Question

In 500-750 words, Define coercive treatment in your own words. Analyze whether coercive treatment in a correctional setting as an effective means of altering criminal behavior and Assess other options to alter criminal behavior in the correctional community setting.

Answer 1

Coercive treatments in mental health treatment is referred to as the use of force or compulsion in order to control a behavior of a person or a particular habit. For example, if a child with adhd is constantly shredding papers whenever he comes in contact with a paper and the parents try many things but the child doesn’t stop, coercion might be used. In such situations applying mild shock so that there would be no harm to the child would be utilised.

In mental health, coercion is kept as the last option for treatment, if all the other possible methods of treatment have exhausted. Coercion should only be used if the patient is getting aggressive, and is causing harm to himself or others. Though, the use of coercion requires to be regulated, in certain cases, such as regulating criminal activities, coercion may seem to be the best method.

Many of the criminal offenders become habitual offenders. An example of this might be in the form of substance offenders. There was a case study, in which one of the patients damaged his nerve by regular injections. This was followed by a nerve replacement, aided by the Medicaid. He was a 24 year old man, unemployed. After replacement, one of his friends came to meet him in the hospital and in turnsupplied him with illicit drugs. This he injected again in the freshly replaced nerve which he damaged again.

Such situations give us the example that these offenders or people have lost their decision making capacity as a result of being swayed in the flow of drug addiction. Such people have limited intrinsic motivations, as a result extrinsic motivation in the form of reinforcements or punishments have to be employed for controlling the actions. This is also used in cases where there is over dependence on alcohol. Though, there have been ethical objections regarding the same, coerced drug treatments still go on.

Other treatments could be in the form of education as well as rehabilitation. One of the best forms of treatment that has come up, for alcohol dependency, is the 12 step program of the alcoholic anonymous. They have created a proper program that would help in de addiction. Also, in order to prevent such actions there could be education about addiction and substance abuse on a regular basis highlighting the negative aspects of these acts, such that people would not revert to such acts.

Also, there could be detailed counseling and family cent#ered practices where the family and friends and any close member of the offender could help them in get over these crucial phases of addiction and have a more stable life. There could be institutions that would help in finding proper employment for these offenders so that they would get out of the shell and become independent for themselves.