Criminal Justice System: System Theory And Multicultural Theory

Juan, David, Layla, and Jasmine are all having issues being in the criminal justice system. In order to help with these issues what type of therapy that is used on each person is important to help change his or her behavior. Two theories that can be used for these four individual is system theory and multicultural approach theory. Both theories are different but the main value of both systems theory and multicultural theories is to change a person’s behavior pattern to a better behavior pattern.

System Theory was developed in the 19th century. It was developed to explain historical development as dynamic process. This theory uses a complex system to explore the behavior patterns that humans experience. System psychology focuses on affective, motivational, cognitive and group behavioral patterns. Systems theory in therapy applies to a group setting like couples, organizations, or families. Systems therapy identifies specific behavior patterns within the group and how each member will respond to anxiety within the dynamic. The value of the system theory is by using the people involved will change their behavior patterns to more productive behaviors (Goodtherapy.org, 2017). By changing their behaviors he or she will stop using the behaviors that are causing problems in his or her life.

Multicultural approach has evolved over

the last 30 years. This type of therapy approach involves religion, culture, color, race, and uses them in the multicultural therapeutic process. Usual in this type of therapy the therapist and client is of different ethnicity, culture, race or background. The helps the client to have more multicultural awareness and give the client insight on sensitivity, appreciation of history, values, experience and lifestyles of different multicultural groups (Owen, Leach, Wampold, & Rodolfa, 2011). The value of multicultural theories is that it helps the client to be involved in his or hers own self-discovery and find out if the client is holding any prejudices. If so what can he or she do to help eliminate as much as he or she can.
Juan is 78- year old male, who is widowed and has grown children who live far from Juan. Juan has been trained as a landscape architect and helped to designed parks and recreational areas for rive cites but has not worked for five years. Though he wants a job a local community center he was told he does not know local trends. Juan was charged with solicitation and now concerned his age may be taken in consideration negatively at his trial. It’s recommended that Juan participates in a system theory type of therapy. This would help Juan to understand and learn from specific behavior patterns other people in his community would have. It would also help other people the community to understand Juan’s behavior. Hopefully by participating in this type of therapy it would help Juan to be able to partake in more community activities such as help design for the local community center. It will also help Juan fit in more and the community accepts Juan as well.
David is 22 years old who is a local personal trainer and has ended his relationship with a man named Jason. Jason threaten David and David is now worried about having to quit his job due to potential bias from his work colleagues. David also has an outstanding warrant for possession with intent to distribute narcotics and he is worked how he will be treated in jail if the other inmates find out he is gay. The best therapy for David to attend would be Multicultural approach type therapy. This would help David to understand that The United States is very diverse country. Many behaviors that he may think other people have such as age bios may not be the case. It would also help to understand his own prejudices about other people that are not within the gay/lesbian community. This will also help to give David a more multicultural awareness. It would also help him to deal and understand other cultures he is surround by.
Layla is a 51 year old Muslim who has been sentenced to jail for 30 days. She is very committed to her religion but is afraid she will be targeted in jail for her beliefs. She also is worried about ability to be able to pray and her dietary restrictions while in jail. Layla would also benefit from Multicultural approach type therapy. Like David she would be able to learn about her own prejudices that she may have against other cultures and their beliefs. It would also help her to understand other cultures and the culture that is in jail. This would allow her to figure out how best to incorporate her religion with the culture in jail. This way she will be able to still practice her beliefs while in jail. It would also help her to understand the culture that will be surrounding her so she can better adapt while in jail and still be able to follow her religion.
Jasmine is 32 years old and is incarcerated.

She was physically and sexually abused growing up by older men and now has flashback when she is being touched by men. She is non-compliant while incarcerated due to men touching her and not explaining why but complies well with female correction officers do or if a male corrections officers explains what he is doing. System Theory type of therapy would be very important for Jasmine to receive. This would help identify certain behavior patterns Jasmine is having and by being involved in a group she can learn new more operate and productive behavior patterns to incorporate in her own

life.
Juan, David, Layla, and Jasmine will hopefully all benefit from their therapy and be able to change their negative behaviors. By doing so will hopefully help them to understand more about themselves and people around him or her. Rather he or she uses system theory or multicultural theory it should help him or her to improve and learn more positive behaviors and also learn more about their own bios or cultures that surround them. If therapy is successful it will also keep all four of them out of the criminal justice system and help their behaviors become more productive behaviors.