Rapport-based practices, corrections clients, emotional intelligence and justice, positive modeling, positive criminology, social inclusion, strengths-based, solution-focused praxis, innovative theoretical paradigms, pro-social behavioral modeling, restorative justice, self-determination theory, relatedness, autonomy, competency, procedural justice, desistence-focused practice

1. CULTIVATING A
RAPPORT-BASED
PRACTICE
System of Care Conference
April 11, 2017
By Chris Wilson, Ph.D.

2. AGENDA
We’ll cover:
• Our role as practitioners.
• The rationale for cultivating a rapport-based practice.
• Elements of positive criminology.
• Theoretical frameworks and rapport-building paradigms.
• Research results.
• Ideas for moving toward a rapport-based practice.

3. MY GOAL FOR THIS TIME…
TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO

4. FACTS:
• The U.S. has the highest inmate population in the world.
• Incarceration rates of 716 per 100,000 people.
• Statistics from the International Centre for Prison Studies (Wing, 2013).
• Most are from:
• Disadvantaged backgrounds
• With limited educational opportunities
• (Travis & Visher, 2005; Crayton & Neusteter 2008; Wakefield & Uggen 2010; Arum & Beattie 1999).
• Members of society with the least amount of human, financial, and
social capital.
• (Wakefield and Uggen, 2010)
• Does this sound like your clients?
Works cited: Wilson, C.R. (2016)

5. OUR ROLE AS PRACTITIONERS
• Practitioners wear a variety of hats.
• Caseworkers
• Facilitators
• Court staff
• Law enforcement
• Traditional practitioners may have had more
defined roles.
• Contemporary practitioners may have more
ambiguous roles.
• Regardless of our roles, our demeanor with our
clients has been shown to significantly impact
client perceptions. (Tyler, Maruna and LeBel 2003, etc.)

6. Call for change
• 2002 – Lawrence Sherman, President of the American Society of
Criminology – acknowledged the punitive approach to criminal justice has
failed us.
• Called for the development of a new, more emotionally intelligent (holistic)
cj system.
• The new system would be achieved through practices that promote:
• Awareness of the system’s emotions.
• Recognition of emotion in both victim and offender.
• Competently manage emotions within the system.
• This goal would be achieved by seeking out more innovative, less punitive practices.
• Wilson, C., 2017, forthcoming

7. Considering relationships as a catalyst
• It is not easily discernable what causes internal transformation.
• It’s crucial to remain open to the idea that several variables contribute toward
transformation.
• Education, skill-building, various interventions
• Autonomy, self-efficacy, self-determination, empowerment
• Socio-emotional factors, aging out
• Positive relationships, positive modeling
• Prosocial modeling and building bonds between practitioner and client is one
catalyst for change as noted by several theorists.
• Shadd Maruna (2015), Natalie Hearn (2010), Ronel and Elisha (2010), Ralph C. Serin (2005), and James S. Vacca (2004).

8. System of Care Tenets
Align with factors known to elicit trust and rapport-building.
• Voluntary participation
• Emphasis on the individual’s voice
• Remaining in the home and community
• Becoming part of a team

9. KEY
“When treatment is understood as just another relationship between
people,
the distinction between receiving an intervention and not receiving an
intervention (i.e., the “treatment” versus “control” group
distinction)may be less important
than understanding the quality of the actual relationships, processes,
and pathways that desisting persons experience”
(Farrall 2004; Toch 1997).
Relationships are KEY!

