NCJ Number
73755
Journal
Psychologische Rundschau Volume: 28 Issue: 3 Dated: (1977) Pages: 190-203
Date Published
1977
Length
12 pages
Annotation
The position and requirements for training of prison psychologists according to the 1977 West German law ordering corrections reforms and offender rehabilitation efforts are outlined.
Abstract
The new law increases the importance of psychologists in offender rehabilitation but fails to define their duties exactly. However, contrary to practice before the law was enacted, the psychologist has been made a fully accepted member of the corrections staff. Prison psychologists are responsible for offender diagnoses and treatment planning on the basis of personality evaluations, for leisure time activity development, for professional education measures, and for development of diagnostic and prognostic instruments. The new law made apparent the need for extensive evaluation of treatment methods and of program success. Such research must clearly define not only treatment groups, control groups, and staff, but analyze individual biographies and the structure and conditions or the institution conducting the program. The actual effect of public opinion on realization of an effective criminal policy must also be examined. Because of the multidisciplinary nature of prison work and the impossibility of using standard diagnostic methods on the difficult clientele, prison psychologists need special training beyond their university studies. Additional training should encompass clinical psychology and psychopathy, counseling methods, special psychotherapy methods (e.g., behavioral psychology), group therapy techniques, forensic psychology, criminology and penology, and legal issues regarding corrections. The Ministry of Justice should allot time to psychologists for continuing education after their university studies, and practical experience programs should be developed to enrich university curricula. A bibliography (over 50 entries) is supplied.