the evidence for social problem solving deficits being relevant to the understanding and treatment of offending behaviour has been accumulating since the 1980s. reasoning and rehabilitation (r&r), the first structured cognitive-behavioural treatment programme used widely with prisoners, included social problem solving as a key component and is now in use worldwide. more recently, interventions that focus specifically on social problem solving have recently been developed - both authors of this book have both produced such programs (james mcguire ` s problem-solving skills training is widely used in the uk. mary mcmurran ` s stop & think! programme is used with personality disordered offenders in a forensic mental health facility). arranged in three parts (evidence, evaluation and evolution and exploration), this book draws together the aetiological and therapeutic research evidence and practice over the last twenty years in social problem-solving with offenders.