Kevin Howells – författare

This book explores applied research methods used in forensic settings – prisons, the probation service, courts and forensic mental health establishments – and provides a comprehensive 'how-to' guide for forensic practitioners and researchers.It provides practitioners and researchers with grounding in the practical techniques appropriate for research in applied forensic settings. This includes knowledge and skills of the research process and the wide range of research methods (both quantitative and qualitative) being applied in this arena. The text provides a critical understanding of the problems, challenges and ethical issues which can arise and ideas for managing these. Specific attention is paid to empirical research within forensic populations and settings including researching vulnerable groups (e.g. offenders and the mentally ill in secure settings), evaluating treatment programmes, and the uses and problems of randomised control trials.The book is clearly structured, with each methodology chapter describing the background of the approach; the type of research questions addressed; design principles and issues; the types of analysis that can be utilised; strengths and limitations of the method; future directions and further sources of information. Through the inclusion of case studies and illustrative examples from forensic researchers and practitioners who have extensive experience of conducting applied research, this book tackles real-life problems typically faced by researchers and practitioners.Research in Practice for Forensic Professionals is an essential one-stop resource for practitioners (such as psychologists, nursing and medical staff, prison and probation workers, social workers, occupational therapists) who have an interest in research and in evaluating their own work and the services in which they work. It will also be of interest to students studying areas of applied research, such as forensic psychology or applied criminology and those teaching them.

This book explores applied research methods used in forensic settings – prisons, the probation service, courts and forensic mental health establishments – and provides a comprehensive 'how-to' guide for forensic practitioners and researchers.It provides practitioners and researchers with grounding in the practical techniques appropriate for research in applied forensic settings. This includes knowledge and skills of the research process and the wide range of research methods (both quantitative and qualitative) being applied in this arena. The text provides a critical understanding of the problems, challenges and ethical issues which can arise and ideas for managing these. Specific attention is paid to empirical research within forensic populations and settings including researching vulnerable groups (e.g. offenders and the mentally ill in secure settings), evaluating treatment programmes, and the uses and problems of randomised control trials.The book is clearly structured, with each methodology chapter describing the background of the approach; the type of research questions addressed; design principles and issues; the types of analysis that can be utilised; strengths and limitations of the method; future directions and further sources of information. Through the inclusion of case studies and illustrative examples from forensic researchers and practitioners who have extensive experience of conducting applied research, this book tackles real-life problems typically faced by researchers and practitioners.Research in Practice for Forensic Professionals is an essential one-stop resource for practitioners (such as psychologists, nursing and medical staff, prison and probation workers, social workers, occupational therapists) who have an interest in research and in evaluating their own work and the services in which they work. It will also be of interest to students studying areas of applied research, such as forensic psychology or applied criminology and those teaching them.

For psychologists and psychiatrists working with offenders, this book examines the problems of criminal behavior as linked with mental disorder, including psychopathy, mental illness and mental handicap. Clinical assessment and clinical intervention for these three main groups will be explored, looking at details of practice, the programs themselves and their success rates. The volume further deals with conceptual issues and legal classification.

Clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and nurses working with young offenders will welcome this collection of original chapters which represent the state of the art in this field. Although it is increasingly recognized that the treatment of offenders has an important role in the rehabilitation process, a clinical approach to working with offenders has to be grounded in sound theory, good supporting research evidence and solid experience. This volume continues the tradition of this important series by placing the discussion of best practice with offenders within both a rigorous scientific context and its institutional and social environment. The first part of the book examines the conceptual basis of a clinical approach to working with young offenders, together with research on the developmental aspects of delinquency, as well as the empirical evidence of work to reduce reoffending. The second section deals with the institutional context of treatment and interventions designed to divert young offenders away from the criminal justice system. The third and fourth parts, the core of the book, present reviews of important approaches to treating young offenders, alongside accounts of work with specific types of offence, including substance abuse and sex offences. Throughout the book the concern is to demonstrate the link between empirical evidence and research and the growth of good theory and practice. The overall message is that a clinical approach can pay real dividends in working constructively with even the most demanding of young people who commit serious crimes.

The new edition of this best-selling text continues to provide a general, wide-ranging introduction to psychology which is unique in the way that it explains psychological concepts in relation to people's behaviour and their everyday lives. Many of the key areas in contemporary psychology are covered to whet the appetites of students new to psychology, and the book provides an excellent grounding in key areas. All-new changes for this edition include: Increased conciseness in writing style and structure;Improved design, and better and more illustrations;Three brand new chapters, covering the brain, health psychology and careers in psychology;Regular 'methodology' boxes, aimed at opening up and demystifying this complex area;Combination and re-ordering of topics to enable a smoother transition between chapters;More in-chapter exercises to illustrate or develop specific themes.More examples from everyday life to give real-life relevance to psychological research;Fully referenced material, without the text itself being hindered by long lists of authors; all references are listed by chapter at the end of the book.A lively, informative and accessible read, Psychology and You is the perfect taster for students new to psychology.

Transitions to Better Lives aims to describe, collate, and summarize a body of recent research – both theoretical and empirical – that explores the issue of treatment readiness in offender programming. It is divided into three sections: part one unpacks a model of treatment readiness, and explains how it has been operationalizedpart two discusses how the construct has been applied to the treatment of different offender groupspart three iscusses some of the practice approaches that have been identified as holding promise in addressing low levels of offender readiness are discussed. Included within each section are contributions from a number of authors whose work, in recent years, has stimulated discussion and helped to inform practice in offender rehabilitation. This book is an ideal resource for those who study within the field of criminology, or who work in the criminal justice system, and have an interest in the delivery of rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for offenders. This includes psychologists, social workers, probation and parole officers, and prison officers.

Transitions to Better Lives aims to describe, collate, and summarize a body of recent research – both theoretical and empirical – that explores the issue of treatment readiness in offender programming. It is divided into three sections: part one unpacks a model of treatment readiness, and explains how it has been operationalizedpart two discusses how the construct has been applied to the treatment of different offender groupspart three iscusses some of the practice approaches that have been identified as holding promise in addressing low levels of offender readiness are discussed. Included within each section are contributions from a number of authors whose work, in recent years, has stimulated discussion and helped to inform practice in offender rehabilitation. This book is an ideal resource for those who study within the field of criminology, or who work in the criminal justice system, and have an interest in the delivery of rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for offenders. This includes psychologists, social workers, probation and parole officers, and prison officers.