10. EXERCISE
• Think about a time you made a very difficult decision. Maybe it was even “life-
changing.” Choose a time you feel comfortable discussing.
• Pair up and take turns discussing the following questions with someone at your
table:
1. How did you feel about making this decision?
2. Did someone in your life disagree with your decision?
a. How did you feel about that person (or those people)?
b. Can you describe an emotion you experienced as a result of this friction?
c. Explain any bodily sensations you experience when thinking about this
person.
a. Upset stomach.
b. Tension in your neck or back.
c. Tension in your head.
Let’s take about 5 minutes to complete this exercise.
More on this later…

11. WORKING WITH INMATES
Reaching Out with Purposeful Engagement Skills (ROPES)
• Holistic conflict resolution and communication course
• 10 sessions
• Multi-theoretical framework
• Social construction theory
• Appreciative inquiry
• Restorative justice principles
• Hope theory - hopeful thought reflects the belief that one can find pathways to
desired goals and become motivated to use those pathways
• Humans needs theory – identity, esteem, meaning, control,
justice, security, stimulation (rational and emotional).

12. CLASS COMPONENTS INCLUDE
• Emotional intelligence
• Self-awareness
• Emotional regulation
• Empathy
• Mindfulness meditation
• Gratitude
• Forgiveness
• Narrative-design
• Consequential thinking
• Assertiveness
• Cognitive restructuring
• Effective listening
• Conflict resolution
• Impulse control

13. POSITIVE CRIMINOLOGY
• PARADIGM NEEDED!
• To help keep me grounded and focused.
• To remind me why I do what I do.
• To look beyond the frustration of angry inmates,
apathetic staff, and other “surprises” in working in an
incarcerated environment.
• To support appreciative theoretical framework.
• Solution-focused
• Strengths-based

14. POSITIVE CRIMINOLOGY
• Introduced by Natti Ronel, criminal justice professor at Bar-Ilan
University, Israel.
• With Dana Segev, Ronel describes positive criminology as:
• “a field within criminology that is concerned with responses to crime and
interventions for those involved.”
• “Comparably to positive psychology, research and theory in positive
criminology focuses on positive emotions, experiences and mechanisms
that increase individuals’ well-being and reduce their negative emotions,
behaviors and attitudes.”
Natti Ronel and Dana Segev, Positive Criminology. (New York: Routledge, 2015).

15. POSITIVE CRIMINOLOGY
• They indicate this paradigm:
• “shifted away from the notion of conceiving of an individual as
containing a set of problems that “need to be fixed.”
• Instead, they promote a more holistic view which acknowledges
that:
• Thriving and disengagement from distress, addiction, mental illness,
crime, or deviance
• might be fostered more effectively by enhancing positive emotions and
experiences
• rather than focusing on reducing negative attributes.
Natti Ronel and Dana Segev, Positive Criminology. (New York: Routledge, 2015).

16. POSITIVE CRIMINOLOGY
• Positive criminology includes various practices with
themes of:
• Encounters with positive influences.
• Emphasis on positive social elements.
• Such as goodness and social acceptance.
• Positive personal traits.
• Such as coherence and resilience.
• Reframing negative self-narratives to
positive or normative ones.

17. Central to positive criminology:
• The study and emphasis of positive components such as:
• Acceptance
• Compassion
• Encouragement
• Faith
• Forgiveness
• Goodness
• Gratitude
• Humor
• Positive modeling
• Spirituality

18. • Strength-based focus is incorporated to support
perspectives which reduce stigmatization of offenders.
• Theoretical groundwork purports:
• Positive experiences offer healing effects.
• Their influence proves to be at least as strong as
negative experiences.
• Neuroscience research (Leaf, 2006) shows that mental
healing is possible with the infusion of positive thoughts
and emotions.

19. Barbara Fredrickson - Positive upward spiral – also
discusses this upward momentum.

20. • As shown on the upward spiral graphic,
upward momentum is accomplished through
positive experiences and emotions.
• Hopefulness
• Enthusiasm
• Passion
• Similarly, integrative experiences such as social
inclusion generate positive emotions thereby
reducing negative emotions.

21. EXPECTATIONS
• Expectations include the potential for offenders to envelop
pro-social qualities and turn their lives around.
• As stated by Ronel and Segev,12
• “by the very enhancing of the positive, one can reduce
the negative.”

