Exploring the theoretical foundations of cognitive behavioural therapy in the criminal justice system

Abstract

As the most common framework for rehabilitation internationally, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been the subject of an enormous amount of evaluation research assessing its effectiveness. Drawing on the philosophical methodology of ‘provocation’ in a series of dialogue-based workshops with CBT experts, this article assesses whether CBT is a theoretically coherent approach for rehabilitation in criminal justice. With a focus on underlying theory, we outline four key ‘adaptations’ of CBT that we argue represent a systematic shift away from the original ideas of CBT. We conclude that, while drift and adaptation can be expected in any large-scale intervention, theoretical drift has occurred without sufficient interrogation of the consequences. More specifically, in the case of CBT as practised in criminal justice systems (CJSs) today, the basic premise of how CBT works is called into question, threatening its potential value.