Mr. David PRESCOTT(Director of Professional Development
and Quality Improvement,Becket Family of Services)
The Good Lives Model: From Theory to Practice

THE GOOD LIVES MODEL:FROM THEORY TO PRACTICEDavid S. Prescott, LICSW
September 2016,
Tokyo UNAFEI

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3• What/who works in sexual offendingtreatment• GLM approach & core principles– Application in your life
– Application to case study• The GLM in treatment, supervision &beyond• GLM research overview

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GRATITUDE

Tony WardPamela Yates

5• Smith et al. (2002)
meta analysis of 117
studies; N = 442,471• No form ofpunishment reduced
reoffense risk

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164TH INTERNATIONAL TRAINING COURSE
VISITING EXPERTSʼ PAPERSSEXUAL OFFENDING TREATMENTCONTEXT: WHAT WORKS?

• Risk: Match level of services to level of risk
• Need: Target dynamic risk

factors/criminogenic needs• Responsivity: Use empirically supported

approaches; also specific responsivity(Andrews & Bonta, 2010; Hanson et al., 2009)7

DYNAMIC RISK FACTORS(CRIMINOGENIC NEEDS)– Deviant sexual interest/preference– Hostility towards women– Emotional identification with children– Negative (and/or lack of positive) socialinfluences– Intimacy deficits– Poor sexual self-regulation– General self-regulation difficulties

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SEXUAL OFFENDING TREATMENTCONTEXT: WHAT WORKS?

• Risk: Match level of services to level of risk
• Need: Target dynamic risk

factors/criminogenic needs• Responsivity: Use empirically supported

approaches; also specific responsivity(Andrews & Bonta, 2010; Hanson et al., 2009)

9EFFECTIVENESS OF SEXUAL
OFFENDING TREATMENT“Perhaps therapy will be more
effective if we keep in mind
that…[our] clients are more
Sexual recidivism:
similar to other therapy clients(treated) ofthan they are different.
“Research on10.1%
the effectivenessversus
13.7% for
Treatment is not something
we do level
individualinterventions(untreated)to clients, but ratherapreventing
sexualoffending andcollaborative process…”
reoffending against children(Levenson & Prescott, 2013,p. 5) inconclusive” (p. 5)
remains1056

164TH INTERNATIONAL TRAINING COURSE
VISITING EXPERTSʼ PAPERSWHAT ELSE WORKS TO PREVENT SEXUALREOFFENDING?

GLM APPROACH AND CORE
PRINCIPLES
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THE GOOD LIVES MODEL (GLM)“…[our clients] want better
lives, not simply thepromise of lessharmful ones”(Ward, Mann, & Gannon, 2006)13“As a kid I had lots of examples ofwhat I didn't want to be. I spent
my life trying not to be thosethings. Then when an aide asked
me about 5 years ago what I
wanted to be I had no idea.”

40 y/o malein civil commitment (USA)1458

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GLM APPROACH• Strengths-based, positive approach• Collaborative, motivational approach• Focuses on how treatment will benefit client / whatclient will gain from treatment• Two goals:– Reducing/managing risk
– Attaining fulfilling life, psychological well-being• GLM integrated with RNR

GLM APPROACH• Offending = pursuit of legitimate goals via

inappropriate means• All human beings are goal-directed andpredisposed to seek primary human goods• Primary human goods = actions,experiences, circumstances, states of being,etc., that individuals seek to attain for theirown sake59

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GLM APPROACH• Secondary goods = concrete ways (means)

to secure primary goods (also calledinstrumental goods)• Dynamic risk factors = internal or external

obstacles that block achieving primary
goods in pro-social ways in addition tocreating risk

PRIMARY HUMAN GOODS• GLM proposes at least 10 primary human

goods• Value/importance placed on various goods

determines individual’s conceptualisation ofa “good life”; reflected in good life plan (GLP)• Primary goods related to offending by theirpresence or absence• Assumption: Pro-social attainment of goods

will help reduce or manage risk to re-offend(alongside targeting criminogenic needs)

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PRIMARY HUMAN GOODS & NEW NAMES(YATES & PRESCOTT, 2011)

