B. CT Module Introduction

Description

B. CT Module Introduction

The Criminal Thinking Module was developed from selected articles on the CriminalThinking.net blog “Criminal Thinking Deterred” https://www.criminalthinking.net/. The module is meant to be a companion to the Criminal Thinking Error worksheets available for free on the Criminal Thinking Therapy website.

The Criminal Thinking Module was created with a number of goals in mind:

• To describe and provide examples of common criminal thinking errors in the offender population.
• To help mental health and corrections practitioners and offenders become more aware of thinking errors and thinking distortions.
• To assist change agents in facilitating the criminal thinking change process.

The scope of the Criminal Thinking Module is fairly wide.

• The module was created with community based programming in mind.
• Individual study or open-ended groups facilitated by a cognitive therapy trained mental health or corrections practitioner is recommended.
• A group size of 8 to 12 participants is suggested, but groups up to 20 could be facilitated with the module.
• The module is designed to be used in collaboration with the Criminal Thinking Errors Worksheets available for free on the CriminalThinking.net website in the Materials section. It is also recommended that this material be used to compliment therapy programs with a Corrective Thinking, Domestic Violence, AODA and/or Cognitive-Behavioral focus.
• Adult male or female offenders, batterers and/or drug abusers with a 7th grade reading level is the intended target audience.

The module is based on a cognitive-behavioral approach to therapy and utilizes the theory and principles developed by Stanton Samenow and Samuel Yochelson. The practical application of these principles has been developed by Hazelden in their Design For Living curricula and by Truthought Seminars. It is suggested that facilitators purchase curricula and/or attend cognitive training events offered by Truthought or Hazelden to become familiar with basic principles and practice of the corrective thinking approach to the change process. It is assumed that all group participants are offenders, batterers and/or drug abusers.

This module is designed to describe many common thinking errors present in the criminal/offender population. The assignments associated with the thinking error articles in this module focus on developing the reasoning process of clients. When a client is instructed to complete assignments that focus on how their actions have victimized others we are helping to interfere in their distorted thinking that supports continued victimization.

The following page is a guideline for the facilitator and/or co-facilitator to achieve the most benefit and learning in conducting groups based on this material.

Good luck and hard work in your journey towards facilitating positive change in the lives of those you serve.

For questions or comments contact:

Brian Loebig, Author
CriminalThinking.net

The complete Criminal Thinking Module is available in PDF format for a fee.