22. EXERCISE
Think back again to the time you made that difficult or “life-
changing” decision.
• Discuss the following questions:
1. Did someone in your life offer support to you during this
time?
a. How did you feel about that person (or those people)?
b. Can you describe an emotion you experienced as a result?
c. Explain any bodily sensations you experience when
remembering the person who supported you.
a. Lightness.
b. Warmth.
Let’s take about 5 minutes to complete this exercise.

23. Debriefing the experiential exercise
Negative thoughts lead to negative emotions such as:
• Anger
• Fear
• Anxiety
• Bitterness
• Resentment
• They contribute toward a negative downward spiral
• Resulting in negative attitudes
• Negative words
• Damaged relationships
• This stress releases cortisol into our system.
• Wreaking havoc on our bodies (Heart, digestive system, skin, allergies, and causes illness, etc.)
• Effects our thinking, memory, and problem-solving abilities.
• Literally, causing brain cells to shrink. (Leaf, 2013)

24. The facts
• Our demeanor as practitioners (in whatever capacity) inevitably
contributes toward this process in our clients.
• Similar to the people in our lives who either:
• Disagreed with our life choice, or
• Those who supported us during this time.
• The truth is, everyone in our lives contributes toward this process.
• It explains why we move toward
some people…
• And away from others.

25. BENEFITS OF USING AN INNOVATIVE
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
FOR US
• Better practice/focus
• Consistency
• Less room for manipulation
• Higher client accountability/buy-in
• Higher morale and better cooperation
• Blends empirical with intuition
• Research-based/access to literature
• Solution-focused
FOR OUR CLIENTS
• Better practice/focus
• Consistency
• Potential for growth
• Create social capital
• Bonding with normative member of
society
• Skill-building
• Autonomy, self-determination, agency

26. Why PC is beneficial in research and
practice?
1. Affords the capacity to look at the whole individual:
• Challenges
• Strengths
• Talents
• Well-being
• Protective factors, etc.
2. It attempts to provide individuals with ownership of the problem as
well as the solution.
3. Counts positive experiences such as social inclusivity as core elements
of the journey.

27. An URGENT need for a move toward a
more emotionally intelligent system
• Backlash
• Ferguson, Missouri; Baltimore, Maryland
• Exploding jail populations
• As explained earlier
• Law enforcement statistics
• Distressed cortisol patterns
• Burnout
• This includes us as practitioners and facilitators
• What I found in jail was that I was considered part of “them” (establishment).

28. We are pretty good at
controlling this:
We are not as good at
reaching this:

29. Traits that can be used in your work
• Positive criminology promotes strengthening relationships between normative
members of society and offenders.
• Practitioners adhering to PC strive to exhibit prosocial behaviors such as:
• Reliability
• Honesty
• Respect for others
• Active listening
• Optimism
• Solution-focused intent
• Warmth
• Empathy

30. OUTCOMES FROM MY RESEARCH
• Qualitative assessment
• Goal - assess whether ROPES effected inmate self-efficacy in conflict resolution.
• 13 inmates interviewed in jail by a research assistant.
• The positive effects of rapport-based influences were, unintentionally,
uncovered in participant narratives.
• Through question 4: What stood out to you about the training and why?
• And question 8: Is there anything else you want to share about your experience
in the ROPES course?
• P9:“I didn’t come in here thinking I wanted to learn anything either but when you
meet somebody that treats you with respect you wanna treat them with respect and at
least hear them out. And I heard her out” (Wilson, 2016).

