Ali Baba Program: A Joint YACS (Department of Youth and Community Services) and NSW (New South Wales) Department of Education Initiative in Intervention into Juvenile Theft Behaviour (From Crime at School: Proceedings of a Seminar Held 2-4 June 1987 in Canberra, P 125-128, 1987, Dennis Challinger, e

• NCJ Number: 110921
• Author(s): G Chapman
• Date Published: 1987
• Length: 4 pages
• Sale Source: Australian Institute of Criminology; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: Australia
• Note: For microfiche, see NCJ-110911.

Annotation

The 'Ali Baba' pilot program in New South Wales, Australia, was designed to help modify the behavior of 8-10 year-olds engaged in repetitive theft behavior in their homes, schools, or neighborhoods.

Abstract

The first component of the program consisted of 16 twice-weekly sessions of one-to-one counseling. The second component was the antitheft subprogram of 7 weekly 45-minute sessions. The sessions covered the nature of stealing and the importance of controlling the temptation to steal, the consequences of theft for the victims, the nature of a moral dilemma, role plays of the students' own theft situations, and restitution in the event of theft. The program's third component was family therapy for three consecutive 2-hour weekly sessions. The therapy focused on active listening, problemsolving, conflict resolution, and developing responsibility in children. Despite commitments by parents to attend these sessions, attendance was poor. This lack of parental commitment may have reflected factors in the child's behavioral problems. Any replication of the program would require a reassessment of this component. This program, or variants of it, might be mounted in other locations. 1 reference.