Understanding and Addressing Criminal Thinking Among Individuals in Custody

Course Code: REL-PS-0-WIP

Hours: 2

Type: Online Course

Content Expiration Date: 12/31/2025

Learning Objectives:
Define criminal thinking.
Describe at least 6 common criminal thinking errors that support and maintain a criminal lifestyle.
Explain the 3 C’s of criminal decision making.
Identify at least 8 tactics used by the criminal thinker and ways that individuals in custody try to manipulate/influence correctional staff.
List 8 ways you can avoid being influenced by individuals in custody.

Outline:
Section 1: Introduction

About This Course

Learning Objectives

Section 2: Criminal Thinking

Consider This

What Were They Thinking?

Why Do You Need to Understand Criminal Thinking?

Criminal Thinking Defined

Criminal Decision Making

Review

Summary

Section 3: Criminal Thinking Errors

Criminal Thinking Errors

Cutoff

Cognitive Indolence

Power Orientation

Discontinuity

Knowledge Check

Mollification

Entitlement

Sentimentality

Super-optimism

Knowledge Check

Review

Summary

Section 4: Influence in the Correctional Environment

Influence

Influence on Staff

Criminal Thinking and Influence

The Process of Influence

Tactics to Influence

Review

Summary

Section 5: Avoiding Influence

Protect Yourself

Follow Policies and Procedures

Know Who You Supervise

Control Your Response

Maintain Ethical Boundaries

Report

Increase Your Knowledge

Trust Your Instincts

Review

Summary

Section 6: Conclusion

Summary

Course Contributors

Resources

References

Congratulations!

Instructor: Dee K. Bell, PhD

Dr. Dee Bell is a clinical psychologist and consultant in the areas of Restorative Justice, Juvenile Justice and Correctional Assessments. She retired as the Deputy Commissioner of Juvenile Justice at the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. Previously, she served for four years as the Administrator of the Community Justice Institute at Florida Atlantic University and the Director of the Balanced and Restorative Justice Project sponsored by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Prior to these positions, she has worked 30 + years in Community Corrections for Georgia and Florida State Government. Educated at Clemson University and Emory University, she has provided training in both state and national venues for many years and has authored and co-authored a number of articles on justice system issues and adult and juvenile justice curricula and restorative justice in communities and schools.

Writer: Kimberly Cobb, MS

Mrs. Cobb is a Lead SME Writer/Trainer at Relias. Her primary writing responsibilities are in the content areas of public safety and behavioral health. Mrs. Cobb is also the onboarding trainer for new staff joining the Relias Content Department. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Correctional and Juvenile Justice Studies and a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice. She has over 25 years of experience working in criminal and juvenile justice. Her work includes direct service, research, publication development, and training and technical assistance development and delivery.

Target Audience:
The target audience for this course is: Correctional Officers; in the following settings: Acute Care Facility, Adult Corrections, Health and Human Services, Residential Care.

Relias Learning will be transparent in disclosing if any commercial support, sponsorship or co-providership is present prior to the learner completing the course.

Relias Learning has a grievance policy in place to facilitate reports of dissatisfaction. Relias Learning will make every effort to resolve each grievance in a mutually satisfactory manner. In order to report a complaint or grievance please contact Relias Learning at support@reliaslearning.com.

Course Delivery Method and Format
Asynchronous Distance Learning with interactivity which includes quizzes with questions/answers, and posttests.