west virgina 4.7.11 #4 cognitive distortions

8/7/2019 West Virgina 4.7.11 #4 Cognitive Distortions

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Making GoodMaking Good


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Past AssumptionsPast Assumptions

Offenders make excusesOffenders make excuses

ThereforeTherefore

Antidote is to take responsibilityAntidote is to take responsibility


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Liverpool Desistance StudyLiverpool Desistance Study

Offended at least once a week for at leastOffended at least once a week for at least

two yearstwo years


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PersistersPersisters Have been offendingHave been offending

Plan to continuePlan to continue

DesistersDesisters Over a year crime freeOver a year crime free

Planned on desistingPlanned on desisting

On average desisted 2On average desisted 2to 3 yearsto 3 years


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CaveatsCaveats

General offenders, mostly propertyGeneral offenders, mostly property

SelfSelf--reportreport


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Most of the persisters one finds do notMost of the persisters one finds do not

seem to really persist, most desisters doseem to really persist, most desisters do

not seem to really desist, and, honestly, itnot seem to really desist, and, honestly, itis getting harder than ever to find anyis getting harder than ever to find any

innocents.innocents.


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Persisters and DesistersPersisters and Desisters

Did Not DifferDid Not Differ

Personality TraitsPersonality Traits

ConscientiousnessConscientiousness

Openness to ExperienceOpenness to ExperienceAgreeablenessAgreeableness


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Abused and Neglected as ChildrenAbused and Neglected as Children

DesistingDesisting 37%37%

ActiveActive 35%35%

(Maruna, 2000)(Maruna, 2000)


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EducationEducation

Left School at 16Left School at 16

PersistersPersisters 63%63%

DesistersDesisters 65%65%

((MarunaMaruna, 2000), 2000)


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Addicted to DrugsAddicted to Drugs

PersistersPersisters 65%65%

DesistersDesisters 67%67%


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Criminality and Drug UseCriminality and Drug Use

Incarcerated OffendersIncarcerated Offenders

Drug AbuseDrug Abuse 41% First Offenders41% First Offenders

63% 2 Convictions63% 2 Convictions

81% 5 orMore Convictions81% 5 orMore Convictions


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Cognitive DistortionsCognitive Distortions

Exaggerated and unrealistic control overExaggerated and unrealistic control over

futurefuture

Inflated, narcissistic, missionary sense ofInflated, narcissistic, missionary sense of

purposepurpose

Past not shameful but necessary prelude toPast not shameful but necessary prelude to

future callingfuture calling


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Who Held Cognitive Distortions?Who Held Cognitive Distortions?

DesistersDesisters


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PersistersPersisters

Fairly AccurateFairly Accurate

Assessments of situationAssessments of situation

Chance of success in straight worldChance of success in straight world

Place in mainstream societyPlace in mainstream society


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PersistersPersisters

Sense of helplessnessSense of helplessness

Outcome determinedOutcome determined

Lack of choicesLack of choices


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Q. What do you see in your life, say 5 or 10Q. What do you see in your life, say 5 or 10

years down the road?years down the road?

Im scared to think that far ahead actually.Im scared to think that far ahead actually.

Right now, Im just living one day at aRight now, Im just living one day at a

time actually. You cant afford to looktime actually. You cant afford to look

any furtherI suppose, cause you justany furtherI suppose, cause you just

dont know whats around the nextdont know whats around the next

corner.corner.

((MarunaMaruna, 2000, p. 76), 2000, p. 76)


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DesistersDesisters 5 times more likely have5 times more likely have

language of agencylanguage of agency



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Q. How about long term, 5 or 10 yearsQ. How about long term, 5 or 10 years

down the road? Any vision?down the road? Any vision?

I havent got a vision to be truthful, longI havent got a vision to be truthful, long

term. Maybe Ill win the lottery, youterm. Maybe Ill win the lottery, you

know.know.

(Maruna, 2000, p. 80)(Maruna, 2000, p. 80)


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ExternalizationExternalization

The drink was killing me by the age of 21.The drink was killing me by the age of 21.

Heroin made me sneaky.Heroin made me sneaky.

It just happened to lapse.It just happened to lapse.

(Maruna, 2000, p. 93)(Maruna, 2000, p. 93)


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It started off with little things and then itIt started off with little things and then it

got bigger, you know.got bigger, you know.

It just went on and on. It went on like thatIt just went on and on. It went on like that

for about 2 or 3 years.for about 2 or 3 years.

Youre stuck in a vicious circle.Youre stuck in a vicious circle.


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I, Me and ItI, Me and It

Deviance is ItDeviance is It

It wasnt me.It wasnt me.

It does things to me.It does things to me.


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Had conventional moralityHad conventional morality

Objected to crime in abstractObjected to crime in abstract

Felt personally forced to do itFelt personally forced to do it Justified previous behaviorJustified previous behavior

Did not show any real regret for crimesDid not show any real regret for crimes

Did not see selves as criminalsDid not see selves as criminals


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DesistersDesisters

Developed a Story ToDeveloped a Story To

Rationalize failings of the pastRationalize failings of the past

Justify decision to go straightJustify decision to go straight


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DesistersDesisters

Unrealistically OptimisticUnrealistically Optimistic


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GrandiosityGrandiosity

I believe that all recovering addicts are theI believe that all recovering addicts are the

Chosen Ones. Thats my point of view. IChosen Ones. Thats my point of view. I

feel we are all chosen by God, becausefeel we are all chosen by God, because

were loved. . . The people who are notwere loved. . . The people who are not

addicts, theyre notaddicts, theyre not they still have theirthey still have their

problems. People who are in recovery. . .problems. People who are in recovery. . .

