4-Day ATYPICAL THEFT OFFENDER  INTENSIVE  INTERVENTION  PROGRAM

Dr. Will Cupchik, Head, 250 St. Clair Ave West, Suite G-3, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,  M4V 1R6

Tel: (416) 928-2262      Fax: (416)      WhyHonestPeopleSteal.com        wcupchik@aol.com

The 4-day Atypical Theft Offender Intensive Intervention Program is the outcome of over 30 years of clinical investigations by Dr. Will Cupchik, formerly the Psychologist-in-Charge, Forensic Outpatient Psychological Services at the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry in Toronto, where he initially identified and investigated 'Atypical Theft Offenders', and in 1984 developed and ran the first individual and group therapy programs for Atypical Theft Offenders*.

Dr. Cupchik was senior author of the original article describing Atypical Theft Offenders, entitled Shoplifting: An Occasional Crime Of The Moral Majority, published in the Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, in 1983. He has had numerous articles published in professional publications and has been quoted extensively in the U.S. media. His book, Why Honest People Shoplift Or Commit Other Acts Of Theft: Assessment and Treatment of ‘Atypical Theft Offenders’: Revised Edition, was published in 2002. 

Dr. Cupchik personally conducts the 4-Day, Atypical Theft Offender Intensive Intervention Program, consisting of 21 clinical sessions (each 45 minutes in length), carried out Sunday through Wednesday (unless otherwise arranged). The Program’s goals are clinical assessment and treatment of the individual displaying atypical theft behavior. Previous attendees of the Program have come from many American states, including California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Texas.

For maximum effectiveness of this very intensive program, it is strongly recommended that prospective clients and the 'Significant Other(s)' who will be attending and participating in the program read  Dr. Cupchik's book prior to commencing  the program. Usually, the time between initially scheduling the dates for attending the program and the client arriving for the Intensive, affords more than enough time for the individuals to thoroughly read the book. It is also advisable that a telephone consultation take place beforehand. At that time additional information is provided to the attendee, including directions for sending supplementary materials prior to the arranged program date. For example, the client is asked to fill out, in as much detail as possible, and forward at least 72 hours before the start of the intensive program, completed copies of the Cupchik Theft Offender Questionnaire [CTOQ] and the Cupchik Theft Offender Spectrum [CTOS], both of which are included in the book. Clinical records are also to be sent.

Full involvement in the Intensive Intervention Program may be sufficient to assist the client to permanently stop stealing. However, additional follow-up consultation sessions can be conducted over the telephone or in person, as required and arranged. As well, Dr. Cupchik may be available to consult by phone and/or email with the client's local therapist (if any), and/or any other professionals (lawyers, probation officers, etc…). Subsequent letters to lawyers or court officials may be provided as well. 

 Note: Dr. Cupchik has been granted a ‘Certificate of Professional Qualifications in Psychology’ [CPQ] by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB).

* THE THREE TYPES OF THEFT OFFENDERS

1. The ‘Atypical Theft Offender’ (A.T.O.) is an individual whose seemingly bizarre or nonsensical acts of theft, which may involve shoplifting, fraud, or employee theft, are aberrations of that person’s usual ways of conducting him/herself as an ethical, law-abiding and contributing member of society.  The A.T.O. may feel ‘out of control’ about having violated his/her own moral code by stealing, and frequently experiences serious confusion, deep shame and genuine remorse in regard to the theft behavior. Atypical Theft Offenders frequently have serious personal and interpersonal issues that need to uncovered and dealt with, usually with the assistance of directed clinical treatment. Atypical Theft Offenders are often mistakenly labeled as suffering from ‘kleptomania’, a mis-diagnosis that usually precludes their receiving suitable treatment. Without effective treatment, these offenders may remain at risk to commit additional offenses, at which time the mis-label of kleptomania may be erroneously re-applied, again and again.  Suicidal potential is a genuine concern with some Atypical Theft Offenders.
2. In contrast, Typical Theft Offenders (T.T.O.s), who undoubtedly constitute the majority of theft offenders, are comfortable with their theft behaviors, and may only experience regret about having been caught, as opposed to feeling shame about the act of theft itself. Unless such individuals are genuinely ready and willing to work within and outside of the clinical sessions, and to make the recommended changes, they make exceedingly poor candidates for clinical intervention.                                                  
3. Some theft offenders display both Atypical Theft Offender and Typical Theft Offender elements, and are referred to as the ‘Mixed Type’ Theft Offender (A.T.O./T.T.O) . Some of these individuals, are amenable to clinical intervention. One of the functions of this Intervention Program is to ascertain which of the above categories the theft offender belongs to, as this has implications for the nature and prognosis of any clinical intervention, as well as for the appropriate disposition of the case within the legal system.

Dr. Cupchik's office is conveniently located in mid-town Toronto, a15 minute taxi ride from the major entertainment-commercial-hotel area.  Out-of-towners are encouraged to enjoy their stay while in Toronto to balance the intense work that takes place during the clinical sessions. U.S. clients find that the $U.S. makes the stay in Toronto, including hotels and entertainment, relatively economical.

 It is strongly recommended that attendees bring at least one so-called 'Significant Other' with them [a spouse, parent, adult child, and/or good friend] who knows about the theft behavior problem and the real purpose of these sessions. In between sessions the client and significant other(s) should de-brief and also find time for relaxation to counter the intensity of the sessions themselves. It is highly preferable that the Significant Other(s) could contribute constructively to the clinical process and be willing to participate in sessions, as requested. 

                                                                                              [ATO 2006 IIP Brochure  FPC V06 Jan 16 2006]