Offence-Related Cognition: Theory, Assessment and Intervention

Integrating cognitive theory, assessment, and treatment across offending populations Offense-Related Cognition: Theory, Assessment, and Intervention draws together perspectives from cognitive science, clinical psychology, psychopathology, and cognitive-social psychology to provide a unified account of how cognition operates across offending populations. Covering sexual offending, intimate partner violence, firesetting, acquisitive crime, and general violence, this volume synthesises and updates the dispersed literature on offense-related cognition into a single authoritative reference that spans from theoretical foundations through to clinical application and practice. The volume presents theoretical frameworks including enactivist perspectives, emotion-cognition integration, and moral reasoning development as applied to criminal behaviour. Assessment coverage addresses questionnaires, interviews, indirect measures, and best-practice clinical formulation approaches for diverse populations, including individuals with intellectual disabilities and those in forensic mental health settings. Treatment chapters detail cognitive-behavioural methods alongside Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy, and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy as applied to offense-related thinking. Written for academics, researchers, and practitioners in forensic and clinical psychology, criminology, and psychiatry, this volume serves as both a scholarly resource and a clinical guide. It is equally suited to undergraduate and postgraduate students seeking a rigorous, evidence-grounded account of cognition in offending behaviour and its treatment implications. Evidence-based approaches to understanding and treating offence-related cognition across populations Offence-Related Cognition: Theory, Assessment and Intervention delivers a comprehensive examination of criminal cognition. Experts Theresa A. Gannon and Tony Ward integrate perspectives from cognitive science, clinical psychology, and forensic psychology to address how offence-related thinking develops and can be effectively treated across populations including individuals who sexually offend, violently offend, or start deliberate fires. The book covers contemporary assessment methods from traditional questionnaires to innovative indirect measures like the Implicit Association Test. Readers gain practical guidance on clinical formulation and evidence-based treatments spanning behavioural, cognitive-behavioural, and third-wave therapies. Unique chapters examine cognition in special populations including individuals with intellectual disabilities while exploring how cognitive biases systematically affect criminal justice from investigations to jury decisions. Readers will also find: Comprehensive theoretical frameworks including enactivist perspectives, emotion-cognition integration, and moral reasoning development applied to criminal behaviour Evidence-based assessment techniques covering questionnaires, interviews, indirect measures, and best-practice clinical formulation approaches for diverse offending populations Detailed examination of offence-specific cognition in sexual offending, intimate partner violence, firesetting, and general violence with established theoretical models Treatment approaches from behavioural and cognitive-behavioural to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy, and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Specialized coverage of intellectual disability populations, forensic mental health settings, criminal justice system biases, and witness memory factors Essential for forensic psychologists, criminologists, psychiatrists, and students pursuing advanced degrees, this text provides the evidence-based resource needed to effectively assess and treat offence-related cognition. With contributions from international experts, it delivers practical tools to advance both research and clinical practice.