Traditional approaches in the Criminal Justice System have focused on societal causes of crime, addressing them through punitive measures with mixed efficacy. Recent shifts toward positive psychological interventions aim to improve recidivism but often overlook the role of compassion. The COMPASS Model in Criminal and Forensic Psychology demonstrates how a compassionate approach, informed by positive psychology, can offer a more effective strategy in reforming criminal behavior.

The Durkin COMPASS Model offers a groundbreaking theoretical framework for criminology and forensic psychology, integrating compassion and positive psychology with evidence-based practice to facilitate desistence from crime. It capitalizes on the strengths central to positive psychology, fostering hope and well-being, while its compassion element emphasizes empathetic understanding and self-healing. Durkin adopts a holistic perspective, considering an individual’s complete background, including trauma and personal strengths, rather than focusing solely on the crime. Designed for practical implementation, the COMPASS Model equips practitioners with tools to reduce recidivism, support offender rehabilitation, and contribute to their overall well-being, marking a significant shift towards nurturing a pro-social identity as a means of crime reduction.

The COMPASS Model in Criminal and Forensic Psychology serves as a crucial resource for criminal justice practitioners, policymakers, academics, and advocates, offering innovative, evidence-based strategies from compassion and positive psychology to transform offender rehabilitation and inform systemic change in the criminal justice landscape.

Mark A. Durkin is Lecturer in the School of Psychology at Leeds Trinity University, UK.