NCJ Number
57230
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 22 Issue: 3 Dated: (1978) Pages: 221-230
Date Published
1978
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THE LIFE HISTORY OF AN HABITUAL OFFENDER WHO WAS ABLE TO OVERCOME HIS DEPRIVED BACKGROUND AND CRIMINAL IMPULSES WITH THE HELP OF REALITY THERAPY IN A WEST GERMAN PRISON IS RECOUNTED.
Abstract
DENIED AFFECTION AND SEXUALLY ABUSED AS A CHILD, THE SUBJECT'S FIRST 31 YEARS WERE ROOTLESS ONES SPENT IN HOMOSEXUAL PROSTITUTION AND RAPIDLY ESCALATING INVOLVEMENT IN CRIME. HIS NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR PATTERN, WHICH HAD TAKEN HIM IN AND OUT OF NINE DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS, FINALLY WAS BROKEN WHEN A PRISON PSYCHOTHERAPIST ENGAGED HIM IN AN INTENSE, STRUCTURED, REALITY-ORIENTED THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP. THE TURNING POINT WAS THE SUBJECT'S CONFRONTATION WITH HIS PAST IN THE FORM OF A CRIMINOGRAM--A DIAGRAM DEPICTING THE MAJOR EVENTS OF HIS LIFE. AN UNUSUALLY INTELLIGENT MAN, THE SUBJECT HAD BEEN PLANNING FUTURE CRIMES AND ACTS OF REVENGE WHILE AT THE SAME TIME WORKING FEVERISHLY AS A JAILHOUSE LAWYER. AFTER STUDYING HIS CRIMINOGRAM, HE TURNED HIS ENERGIES TO PLANNING HIS OWN REHABILITATION AND BECAME A JAILHOUSE THERAPIST. AFTER HE WAS RELEASED, THE SUBJECT BECAME INVOLVED IN A SERIES OF RELATIONSHIPS IN WHICH HE EXPERIENCED THE FAMILY TIES AND AFFECTION HE HAD MISSED AS A CHILD AND MADE A GRADUAL TRANSITION FROM HOMOSEXUALITY TO HETEROSEXUALITY. HE PURSUED HIS EDUCATION, COMPLETED AN ENGINEERING APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, MARRIED, AND ASSUMED THE LIFESTYLE OF A MIDDLE-CLASS PROFESSIONAL. THE SUBJECT'S CAPACITY FOR SUCCESS WAS EVIDENT IN HIS BEHAVIOR AS A CRIMINAL. HIS REDIRECTION WAS A MATTER OF THE THERAPY HE RECEIVED, HIS CIRCUMSTANCES, AND HIS OWN INTELLIGENCE AND STRENGTH OF PERSONALITY. THE CASE ILLUSTRATES HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR THERAPISTS TO EXPLORE ALL THE DIMENSIONS OF THEIR PATIENTS LIVES RATHER THAN FIXATING ON A SINGLE EVENT, CIRCUMSTANCE, BEHAVIOR, INTERPRETATION, OR TREATMENT APPROACH. (LKM)