Justice Reinvestment and Supervision Practices
5. CRIMINAL THINKING: Programs intended to reduce recidivism must
address needs as well as criminal thinking
Examples of Types
of Criminal Thinking
Denial of Victim
"I'm the one who is getting
messed with."
"They had it coming."
Denial of Injury
"No one really got hurt here."
"They have insurance for that."
Denial of Responsibility
“I didn't do it."
"I had no choice!"
The Condemnation of the Condemners
"The cops are just out to get me."
"You do the same things. You just haven't
been caught."
Appeal to Higher Loyalties
"My friends needed me. What was
I going to do?"
"I didn't do it for myself."
Source: Sykes GM, Matza D. Techniques of Neutralization: A Theory of Delinquency. American Sociological
Review 1957, Volume 22, Issue 6.
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