These resources are a collection of useful tools, techniques and research used by practitioners of cognitive-behavioral therapy http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/resources.ashx Although mental illness and violence correlate, it has been speculated that this relationship is mediated by a series of third variables. The current study examined the possibility that the relationship between mental illness and prison violence is mediated by criminal thinking. General criminal thinking, as measured by the General Criminal Thinking (GCT) score of the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS; Walters, 1995), was tested as a possible mediator of the mental illness–prison violence relationship. Using a prospective design and path analytic statistical technique, it was determined that general criminal thinking served as a partial mediator of the mental illness-institutional violence nexus in a sample of 2,487 male prison inmates. Causal mediation analysis also documented the presence of a small but statistically significant mediating role for general criminal thinking in this study. The implications of these results for understanding, predicting, and managing violent behavior in severely mentally ill inmates are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved) http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_ctmmi.ashx http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_ctmmi.ashx This study investigated patterns of maladaptive thinking in 435 offenders and sought to develop and preliminarily validate a measure of criminal thinking patterns. An exploratory factor analysis of 77 thinking errors derived from four theories of cognitive distortions that influence behavior yielded a three-factor model of dysfunctional thinking among offenders. Interpretations of these three factors were provided (i.e., Control, Cognitive Immaturity, and Egocentrism). Implications for treatment and future research with offenders, using the conceptualization of erroneous thinking posited by the three-factor model, are discussed. http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_inmate.ashx http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_inmate.ashx This article describes two studies concerning the development of a new measure of criminal thinking, the Criminogenic Thinking Profile (CTP), influenced by the construct of psychopathy, and traditional models of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). An experimental item pool based on verbalizations from offenders served as the pilot version of the instrument. Principal components analysis of the items resulted in a 62-item, eight-factor scale that was internally consistent. In terms of content, six of the resulting factors were conceptually related to psychopathy, one to CBT, and one to neutralization theory. The factor structure and internal reliability was supported by a subsequent confirmatory factor analysis. Initial support for the CTP’s convergent validity was indicated by its positive correlations with psychopathy and personality disorders associated with criminal, aggressive, and impulsive behaviors. The CTP’s divergent validity was supported by its inverse correlations with indices of healthy personality functioning. The CTP offers a somewhat different constellation of thinking patterns than those found on previously published criminal thinking instruments. The utility of the CTP to identify relevant cognitive targets for offender treatment is a recommended area of future research. http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_ctp.ashx http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_ctp.ashx This pilot study evaluated the efficacy of a twelve-session cognitive behavioral group therapy for alcohol-dependent males with co-occurring interpersonal violence (IPV). Participants were 85 alcohol-dependent males who were arrested for domestic violence within the past year. Seventy-eight male adults were randomized to either a cognitive behavioral Substance Abuse Domestic Violence (SADV) group (N = 40) or a Twelve-Step Facilitation (TSF) Group (N = 38). There was no significant difference between SADV versus TSF in the number of sessions attended. Regarding substance use, the group assigned to SADV reported using alcohol significantly fewer days (eg, 90 days of abstinence across the 12 weeks of treatment) as compared to the TSF group. Regarding physical violence, there was a trend for participants in the SADV condition to achieve a greater reduction in the frequency of violent episodes across time compared to individuals in the TSF group. These data suggest the promise of the SADV group therapy approach for alcohol-dependent males with a history of IPV who present for substance abuse treatment. http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_sadv.ashx http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_sadv.ashx As a result of the Youth Criminal Justice Act's increased focus on restorative justice, treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration of youth, many more juvenile offenders require mental health services while resident in youth detention facilities [Youth Criminal Justice Act (2002, c.1). Ottawa: Department of Justice Canada. Retrieved September 19, 2008 from http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/Y-1.5]. Several common characteristics such as violence, aggression, and other antisocial behaviors, associated with criminal behavior, have been identified among male and female offenders. Dialectical behavior therapy, originally developed by Linehan [Linehan, M. M., 1993a. Cognitive-behavioural treatment of borderline personality disorder. New York: Guildford Press] for