31. RESEARCH OUTCOMES – Significant Statements (Wilson, 2016)
P PC Themes Corresponding statement
P7 Positive
modeling
If somebody had a comment or a question she would let them talk she wouldn’t cut
people off she wouldn’t keep going and talk over others she was always genuinely
interested in the comments of others as well.
P7 Encouragement She didn’t dismiss them she addressed them or commented on them encouraged
them in their progress um was always willing to give help and suggestions.
P8 Goodness I just have a lot of respect for Chris and the fact that she dedicates time to coming
here and that she sees value in helping people in this type of a situation refine
themselves and hopefully be a little better when they leave.
P8 Humor She brought good humor, she told stories and I loved that she demonstrated that
she was human.
P12 Positive
influence
Um without her, I mean I wouldn’t be who I am today.
P15 Spirituality Like I said in the letter there’s not much you can do to put it in somebody’s head
but if you touch one person, ya know, make a difference in their life, it’s gonna
make a difference in a lot of people’s lives, man.

32. DISCUSSION
IMPLICATIONS FOR SYSTEM CHANGE
• People will obey laws when they view the criminal justice system as acting justly
(Sherman, 2002):
• “Understanding how to avoid provoking such emotions as defiance, anger, and humiliation
may be more important than understanding how to instill a desire to obey the law” (p. 4).
• We need to look at options that are less punitive, more innovative, and theory-
based.
• Maruna (2015) posits that the current working model presumes the causal agent
in desistance is the program, not the individuals who participate in them.
• Criminological movements, including programs such as ROPES, should aim to
give the rehabilitation process back to the client.

33. LOOSE ANALOGY

34. Other methodological approaches
showing promise
• Therapeutic jurisprudence
• The study of the effects of law and the legal system on the behavior, emotions, and mental
health of people.
• Motivational interviewing
• Restorative Justice
• Procedural Justice
• Focuses on the way police and other legal authorities interact with the public, and how the
characteristics of those interactions shape the public’s views of the police, their willingness to
obey the law, and actual crime rates.
• Desistance-focused practice
• Body of research associated with narrative criminology that seeks to understand the narrative
of offenders who have chosen to refrain from committing further crimes (desistance).
• Self-determination theory

35. Self-determination theory
A psychological model suggesting that much of
our behavior is guided by internal motivations
as opposed to external cues.
This model encourages psychological growth,
integrity, and well-being.

36. Self-determination theory tenets include:
• Relatedness – The desire to feel connected to others, to be a member of a
group.
• Active Listening
• Empathy
• Autonomy – An inherent desire to experience a sense of choice and
psychological freedom in carrying out activities.
• Trust in them as self-determined agents
• Strength-based, solution-focused
• Assertiveness – both teaching and modeling
• Competence – Inherent desire to feel effective in your environment.
Mastery and extending one’s skills.
• Appreciative inquiry
• Words of encouragement

37. Self-determination Theory – Coaching athletes
It’s all about the relationship, Stetka, B. (2016)
• The best coaches:
• Listen intently
• Respond thoughtfully
• Praise accomplishments
• Remain casual and relatable
• Bait you into a game of ping-pong
• Incorporate MI
• A more psychologically nuanced approach.
• Dr. Jonathan Fader – sports psychologist
Pete Carroll
2014 Voted
most popular
NFL Coach

38. SDT - NOT JUST FOR ATHLETES
• In their article Using Self-Determination Theory in Correctional
Education Development (2011, p. 188) McKinney and Cotronea stated:
“Research using self-determination theory indicates that when
students in a course feels a level of competence, autonomy and
relatedness, their ratings of the course (and the instructor) are higher.”
• The concepts in positive criminology described by ROPES
participants speak to relatedness, as applied in a corrections
settings. (McKinney and Cotronea, 2011; Wilson, C., 2016)

39. Talking in circles

40. Reaching Out with Purposeful Engagement Skills
CIRCLE OPENING – Session 11
• We don’t need someone to show us the ROPES.
• We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
• Deep inside us we know the feelings we need to guide us.
• Our task is to learn to trust our inner knowing.
~Sonia Johnson~ Going Out of Our Minds
(Heart of Hope, Pranis, 2010)

41. CONCLUSION
• We are in a turbulent time.
• There is a growing divide between professionals and the clients we
serve.
• Change is on the horizon.
Question to ask ourselves:
• Can some of the concepts discussed
today become a catalyst for change?

