ANALYSIS AND ALTERATION OF JUVENILE BEHAVIOR - AN OVERVIEW

• NCJ Number: 37242
• Author(s): W O JENKINS; E K DEVALERA; J B MULLER
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 4 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE BETA SYSTEM (BEHAVIORAL EVALUATION, TREATMENT, AND ANALYSIS), WHICH IS A DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT APPROACH DEVELOPED TO ANALYZE AND CHANGE DEVIANT BEHAVIOR.

Abstract

THE BETA SYSTEM INVOLVES THREE MAIN PHASES: DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, AND EVALUATION. DIAGNOSIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY MEANS OF A BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE LAW ENCOUNTER SEVERITY SCALE (LESS, WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE HIGH PREDICTIVE ACCURACY FOR DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR. IN THE AREA OF BEHAVIOR CHANGE, BETA UTILIZES ESTABLISHED PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING AND RESPONSE ALTERATION, INCLUDING STIMULUS AND RESPONSE CLASS SPECIFICATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL (STIMULUS) CONTROL. THE FINAL STEP IN THE BETA SYSTEM IS THE FOLLOW-UP EVALUATIVE ASSESSMENT OF POST-TREATMENT PERFORMANCE. THIS INFORMATION IS THEN RECYCLED TO REFINE AND IMPROVE THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT.