Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment to Prevent Offending and to Rehabilitate Offenders

This chapter discusses evidence-based treatments that include cognitive-behavioral interventions to target offending. It briefly describes the theoretical principles of cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) and then presents an overview of some of the most effective programs in criminological settings. Next, the chapter considers how the recognition of criminal behavior as multidetermined by a multiplicity of factors and criminogenic needs requires multi-modal types of treatment to respond to the complexity of aspects involved in its onset and its persistence. A critical analysis of research findings is presented by looking first at some of the variations in CBT interventions and then by exploring the X factor of their effectiveness. Finally, this chapter refers to the risk-need-responsivity (RNR) model, which integrates scientific accuracy with integrity.