Primary Good

Common Life GoalLife



Life: Living and Surviving

Excellence in Work & Play

Inner Peace

CommunityHappinessKnowledge

Excellence in Agency

Friendship/RelatednessSpirituality

CreativityKnowledge: Learning and Knowing
Being Good at Work & Play

Personal Choice and Independence
Peace of Mind

Relationships and Friendships

Community: Being Part of a Group

Spirituality: Having Meaning in Life
HappinessCreativity

19

PRIMARY GOODS: DEFINITIONS• Life: Living & Surviving– Healthy living and functioning– Basic needs• Instrumental (secondary) goods:– Acquiring income to meet basic needs– Physical activity– Healthy nutrition– Health care
– Physical survival
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PRIMARY GOODS: DEFINITIONS• Knowledge: Learning & Knowing– Desire for information and understanding about
oneself and the world• Instrumental (secondary) goods:– Attending school, training, vocational courses– Self-study, informal activities– Attending treatment, self-help activity

PRIMARY GOODS: DEFINITIONS• Being Good at Play / Being Good and Work
– Mastery in work / leisure• Instrumental (secondary) goods:– Participation in sport or other leisure activities;
hobbies– Participation in training, certification, apprenticeships– Meaningful paid or voluntary work62

164TH INTERNATIONAL TRAINING COURSE
VISITING EXPERTSʼ PAPERS••••PRIMARY GOODS: DEFINITIONS

Personal Choice and Independence– Desire for independence, autonomy, choice

Instrumental (secondary) goods:– Formulates and implements plans to achieve a specificend or objective– Engages in activities to ensure self-sufficiency– Asserts self and needs with others, communicates needs
and desires to others– Controls, dominates, abuses, or manipulates others inorder to establish personal control

PRIMARY GOODS: DEFINITIONS

Peace of Mind
– Emotion regulation, equilibrium– Freedom from emotional turmoil and stressInstrumental (secondary) goods:– Strategies, specific activities to minimize
emotional distress/achieve equilibrium (e.g.,exercise, meditation)– Strategies to manage impulsivity– Substance use or sexual activity to regulate
mood/cope with emotional stimuli/events

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••

•

•

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PRIMARY GOODS: DEFINITIONS

Relationships and Friendships– Desire to establish bonds with others– Intimate, romantic, family relationships

Instrumental (secondary) goods:– Engages in social or other activities that facilitate
meeting new people and maintaining relationships– Spends time with friends– Gives and receives support (e.g., emotional, practical)– Intimate relationships

PRIMARY GOODS: DEFINITIONSCommunity: Being Part of a Group– Desire to be connected to similar social groups

Instrumental (secondary) goods:– Participates in community activities (e.g., social service
groups, special interest groups)– Participates in volunteer activities, groups– Membership in groups sharing common interests,
values, concerns– Provides practical assistance to others in times of need(e.g., neighbours)

164TH INTERNATIONAL TRAINING COURSE
VISITING EXPERTSʼ PAPERS••PRIMARY GOODS: DEFINITIONS

Spirituality: Having Meaning in Life
– Desire for meaning and purpose in life
– Sense that is part of larger whole

Instrumental (secondary) goods:– Attends formal religious/spiritual events (e.g., church)– Participates in activities such as meditation/prayer– Involved in spiritual community/group– Studies/reads spiritual materials

PRIMARY GOODS: DEFINITIONS• Creativity– Desire for novelty or innovation• Instrumental (secondary) goods:– Engages in new/novel experiences that has not
attempted previously– Engages in artistic, creative activities– Desire/need for novel sexual practices

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PRIMARY GOODS: DEFINITIONS• Happiness– State of being happy/content– Pleasure in life

• Instrumental (secondary) goods:– Activities that result in sense of satisfaction,contentment, fulfillment– Activities that result in sense of pleasure (e.g.,leisure activities, sports, sex)
– Activities intended to achieve sense of purpose,
direction in life (e.g., work, friendships, family)

CASE EXAMPLE: JIM

Jim is a 38-year-old man convicted for three counts of sexual
touching. The victim was a 10-year-old boy who was Jim’s
neighbour whose family Jim knew very well. At the time of theoffense, Jim was participating in a “sex offender treatment
maintenance group” and, up to that time, had been doing very well.
Jim had learned to accept his sexual attraction to males, and to fill
his time with activities that would not bring him into contact withboys. Prior to his offense, Jim had started dating a man he metthrough his church. However, after a few dates, Jim learned that hisfeelings weren’t reciprocated. Jim was left feeling rejected, lonelyand depressed. He started isolating himself from family and friends,
and stopped going to church. When he realised he was in a highrisk situation with his neighbour, he ignored his sexual and otherfeelings and shut himself off in his house. Jim is shocked anddepressed that he committed another sexual offense.
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JIM’S PRIORITISED PRIMARYHUMAN GOODS– Relationships & Friendships– Happiness– ?Peace of Mind

