ABSTRACT
The relationship between ‘I’ and ‘we’, and how group membership impacts on self-identity and behaviour, is of long-standing interest to social psychologists. Social identity theories have evolved as the dominant approach in accounting for extreme behaviours of individuals enacted in the context of group membership. Since the development of early models in the 1970s and 1980s, social identity frameworks have proliferated to account for a range of behaviours and social circumstances. Developing an understanding of how social identity theory can account for the aetiology and needs of forensic populations could greatly enhance the development and delivery of service models and holistic treatments. This chapter discusses social identity models and the contexts in which they could be applied to forensic populations. Specifically, how these models can enhance our understanding of individuals engaging in a range of group-based extreme behaviours, and the potential value of reframing a ‘criminal social identity’ to one of ‘social alienation’ are of focus. Organisational implications, such as the configurations of forensic services, are also outlined.
