Forensic Behavior Analysis SIG

By Presley Wanner and Timothy J. Templin

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) has been useful in addressing societal problems related to the criminal justice field. For example, the role of teaching family homes in reducing recidivism and prison drug programs. An important impact has been on the treatment of adolescents and children to improve parenting for conduct disorder and reduce aggressive behavior and assaults in school. Our special interest group (SIG) is Forensic Behavior Analysis (FBA). We have a website under development and have been producing newsletters and video content for our members. Our total membership has now grown over 3,000 at the time of this writing.

To ensure that those in the criminal justice fields have access to appropriate, evidence-based, behavior analytic, therapeutic resources to reduce crime and delinquency. SIG members have testified on behavioral intervention to reduce crime. Continued advocacy and research are needed to make behavior analytic services available to criminal justice, mental health, military and veterans’ fields and to document the efficacy of behavior analysis in these applications. A group of our SIG members presented at a college in Pennsylvania in November of 2023 on the subject of forensic case conceptualization. Fortunately, we will present a similar workshop later this year. Three SIG Members Presented at ABAI 50th Annual Convention in Philadelphia, PA. Details are below:

Title: The Analysis of Crime: Forensic Behavioral Case Conceptualization
Workshop #W12 , Marriott Downtown, Franklin Hall 5
Date: Thursday, May 28th, 2024
Time: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Description: In this three-hour workshop, the presenters will introduce the application of behavior analytic principles to the civil and criminal justice systems. Most importantly, multiple criminal cases will be reviewed within a behavior analytic lens to derive a conceptualization of the delinquent acts as well as hypothesized functions for each. The participants in this workshop will then be presented with case vignettes and will work together to develop their own forensic behavioral case conceptualizations.

Learning Objectives:
1 Identify three key areas where behavior analysts can serve the justice system
2 State the components of a forensic behavioral case conceptualization
3 Examine a criminal case and develop a case conceptualization as part of a group project A quarterly meeting is planned for the SIG to further the goals of improving our website, increasing membership and offering career advice for those interested in this exciting field.