Date of Award
2007
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Program
Psychology
Supervisor
Dr. Peter Hoaken
Second Advisor
Dr. Robert Gardner
Third Advisor
Dr. Graham Reid
Abstract
Incarceration is often a compulsory consequence to criminal action, serving as both punishment and deterrent; however, there is a growing acknowledgement that imprisonment alone is insufficient in preventing future crime. As a result, various types of remediation programs have been implemented in hopes of reducing recidivism rates. One factor that has received relatively little attention with respect to remediation and recidivism is executive cognitive functioning (ECF), which refers to the higher order cognitive process of planning, initiation, and regulation of goal-directed behaviour. A group of 95 incarcerated male offenders and 45 community controls completed various behavioural measures of ECF. Offenders with at least one prior federal sentence demonstrated poorer ECF performance relative to both first time offenders and controls, in the areas of strategy formation, working memory, response monitoring, and impulsivity. Also, number of remediation programs completed was not associated with decreased ECF deficits. Implications for remediation reform are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Ross, Erin H., "EXECUTIVE COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING CAPACITY OF ‘FIRST TIMERS’, ‘RETURN OFFENDERS’, AND CONTROLS" (2007). Digitized Theses. 5093.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/digitizedtheses/5093