| Abstrakt: |
Moral emotions (e.g., shame, guilt, empathy) and morally relevant cognitions (e.g., criminogenic beliefs) are promising points of intervention with incarcerated offenders (Tangney, Stuewig & Mashek, 2007) because, unlike many documented predictors of recidivism, moral emotions and cognitions are dynamic and malleable. In a study of 200 offenders held on felony charges at a suburban Adult Detention Center, we examined the degree to which involvement in jail programs and services was associated with changes in moral emotions and moral cognitions, across the period of incarceration. Involvement in substance abuse treatment and psycho-educational programs were each associated with significant decreases in criminogenic cognitions, particularly regarding sensitivity to the impact of crime. Regarding changes in moral emotions, participation in psycho-educational programs was associated with significant increases in proneness to both guilt and shame. Religious service attendance predicted increases in both guilt-proneness and self-oriented personal distress. Involvement in substance abuse treatment was related to increases in shame-proneness and personal distress. Support groups and educational classes were largely unrelated to changes in moral emotions and cognitions. These findings suggest that jail programs and services are effective, and that more directly addressing adaptive and maladaptive patterns of morally relevant emotions and cognitions may enhance program effectiveness, as each have been shown to predict post-release desistence. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
