Course task project II - Essay Example

Outline Affiliation: The offenders under discussion are the juveniles who are under the criminal justice system and who are in dire need of treatment in order to facilitate their future growth and development as better law abiding citizens. The best treatment approach for this population is the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as it involves a change of both cognitive and behavior of the offenders which have landed them in juvenile correctional centers. The treatment undertaken is specific to the behavioral or cognitive problem the juvenile offender has (Robertson, 2010).

Juvenile offenders have psychological problems such as mood disorders, anxiety disorder, substance abuse problem, personality disorders among many others and which are the causes or great contributors to their unlawful behavior and cognitive decisions leading to the juvenile offense (Nee, Ellis, Morris and Wilson, 2012). This technique will address the specific cognitive and/ or behavioral problem with the offender and then start to deal with the problem several different techniques such as the psychodynamic therapy or the evidence-based therapy among others.

The juvenile offenders are a special group different from the regular offenders because of their young age. They are a group which is yet to become mature and make decisions after assessing the consequences first and weighing the options. Majority are undergoing adolescence stage and hence consider themselves right or sometimes feel that nobody understands what they are going through. These are characteristics to take into consideration during therapy and aim at addressing the esteem problem which they clearly lack.

The know-it-all attitude should also be tamed as best as possible if they are to change in future (Crespi and Politikos, 2008). The current treatment being undertaken currently on this offender just addresses their behavioral aspect and not the cognitive one. The treatment ranges from family therapy to group therapy to address their delinquent behavior. The aspect of adolescence or something else other than family being the cause of their problem is not addressed in the therapy being offered (Siegel, 2013).

This therefore leads to a repeat behavior in the future as the same individual is arrested with similar problems again and again. The focus of this treatment program is on both the behavioral and cognitive aspect. The first thing is to learn as much as possible about the juvenile offender, understand their psychological problem as well as thinking and why they are engaging in the behavior. The next part is to determine the best treatment depending on the assessment of their behavior and cognition.

The treatment will not only “cure” them of their delinquency but also prevent further repeat behavior in the future for majority of the offenders (Sawyer and Borduin, 2011). ConclusionThe CBT is a combination of therapies and has its own high success rate. The patients undergoing the therapy have an underlying psychological problem which then manifests itself as a behavioral problem. The only way to assist such a person is by addressing the root cause of the problem in order to ensure a change in their thinking and eventually their behavior.

Once the patients acknowledge their problem and vows to change it, then the rest if the psychodynamic therapy will go smoothly and are effective (Edelman, 2012). ReferencesCrespi, T. and Politikos, N. (2008). “Personality assessment with adolescents: challenges and guidelines.” Adolescence Journal, vol. 43 (171), pp. 593-606. Edelman, S. (2012). Change Your Thinking with CBT: Overcome stress, combat anxiety and improve your life. London: Ebury Publishing. Nee, C., Ellis, T., Morris, P. and Wilson, A.

(October, 2012). “Addressing Criminality in Childhood Is Responsivity the Central Issue?” International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, vol. 57, pp. 1347-1373.Robertson, D. (2010). The Philosophy of Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (CBT): Stoic Philosophy as Rational and Cognitive Psychotherapy. London: Karnac Books. Sawyer, A. and Borduin, C. (2011). “Effects of multisystemic therapy through midlife: A 21.9- year follow-up to a randomized clinical trial with serious and violent juvenile offenders.

” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, vol. 79 (5), pg. 643.Siegel, L. (2013). Juvenile Delinquency: The Core. New York: Cengage Learning.