– ?Spirituality: Having Meaning inLife– ?Community: Being Part of a Group

WHEN THINGS GO WRONG:
GOOD LIFE PLAN FLAWS• GLM proposes that offending and life problems

result from flaws implementing good life plan

• Four types of flaws:– Means– Lack of scope– Conflict among goods/means– Lack of capacity (internal and external)

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HARMFUL/PROBLEMATIC MEANS

33

NARROW SCOPE:PUTTING ALL THE EGGS IN ONE BASKET

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CONFLICT: PURSUIT OF ONE
GOOD INTERFERES WITH
PURSUIT OF ANOTHER GOOD

35

LACK OF CAPACITY

Internal

External
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Implementing a Good Life Plan

WHAT FLAWS HAVE YOU
EXPERIENCED SEEKING
PRIMARY GOODS?

WHAT HELPS YOUOVERCOME THESE FLAWS?
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CASE EXAMPLE: JIM

Jim is a 38-year-old man convicted for three counts of sexualtouching. The victim was a 10-year-old boy who was Jim’s
neighbour whose family Jim knew very well. At the time of theoffense, Jim was participating in a “sex offender treatment
maintenance group” and, up to that time, had been doing verywell. Jim had learned to accept his sexual attraction to males,
and to fill his time with activities that would not bring him into
contact with boys. Prior to his offense, Jim had started dating aman he met through his church. However, after a few dates, Jim
learned that his feelings weren’t reciprocated. Jim was left
feeling rejected, lonely and depressed. He started isolating
himself from family and friends, and stopped going to church.
When he realised he was in a high risk situation with hisneighbour, he ignored his sexual and other feelings and shuthimself off in his house. Jim is shocked and depressed that hecommitted another sexual offense.

•CASE ANALYSIS: JIM

Primary Goods Important
to Jim:– Relationships & Friendships– Happiness– ?Peace of Mind

– ?Spirituality: Having

Meaning in Life

– ?Community: Being Part of aGroup• Flaws in Good Life Plan:– Means– Capacity (internal)– Scope (probable)• Probable Dynamic Risk Factors:– Sexual self-regulation (deviant sexualarousal/preference)– Emotion regulation– General self-regulation (problem-solving)– Intimacy deficits– Lack of social supports

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GLM APPLICATION IN
TREATMENT, SUPERVISION
AND BEYOND
41

WHAT’S YOUR ROLE? GOOD LIFE PLAN
DEVELOPMENT AND EXECUTION– Psychologist/primary therapist: collaborate with client todevelop initial plan, assist client build internal capacity toachieve PHGs, ensure plan shared with other professionals– Prison/probation officer or case manager: assist build

external capacity to achieve PHGs, monitor implementationof plan

– All – encourage implementation of plan, reinforce progress,

update as necessaryE.g., Yates et al., 201072

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VISITING EXPERTSʼ PAPERSCOLLABORATION IS KEY!

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INTEGRATED GOOD LIFE AND RISKMANAGEMENT PLAN

• Includes all goods important to individual– Sufficient scope• Includes non-offending, practical ways to attaingoods– Build on client strengths– SMART goals• Identifies threats/obstacles to goods attainmentand strategies for managing• Includes risk management plan

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JIM’S PREVIOUS RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN
Avoid being in areas that children congregate (e.g., outsideschools, parks)•

Avoid any media (e.g., magazines, television) depicting
prepubescent boys•

Do not join church or other community groups in whichchildren are present•

Avoid isolating especially when experiencing low mood•Constantly monitor environment for new high risk
situations/warning signs•

Phone a nominated support person in event of warningsigns (low mood, deviant arousal, sexual preoccupation) or
high risk situations which I cannot escape•

ENGAGING JIM AND DEVELOPING AN
INTEGRATED GOOD LIFE/ RISKMANAGEMENT PLAN
Build identity that he is worthwhile•

Validate valued primary human goods•

Reinforce goal to avoid offending•
•
•
––74

Identify new means to achieve primary goods (e.g.,relationships/intimacy, happiness, etc)
Build internal capacity:

Self-regulation skills (problem-solving, emotion
regulation sexual self-regulation)
Skills to attain and maintain relationships

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•
––––

•

––

Build external capacity:

Assist to connect to community (e.g., gay community)
and social network
Assist to find acceptable partner
Assist to re-connect safely to church community
Assist to re-connect with family (if desired)
Assist to find acceptable employment

Anticipate obstacles/threats to implementation ofplan and how to overcome:Plan to manage risky situations, thoughts, feelings

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