NCJ Number
75096
Date Published
1979
Length
22 pages
Annotation
The effect of juvenile offender exposure to a correctional program modeled on Outward Bound concepts was investigated.
Abstract
Thirty male juvenile ofenders who has been adjudicated by juvenile courts within a 3-week period were assigned to a correctional camp in northern Minnesota whose program was based on Outward Bound concepts. The participants ranged in age between 14 and 17 years of age. The program consisted of educational activities, a 20-hour-per-week work program which included occuaptional education activities as well as work projects, recreation activities emphasizing hobbies to pursue after returning home, and challenge activities in the form of physical conditioning and wilderness expeditions. The challenge portion of the program was designed to build individual self-confidence, develop leadership abilities, and teach the importance of group effort. A second group of 30 juvenile offenders were placed on 90 day probation at home and visited a probation officer each week. Both groups completed the Piers-Harris self-concept test as pre- and posttests. In addition, the participants at the correctional camp were pre- and posttested with the Gates-MacGinitie, and WRAT, the Slosson Intelligence Test, and the Bristol Social Adjustment Guide. After treatment, the participants who had attended the camp had higher self-concept scores than the probation group, although the camp group had originally scored lower on this test. Self-concept among camp attendees increased significantly, while increases in self-concept among probation participants showed no significant change. Academic achievement, particularly in arthmetic, was significantly related to social adjustment. Intelligence quotient was not related to the participants' potential for social adjustment. Sixteen references and tabular data are included.