chronically parasuicidal women diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, has been successfully modified for use with other populations, including violent and impulse-oriented male and female adolescents residing in correctional facilities. The intent of this article is to encourage the wider use of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) with young offenders. It includes an extensive review of the evidence-base to date and describes some of the creative modifications that have been made to standard DBT program format to meet the particular needs of various groups in both Canada and the United States. In keeping with the movement toward more evidence-based practice, the authors argue that DBT is a promising approach in group work with incarcerated adolescents and should be more widely used. http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_evidencebasedgrpwrk.ashx http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_evidencebasedgrpwrk.ashx This pilot study evaluated the efficacy of a twelve-session cognitive behavioral group therapy for alcohol-dependent males with co-occurring interpersonal violence (IPV). Participants were 85 alcohol-dependent males who were arrested for domestic violence within the past year. Seventy-eight male adults were randomized to either a cognitive behavioral Substance Abuse Domestic Violence (SADV) group (N = 40) or a Twelve-Step Facilitation (TSF) Group (N = 38). There was no significant difference between SADV versus TSF in the number of sessions attended. Regarding substance use, the group assigned to Substance Abuse Domestic Violence reported using alcohol significantly fewer days (eg, 90 days of abstinence across the 12 weeks of treatment) as compared to the TSF group. Regarding physical violence, there was a trend for participants in the SADV condition to achieve a greater reduction in the frequency of violent episodes across time compared to individuals in the TSF group. These data suggest the promise of the SADV group therapy approach for alcohol-dependent males with a history of interpersonal violence who present for substance abuse treatment. http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_CBTforAlcoholDV.ashx http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_CBTforAlcoholDV.ashx 70 male felony offenders treated with the cognitive behavioral approach of Moral Reconation Therapy during and after reincarceration were assessed for reincarceration and rearrests five years after their release. They were compared to a nontreated control group of 82 male felony offenders. Reincarceration in the treated group (37.1%) was significantly lower than recidivism in controls (54.9%). Also, the treated group showed fewer rearrests and fewer days of additional sentence. http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_CBTofFelonyOff.ashx http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_CBTofFelonyOff.ashx The specific responsivity principle suggests that personal characteristics of offenders may interfere with their ability to be receptive to treatment. This is the least researched aspect of the principles of effective intervention. While many have suggested this principle to be true, the exact personal characteristics thought to interfere with treatment are not yet known. This dissertation sought to address this principle by asking the following research questions, 1) Is gender a responsivity consideration? and 2) Are other characteristics such as intelligence, self-esteem, depression, personality, and a history of sexual abuse related to success in a cognitive-behavioral program? Data were gathered on 446 men and women offenders and success was measured by program completion, no arrests, and no incarcerations. While many of the characteristics were not found to be related to success in cognitive-behavioral treatment, gender and a history of sexual abuse were found to be related. Women were less likely to be arrested and incarcerated and people with a history of sexual abuse were more likely to be arrested. What is equally as interesting is that other potential responsivity characteristics such as intelligence, personality, and self-esteem were not found to be related to outcomes. These findings suggest that cognitive-behavioral treatment, a program that meets the general responsivity principle, may help different types of offenders be receptive to treatment thus overriding the specific responsivity principle. http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_CBTgenderResponsivity.ashx http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_CBTgenderResponsivity.ashx This study examines the outcomes of best available empirical research regarding the effectiveness of treatment programs implemented in secure corrections to prevent the recidivism of serious (violent and chronic) juvenile offenders (from 12 to 21 years old). In this review 30 experimental and quasi-experimental studies are analyzed, comparing 2831 juveniles in the treatment groups and 3002 youths for the control groups. The global effect size of these 30 studies in terms of standardized mean difference was d = 0.14 in favour of the treatment groups. This size effect, in terms of "r" coefficient reached the value of 0.07, of low magnitude. The cognitive-behavioral methods of treatment were the most effective in decreasing recidivism. These results report that the rehabilitation programs for serious offenders achieve to reduce the general recidivism in comparison with the control juveniles in approximately seven percent. http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_WhatWorksForJuvenile.ashx http://www.criminalthinking.net/CT/research_WhatWorksForJuvenile.ashx