NCJ Number
40606
Date Published
1976
Length
66 pages
Annotation
DARE (DEVELOPMENT THROUGH ADVENTURE AND RESPONSIBILITY) IS A THREE-MONTH PROGRAM, PATTERNED ON THE OUTWARD BOUND PARADIGM, WHICH PROGRESSES THROUGH A SERIES OF STRUCTURED CHALLENGES OF INCREASING DIFFICULTY AND COMPLEXITY.
Abstract
AT EACH STAGE THE PARTICIPANT IS ENCOURAGED TO ACHIEVE GOALS WHICH, ON THE SURFACE, WOULD APPEAR TO BE BEYOND HIS CAPACITY. THE INTENT OF THE PROGRAM IS TO HELP YOUTH DEVELOP A SENSE OF PURPOSE, ENHANCED SELF-ESTEEM AND A STRONGER DESIRE FOR ACHIEVEMENT. THESE AIMS ARE SUPPOSEDLY ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE PARTICIPANT'S REALIZATION OF HIS OWN QUALITIES. THE PARTICIPANTS IN PROJECT DARE (PORTAGE LAKE) WERE MOSTLY RETURNEES TO TRAINING SCHOOL WHO WERE AT LEAST 15 YEARS OLD. THIS REPORT, THE THIRD IN A SERIES OF REPORTS DEALING WITH THE EXPERIENCES OF OLDER BOYS WHO HAVE BEEN RETURNED TO TRAINING SCHOOL, FOCUSES ON THE EXPERIENCES OF 159 OLDER BOYS WHO HAD BEEN RETURNED TO TRAINING SCHOOL AT LEAST ONE OTHER TIME PRIOR TO BEING RETURNED DURING THE STUDY PERIOD. ANALYSIS WAS BASED ON THE RESULTS OF PRE AND POST-TEST DATA ON TRAITS AND ATTITUDES RELATED TO SELF-ESTEEM. IN ADDITION, BEHAVIOR RATINGS WERE OBTAINED JUST PRIOR TO GRADUATION FROM TRAINING SCHOOL STAFF, AND AGAIN THREE MONTHS AFTER GRADUATION FROM PROBATION AND AFTERCARE OFFICERS. ALSO THREE MONTHS AFTER GRADUATION AN ATTEMPT WAS INITIATED TO ADMINISTER TO EACH WARD A FOLLOW-UP INTERVIEW DESIGNED TO PROBE ADJUSTMENT TO THEIR PLACEMENT ENVIRONMENTS. IT BECAME INCREASINGLY EVIDENT THROUGHOUT THE STUDY THAT THE 159 BOYS IN THE SAMPLE WERE MULTI-PROBLEM BOYS FROM MULTI-PROBLEM FAMILIES. THEY SUFFERED SEVERE ACADEMIC AND BEHAVIOR HANDICAPS IN SCHOOL AND THEIR FAMILY LIFE WAS TOO NEGATIVE TO BE CONDUCIVE TO THEIR WELL-BEING. PERFORMANCE DIFFICULTIES WERE CARRIED OVER INTO THEIR WORK EXPERIENCES. DATA INDICATED THAT SEVERAL TRAINING SCHOOL STAYS DID NOT DETER BEHAVIORAL OR CRIMINAL ACTING OUT MUCH MORE THAN A SINGLE STAY AND THAT THE BEHAVIOR OF BOYS WHILE IN THE COMMUNITY TENDED TO BE SIMILAR TO THAT EXHIBITED BEFORE A TRAINING SCHOOL STAY. NEW PROGRAM DIRECTIONS SUGGESTED INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTENSIVE LONG-TERM GROUP HOME PROGRAM TO REINFORCE POSITIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES ACQUIRED IN THE TRAINING SCHOOL AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A POLICY WHEREBY YOUNGSTERS WOULD NOT BE READMITTED TO TRAINING SCHOOL WITHOUT DUE PROCESS OF LAW, THEREBY FORCING THE COMMUNITY TO COME UP WITH ALTERNATIVES FOR CARING FOR YOUTH. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. FOR THE OTHER TWO REPORTS IN THIS SERIES, SEE NCJ-40604 AND 40605.