ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with an overview of cognitive-behavioural approaches to working with young offenders. The overview complements both existing reviews of the same topic and reviews of delinquency prevention generally. The chapter considers what is known about the general effectiveness of working with young offenders. Cognitive-behavioural programmes are based on the application of both social learning theory and cognitive theory to inform therapeutic methods. This approach is marked by an emphasis on the role of social factors, together with a focus on changing emotion and cognition as well as overt behaviour. Chandler describes a programme designed to help male young offenders to see themselves from the perspective of other people, and so to develop their own role-taking abilities. This work was a clear success when judged in terms of enhancing the young offenders' role-taking skill. Several studies have provided clear evidence that social problem-solving skills training can lead young offenders to generate more solutions to social problems.
