the personality disorders are examined and also how this method facilitates the risk assessment process by allowing case managers to highlight the aspects that are prevalent to predict future criminal behavior.     

Die Kriminalprognose bei persönlichkeitsgestörten Straftätern

Many studies have shown that there is an elevated prevalence of personality disorders in criminal offenders in addition to the statistically higher probability of becoming repeat offenders. This article highlights in part I the method of Applied Criminology which explains how this method can help to detect the relevance of personality disorders when applied to an individual case. In this second part the personality disorders are examined and also how this method facilitates the risk assessment process.     

„Intention to treat“ oder „treatment as received“ – Umgang mit Abbrechern in der Forschung zur Straftäterbehandlung

Lack of internal validity is a frequent problem in evaluation studies of offender treatment, as randomized controlled trials are difficult to implement and comparison groups in quasi-experimental studies are often not completely equivalent. Special matching procedures or statistical control of selection bias by using potentially interfering variables as covariates can provide a solution to some of these problems; however, a high dropout rate from offender treatment programs presents another problem, as the variables that cause attrition are often risk factors for reoffending. It is argued that a treatment-as-received (TR) approach which compares treatment completers with the comparison group may confound genuine treatment effects with selection effects. Particularly high recidivism rates in dropouts may be due to negative effects of attrition (e.g. stigmatization) but may more likely reflect a higher a priori risk for reoffending. Using data from some recent treatment studies, the authors show that alleged positive effects often disappear when a more adequate intention-to-treat (ITT) approach is used in which dropouts are retained in the treatment sample.     

Veränderungen kriminogener Faktoren bei Sexual- und Gewaltstraftätern in Sozialtherapie und Regelvollzug

In the evaluation of offender treatment programmes, recidivism is still the most common measure of success. However, positive effects concerning future delinquent behaviour do not prove that treatment led to changes in the targeted criminogenic risk factors. Furthermore, little is known about whether such changes differ among the various offender types. This study investigated changes in self-reported criminogenic personality patterns and cognitions in a sample of treated and untreated sexual and violent offenders. Specific prosocial changes in treatment targets, such as self-control, excitability and neuroticism were found but similar improvements were also found in untreated offenders. In addition, changes in measured risk factors did not differ between offender types, although self-control, aggressiveness and neuroticism showed significant interactions between offence type and treatment delivery. Whereas treated violent offenders exhibited more positive changes than untreated violent offenders, an inverse pattern was observed in the case of sex offenders. Minor specific treatment effects as well as the limitations of the administered psychometric instruments are discussed as possible explanations for these results.     

Transparenz und Fairness in der Therapie von Sexualstraftätern in Haft und Maßregelvollzug

It makes sense to treat sexual offenders in prison. Treatment can be successful even if coerced. However, particular difficulties arise due to the great power disparity between therapist and patient and the latter’s remoteness from normal living conditions. This report will describe the current status of treatment techniques/approaches for sexual offenders in prison (with particular regard to social therapy) and special forensic hospitals as viewed by an external reviewer judging the process, methods and success of treatment for preventing relapse and estimating criminal prognosis. We mention standards for a respectful and positive approach towards the patient client. With regard to the Good Lives Model, it is supportive to develop positive resources in the perpetrator. This also requires a heightened readiness from therapist and team for transparency (instead of confidentiality) towards the perpetrator as to the assessment of progress and status of therapy. We criticize tendencies for a confrontative, if not humiliating approach, which undermines the self-esteem of the client and exploits the power disparity between therapist and perpetrator.     

Konzeption zum Umgang mit rückfallgef?hrdeten Sexualstraft?tern (KURS NRW)

The concept of the management of sexual offenders at risk for recidivism in Northrhine-Wesfalia (Konzeption zumUmgang mitrückfallgef?hrdetenSexualstraft?tern in Nordrhein-Westfalen, KURS NRW) came into effect on February 1, 2010 with a joint circular of the Ministries of Justice, Health and the Interior. Thereby Northrhine-Westfalia has created a systematic for monitoring sexual offenders at risk for recidivism, comparable to those already or in the meantime developed in other federal states in Germany. This article initially describes the procedural nature underlying the KURS concept, regarding mutual information routing and collaboration between the parties involved, i.e. justice, hospital order treatment, police and if necessary others as well. In addition, the framework in which KURS is ingrained, will be shown. Based on case reports this article will finally explain how actions and reactions will be specified in case conferences. Within the systematic KURS it is important that all participants reach all relevant information expeditiously, thus being able to react within their own jurisdiction. When planning actions it is essential to carefully consider the individual case parameters. Within the case conferences it remains a strength of the KURS concept that different perspectives of the case and the offender are bundled together. Ideally this and the case-specific actions will help to avoid similar offences to those committed previously.     

Umgang mit sexuellem Missbrauch Minderj?hriger durch Kleriker, Ordensleute und andere Mitarbeiter

The guidelines of the Catholic Church from 2010 have picked up on new findings and experiences which have arisen since the first guidelines from 2002. The necessity of a forensic psychiatric assessment of the prognosis or the credibility has been emphasized for the first time. The disjuncture of therapy and control will be considered as well as the basic obligation to report sexual abuse to the authorities if there are strong indications for a suspicion, except when there is a complete denial by the assumed victim. The history of guidelines in connection with the changing scientific, social and clerical judgement of pedosexual contacts will be discussed.