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Video Critique: The Released Assignment
An offender assessment and treatment method that has gained widespread usage
worldwide is the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model. Its foundation is a set of fifteen
guidelines intended to lower the recidivism rate among offenders. The fundamental RNR
concepts and clinical concerns are regarded as the fourth through twelfth principles.The video
that was given to watch had displayed principles 5, 8, 11. It is the risk principle, number five. It
is necessary to match the intensity of service with the proper risk level of cases in this scenario.
Specific Responsivity is at number eight. This approach modifies the approach and manner of
service in accordance with the unique strengths, motivation, age, and personality of each
offender. The eleventh principle shows interaction and intervention, it also shows the assessment
of strength and RNR variable through its structure (Bonta & Andrews, 2017).
Critique
On April 28, 2009, PBS's Frontline published episode 9, titled The Released. Many
mental health patients who have been in jail frequently because their mental condition has caused
them to commit crimes and they were the main and subject of this hour-long program. The
documentary followed these patients as they attempted to live as criminals and mental health
patients in society. There are two components to the risk principle and according to the first
principle the criminal behavior can be predicted. But the second one is effective to match them to
their treatment service levels to the degree of risk associated with particular patients. Higher-risk
criminals need more extensive assistance.
The concept has been proven to be far less effective than theorists had anticipated, despite
the fact that it appears to lower recidivism. Human service providers have discovered that
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concentrating their time and efforts on motivated low-risk offenders rather than higher-risk
people is more successful (2017).
Lynn Moore was introduced in a part of the episode and a little history about him was
that he had been to jail frequently which was about 20 times. 4 out of the 20 times was due to his
mental health illness because he started having delusions that Bin Laden was in Ohio and that he
was going to blow the place up. Around 10 mins into the episode Moore talks about how he
stopped taking his meds because he was sick and tired of them. If we were to follow the risk
principle then we would have to give him a more intensive treatment but by doing so it would be
far less effective.
Specific Responsivity is mostly about giving the right treatment to the right criminals.
Intellectual maturity, anxiety and verbal intelligence are all of the characteristics that help with
the right treatment and the suitable offender. One of the most important factors that helps with
specific responsibility is motivation. The only way for the criminals to get through their
treatments is by motivating each other. Another example like Lynn Moore is William Stokes and
he was also in jail a lot because of his lack of motivation in the treatment. Another reason why
Stokes was in prison a lot was because of schizophrenia and him refusing to take his meds. He
was a very violent patient to the point where he would threaten the staff. But something changed
when he was in jail for the 4th time. He talks about being able to function better when he was on
his medication (26:45). This really motivated him because he really wanted to stay out of jail. By
doing so Stokes was able to lead a very healthy and normal life and was placed in a mental
health facility with a proper support system. He ends up doing this because he wanted to at least
try to live a normal life.
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Lastly, structured assessment is being able to know the difference between low and high
risk cases and to decide what kind of treatment they should be receiving. This is a little like
specific responsitivity because have know which type and what treatment to give them. The
principle is not perfect but at 33 minutes of the episode we were able to see the new and
reformed Lynn Moore who turned out to be a low risk criminal and they took him out of the
treatment course that he needs in order to reenter society instead he is living in a homeless
shelter and still yet to find a job. The one sad thing about being a low risk criminal is that you are
not able to have any kind of serious help because low risks aren’t a priority.
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References
Bonta, J., & Andrews, D. A. (2017). The Core Principles and Clinical Issues. In The Psychology
of Criminal Conduct. essay, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
The Released. (2009). Retrieved February 26, 2022, from
https://www.pbs.org/video/frontline-the-released/.
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