They learn how to live life on lifes terms.They learn how to live life on lifes terms.((MarunaMaruna, 2000, pp. 98, 2000, pp. 98--99)99)


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DesistersDesisters

Rationalized and Made Excuses forPastRationalized and Made Excuses forPast

Because of all that I have been through, IBecause of all that I have been through, Iam now this new way.am now this new way.



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I now feel as though I can achieve what IveI now feel as though I can achieve what Ive

alwaysalways wanted to achieve, you know,wanted to achieve, you know,

which is gain some qualifications and get awhich is gain some qualifications and get a

job that I can, um, help other people in.job that I can, um, help other people in.

(Maruna, 2000, p. 89)(Maruna, 2000, p. 89)


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What I always saw in other people wasWhat I always saw in other people was

one thing Ione thing Ialways wanted,always wanted, and that wasand that was

integrity. . . .Its either in you or it isnt and Iintegrity. . . .Its either in you or it isnt and I

used to thinkused to think I knew I had integrity, butI knew I had integrity, but

as soon as I used to pick up a drink, it justas soon as I used to pick up a drink, it just

went wayward.went wayward.

(Maruna, 2000, 89)(Maruna, 2000, 89)


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I wasnt happy selling [drugs], you know.I wasnt happy selling [drugs], you know.Youre making money and whatever, itYoure making money and whatever, itwas just something that, what it was, itwas just something that, what it was, it

was the people that Id come into contactwas the people that Id come into contactwith, selling it. I just didnt like . . It tookwith, selling it. I just didnt like . . It tookme into a world, a seedy world that I didntme into a world, a seedy world that I didntlike.. . I mean the lowlike.. . I mean the low--life scum bags, lowlife scum bags, low

intelligence, you know. I had nothing inintelligence, you know. I had nothing incommon.common.

(Maruna, 2000, p. 91)(Maruna, 2000, p. 91)


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Redemption ScriptRedemption Script

Always a good soulAlways a good soul

A victim of circumstanceA victim of circumstance

G

ood

accidentally involved with crimeG

ood

accidentally involved with crime Product of his childhoodProduct of his childhood

With help from outside forceWith help from outside force

Can now accomplish what was meant toCan now accomplish what was meant tododo

Now must give something backNow must give something back


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Desisting OffendersDesisting Offenders

Continuity between Oldest Self and New SelfContinuity between Oldest Self and New Self

a good braina good braina good hearta good heart

street smartsstreet smarts

understanding of how life worksunderstanding of how life works


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The Original Me, Not NewThe Original Me, Not New

MeMe

Instead of discovering a new me, theInstead of discovering a new me, the

desisting exdesisting ex--offender reaches back intooffender reaches back intoearly experience to find and reestablish anearly experience to find and reestablish an

old me in order to desist.old me in order to desist.

((MarunaMaruna, 2000, p. 89), 2000, p. 89)


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It was just that, um, I realized that the entireIt was just that, um, I realized that the entirething had all been an act, my entire life, allthing had all been an act, my entire life, allthe criminal offenses, all me drug taking, itthe criminal offenses, all me drug taking, it

was all a sham. . . It was just like what itwas all a sham. . . It was just like what itwas, was right at the core of me, I am whowas, was right at the core of me, I am whoI am now, who Ive always been inside.I am now, who Ive always been inside.Ive always been intelligent, right, inside.Ive always been intelligent, right, inside.

Ive always been intelligent, honest, hardIve always been intelligent, honest, hardworking, truth, erm, nice, you know love.. .working, truth, erm, nice, you know love.. ..it couldnt get out. (Maruna, 2000, p. 92).it couldnt get out. (Maruna, 2000, p. 92)


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ContinuityContinuity

All the energy we used to have for thievingAll the energy we used to have for thieving

we used to get up and rob all over thewe used to get up and rob all over the

country . . . all that energy has just gonecountry . . . all that energy has just gone

into all legit things, you know.into all legit things, you know.

((MarunaMaruna, 2000, p. 92), 2000, p. 92)


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Redemptive NarrativesRedemptive Narratives

In pastIn past No control or choiceNo control or choice

In futureIn future All control and choiceAll control and choice


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Taking ResponsibilityTaking Responsibility

Vs Excuse MakingVs Excuse Making

DesistersDesisters PersistersPersisters

NeutralNeutral

ReportingReporting 1/31/3 1/31/3

ExcusesExcuses 1/31/3 1/31/3



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Em, yea, I was selling drugs, so I got doneEm, yea, I was selling drugs, so I got donefor supplying. Ive been done forfor supplying. Ive been done forpossession, shoplifting, stolen checkpossession, shoplifting, stolen check

books, social security books, but I can stillbooks, social security books, but I can stillput my hand on me heart and say I neverput my hand on me heart and say I neverwalked into anyones house and took theirwalked into anyones house and took theirmoney. So theres still some morals, Imoney. So theres still some morals, I

mean.mean.(Maruna, 2000, p. 134)(Maruna, 2000, p. 134)

west virgina 4.7.11 #4 cognitive distortions

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