Sex offender treatment in prison led to more offending

[John Mac]

Researchers found prisoners completing the programme were slightly more likely to offend than a control group.
The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) replaced the scheme in March after research confirmed evidence of its weaknesses.
The main programme to psychologically treat the highest-risk offenders has also been replaced, the ministry said.

When will they look at the evidence of psychological treatment not working for us?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40460637

 

[Skippa]

Yep, saw that story, psychological treatment really just isn't that good or powerful at all, at least not the mighty panacea that psycho types like to think it is.

They struggle to properly treat "real" mental conditions, and yet STILL try and poke their noses in to pshysical conditions too.

 

[RogerBlack]

Yep, saw that story, psychological treatment really just isn't that good or powerful at all, at least not the mighty panacea that psycho types like to think it is.

They struggle to properly treat "real" mental conditions, and yet STILL try and poke their noses in to pshysical conditions too.

To be 'fair' - this was an expanded over the original test intervention, using group sessions, not individuals, for cost reasons.

'Listen to all the terrible things I have done', to a group of individuals, where some may not have done as terrible things, seems to risk the same sort of effect as doing the same with a group of burglars describing how they committed their crimes would. They realise that burglary is normal, and pick up tips.

The moral of the story as always seems to be 'carefully roll out your interventions, making as few changes as possible to the protocol, and carefully measuring if it is having the expected effect'.
All too often, it's a small pilot that sort-of-works, but 'seems logical' that is rolled out massively.