About
The Good Lives Model (GLM; Ward, 2002) is a holistic and strengths-based approach to offender rehabilitation. It assumes that all humans have overarching needs that they have to fulfil to have a meaningful life.
Offending occurs in an attempt to meet these needs when experiencing personal difficulties (e.g., internalized prejudice, emotional/mental health issues, and impulsivity) and disadvantaged environments (i.e., antisocial peers, marginalization, and unemployment).
The GLM has not previously been examined to street gang membership, so to assess this, my research involves interviewing incarcerated street gang members.
Findings have important implications for ….
Research Objectives
- Examine the applicability of the GLM to street gang members
- Identify which overarching needs individuals’ are trying to fulfil through their street gang membership
- Assess factors increasing risk of joining a street gang (including internalized/external prejudice)
Impact
- GLM consistent interventions assist individuals in achieving a meaningful and fulfilling life (without relying on offending behavior), by helping overcome any internal or external difficulties. This would include reducing any internalized prejudice.
- Rather than seeing offenders as a bundle of risk factors, the GLM emphasises that offenders have the same needs as everyone (including non-offenders). This aids in reducing any overt or covert prejudices that practitioners may have (Ward, Gannon, & Birgden, 2007).