Stages of Change

An effective model for determining the motivation and commitment to change is the six-step Stages of Change model. Recognizing where the offender is in the change process to identify the appropriate intervention assists supervision greatly. An offender in the Pre-Contemplation stage does not recognize that he/she has a problem. Services then should be directed to the readiness for change. Offenders in the action phase need more clinical interventions to build the cognitive and behavioral skills (e.g. diagnosis of own behavior, steps to change the behavior, and trigger analysis to identify potential relapse, etc.) to lead a crime-free lifestyle.

Offender Interests

Each individual has different priorities, and often these priorities and interests can be the conduit to moving the offender along in the change process. An interest can be used to begin the change process by matching the offender to services, and/or support systems, with particular attention to the offender's interest. For example, if the offender is interested in contact with his/her children, then tying services to this contact can motivate the offender. If an offender is interested in learning about a skill, then this also builds support for change. Developing intrinsic motivation often involves identifying the needs and interests of the offender. By focusing on the offender's interests, the offender can take more ownership for the components of the service plan.