42. As we wrap up…
THANK YOU!
Is there one thing I can do today to begin to
change the system for tomorrow?

43. WORKS CITED:
Arum, R., & Beattie, I. R. (1999). High School Experience and the Risk of Adult Incarceration. Criminology, 515-535.
Banse, R., Koppehele-Gossel, J., Kistemaker, L., Werner, V., & Schmidt, A. (2013). Pro-criminal attitudes, intervention, and recidivism. Aggression and Violent Behavior,
673-685.
Choate, B. R., & Normore, A. H. (2013). Leadership's Role in Reducing Jail Violence and Recidivism. Advances in Educational Administration, 163-180.
Crayton, A., & Neusteter, S. R. (2007). The Current State of Correctional Education . New York: John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
Farrall, S., & Maruna, S. (2004). Desistance-Focused Criminal Justice Policy Research: Introduction to a Special Issue on Desistance from and Public Policy. The
Howard Journal, 358-367.
Giordano, P. C., Cernkovich, S. A., & Rudolph, J. L. (2002). Gender, Crime, and Desistance: Toward a Theory of Cognitive Transformation. American Journal of
Sociology, 990-1008.
Hearn, N. (2010). Theory of Desistance. Internet Journal of Criminology, 1-13.
Layton-MacKenzie, D. P. (2008). Structure and Components of Successful Educational Programs. New York: John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
Maruna, S. (2015). Qualitative Research, Theory Development, and Evidence-Based Corrections: Can Success Stories Be "Evidence"? Qualitative Research in
Criminology, 311-337.
Maruna, S., & LeBel, T. P. (2003). Welcome Home? Examining the "Reentry Court" Concept from a Strengths-based Perspective. Western Criminology Review, 91-107.

44. WORKS CITED:
McKinney, D. P., & Cotronea, M. A. (2011). Using Self-Determination Theory in Correctional Education Program Development. The Journal of Correctional Education,
175-193.
Paternoster, R., & Bushway, S. (2009). Desistance and the Feared Self: Toward an Identity Theory of Criminal Desistance. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology,
1103-1156.
Ronel, N., & Elisha, E. (2011). A Different Perspective: Introducing Positive Criminology. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 305-325.
Ronel, N., & Segev, D. (2015). Positive Criminology. New York: Routledge.
Serin, R. a. (2005). Evidence-Based Practice: Principles for Enhancing Correctional Results in Prisons. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of
Corrections.
Sherman, L. W. (2002). Reason for Emotion: Reinventing justice with theories, innovations, and research--The American Society of Criminology 2002 Presidential
Address. Criminology, 1-38.
Stetka, B. (2016). How to Coach Like an Olympian. Scientific American Mind, 45-49.
Toch, H. (1997). Corrections: A Humanstic Approach. Albany: Harrow and Heston Publishers.
Travis, J., & Visher, C. (2005). Prisoner Reentry and Crime in America. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Tyer, T. R. (2006). Restorative Justice and Procedural Justice: Dealing with Rule Breaking. Journal of Social Issues, 307-326.
Ubah, C. B., & Robinson, R. L. (2003). A Grounded Look at the Debate Over Prison-Based Education: Optimistic theory versus pessimistic worldview. The Prison
Journal, 115-29.

45. WORKS CITED:
Vacca, J. S. (2004). Educated Prisoners are Less Likely to Return to Prison. Journal of Correctional Education, 297-304.
Wakefield, S., & Uggen, C. (2010). Incarceration and Stratification. Annual Review of Sociology, 387-405.
Wilson, C. R. (2016, December). Unshackled: A phenomenological study of the effects of holistic conflict resolution training on inmate self-efficacy. Florida: Proquest.
Wing, N. (2013, August 13). Here Are All of the Nations that Incarcerate More of their Population than the U.S. Retrieved from Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/13/incarceration-rate-per-capita_n_3745291.html?view=screen