Dealing with offending behaviour: Behaviour modification in custody

Token Economy- is an exchange of goods, based on tokens. This works well in a closed society such as a prision or other insitutions as the reward can pe precisley manipulated. Behaviour modification techniques are based on the principles of operant conditioning. Both positive and negative reinforcements can be used to encourage a certain behaviour and punishment can be used to discourage them. (e.g. food, visiting privileges).

Reinforcement- Trarget behaviours and primary reinforcers must be clearly defined at the outset, highly structured system. food=primary reinforcers, tokens=secondary reinforcers they become reinforcers as they are presented alongside the reinforcing stimulus (classical conditioning). Target behaviours have to be specified clearly and there might be a hierarchy where some behaviours get more tokens then others. Rewards (Primary reinforcers) must also be clearly stated from the start.

Punishment- tokens may be removed…