A basic tenant of Adult Learning Theory is that adults seek to project their past experiences on new learning situations. For adults who are blessed with extensive positive learning experiences, this characteristic can be very helpful, since the consideration of past learning can make new learning more efficient. However, when working with populations that have a substantial amount of recurring negative life experiences, such as repeat felony offenders, the projection of past experiences on new learning situations can sometimes be counterproductive.
Correctional educators commonly witness this problem, as many felony offenders continue their use of “risky thinking” when adapting to the new realities of being on probation. When these probationers are questioned about their thinking, they often cite a rationale based on past experiences which were not supportive learning situations. It’s therefore not surprising the success rates of multiple felony offenders are so low, since this population has a propensity to employ thinking errors, resulting in destructive cycles that are hard to break.
It’s for this reason that correctional educators should consider creating behavioral learning context that fosters the creation of new life experiences. In this regard, role playing and experiential education are very important tools. As new life experiences are created, a good educator can use social learning models to help correctional learners draw distinctions between past negative behaviors and new positive actions. For example, when a high-risk offender demonstrates a new behavior of wearing appropriate attire for a job interview, the educator should connect this new performance with the potential for a positive outcome, while demonstrating how the continuation of past performance (dressing poorly) has led to undesirable results - the learning should be based on new positive behaviors and not simply knowledge.
This type of behavioral learning can be greatly enhanced by simultaneously integrating cognitive learning, which is often called “cognitive restructuring” in the correctional field since many offenders face the task of overcoming years of poor thinking habits. Cognitive and Behavioral learning models have merged in recent years and now constitute the chief competition to the relatively ineffective "punishment model". While punitive controls are structurally necessary, and can be effective in the short-term, they are also generally insufficient to create long-lasting changes in repeat felony offenders. Most offenders return to the correctional system precisely because they have an inability to work through life’s challenges despite obvious consequences such as probation, prison, poor health, loss of money, and eventually death. I have witnessed offenders exhibit extremely positive behavior in a controlled probation environment, only to demonstrate negative behaviors the moment they walk out the door into a more chaotic setting. External controls seem to rarely maintain a continuing impact on these individuals once they leave the controlled environment.
Victim Role is a common thinking error that is especially associated with high-risk offenders . Many of these individuals struggle with the perception of being surrounded by an “unfair society” and a belief that they are incapable of learning. In fact, it is true that the existing social structure is not always “fair”, and many felony offenders do face tough challenges such as a lack of formal education, overcoming addiction, and slim job prospects. However, it's also true that the offenders who avoid obsessively thinking about these barriers (victim role) are generally the offenders who are successful in vocational and GED programs - the goal is for offenders to focus their thoughts and actions on what they can actually control.
Offenders who exhibit healthy thinking are better suited to handle life’s unavoidable stresses. Creating more opportunities for employment (job placement) can help offenders find a job, but to keep this job, the offender must maintain healthy thinking to successfully navigate hassles such as rude customers and demanding supervisors. As correctional educators, we can’t typically change the environmental circumstances of an offender’s work environment, but we can help an offender to perceive difficult environments in ways that allow for a positive work experience.
Because cognitive-behavioral learning can be a very difficult process, instructors should keep a healthy perspective on what can actually be accomplished. Sadly, a high percentage of high-risk felony offenders fail to maintain responsible behavior and are eventually sent back to prison. This low rate of observable success can be disheartening to criminal justice professionals. To prevent burnout, educators must be well suited for conceptualizing the “big picture” by maintaining a healthy dose of optimism and looking for successes, regardless of how small the observable behavior may be. In this regard, correctional instructors should be patient, caring, and maintain the belief that all correctional learners have the potential for achievement.
Correctional educators commonly witness this problem, as many felony offenders continue their use of “risky thinking” when adapting to the new realities of being on probation. When these probationers are questioned about their thinking, they often cite a rationale based on past experiences which were not supportive learning situations. It’s therefore not surprising the success rates of multiple felony offenders are so low, since this population has a propensity to employ thinking errors, resulting in destructive cycles that are hard to break.
It’s for this reason that correctional educators should consider creating behavioral learning context that fosters the creation of new life experiences. In this regard, role playing and experiential education are very important tools. As new life experiences are created, a good educator can use social learning models to help correctional learners draw distinctions between past negative behaviors and new positive actions. For example, when a high-risk offender demonstrates a new behavior of wearing appropriate attire for a job interview, the educator should connect this new performance with the potential for a positive outcome, while demonstrating how the continuation of past performance (dressing poorly) has led to undesirable results - the learning should be based on new positive behaviors and not simply knowledge.
This type of behavioral learning can be greatly enhanced by simultaneously integrating cognitive learning, which is often called “cognitive restructuring” in the correctional field since many offenders face the task of overcoming years of poor thinking habits. Cognitive and Behavioral learning models have merged in recent years and now constitute the chief competition to the relatively ineffective "punishment model". While punitive controls are structurally necessary, and can be effective in the short-term, they are also generally insufficient to create long-lasting changes in repeat felony offenders. Most offenders return to the correctional system precisely because they have an inability to work through life’s challenges despite obvious consequences such as probation, prison, poor health, loss of money, and eventually death. I have witnessed offenders exhibit extremely positive behavior in a controlled probation environment, only to demonstrate negative behaviors the moment they walk out the door into a more chaotic setting. External controls seem to rarely maintain a continuing impact on these individuals once they leave the controlled environment.
Victim Role is a common thinking error that is especially associated with high-risk offenders . Many of these individuals struggle with the perception of being surrounded by an “unfair society” and a belief that they are incapable of learning. In fact, it is true that the existing social structure is not always “fair”, and many felony offenders do face tough challenges such as a lack of formal education, overcoming addiction, and slim job prospects. However, it's also true that the offenders who avoid obsessively thinking about these barriers (victim role) are generally the offenders who are successful in vocational and GED programs - the goal is for offenders to focus their thoughts and actions on what they can actually control.
Offenders who exhibit healthy thinking are better suited to handle life’s unavoidable stresses. Creating more opportunities for employment (job placement) can help offenders find a job, but to keep this job, the offender must maintain healthy thinking to successfully navigate hassles such as rude customers and demanding supervisors. As correctional educators, we can’t typically change the environmental circumstances of an offender’s work environment, but we can help an offender to perceive difficult environments in ways that allow for a positive work experience.
Because cognitive-behavioral learning can be a very difficult process, instructors should keep a healthy perspective on what can actually be accomplished. Sadly, a high percentage of high-risk felony offenders fail to maintain responsible behavior and are eventually sent back to prison. This low rate of observable success can be disheartening to criminal justice professionals. To prevent burnout, educators must be well suited for conceptualizing the “big picture” by maintaining a healthy dose of optimism and looking for successes, regardless of how small the observable behavior may be. In this regard, correctional instructors should be patient, caring, and maintain the belief that all correctional learners have the potential for achievement.