NCJ Number
52390
Date Published
1978
Length
18 pages
Annotation
APPLICATIONS OF THE PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL LEARNING AND PERSONAL EDUCATION TO THE PRISON SYSTEM ARE DISCUSSED, WITH REFERENCE TO EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITIES IN PRISONS.
Abstract
IF IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DECREASE SIGNIFICANTLY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN PRISONS, THEN THE FOCUS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE MUST BE WITHIN THE PRISONS. IF IMPRISONMENT IS TO BENEFIT AT LEAST SOME INMATES, THERE MUST BE A CHANGE IN INMATES' SELF-IMAGES AND/OR ATTITUDES TOWARD OTHERS. SOCIAL LEARNING OFFERS AN APPROACH TO ACHIEVING SUCH CHANGE. THE PROCESS OF SOCIAL LEARNING INVOLVES TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION IN A GROUP, MOTIVATED BY SOME INNER NEED OR STRESS, LEADING TO OVERT OR COVERT EXPRESSION OF FEELING, AND INVOLVING COGNITIVE PROCESSES AND CHANGE. THE SOCIAL LEARNING CONCEPT IMPLIES A CHANGE IN THE INDIVIDUAL'S ATTITUDE AND/OR BELIEFS AS A RESULT OF THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE. THIS CHANGE IS INCORPORATED AND MODIFIES THE INDIVIDUAL'S PERSONALITY AND SELF-IMAGE. THE NATURE OR DIRECTION OF THE CHANGE CANNOT BE PREDICTED, BUT IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS IS DETERMINED BY THE QUALITY OF EACH GROUP MEMBER'S INPUT, THE CAPACITY OF EACH GROUP MEMBER TO LISTEN TO OTHERS, AND THE ABILITY OF EACH INDIVIDUAL TO COMPARE HIS OR HER OWN ATTITUDES OR BELIEFS WITH THOSE OF OTHERS. SOCIAL LEARNING REQUIRES A STRUCTURE IN WHICH TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION, SOCIAL INTERACTION, LISTENING, AND LEARNING CAN OCCUR. THERE MUST ALSO BE SOCIAL ROLES OF A RESPONSIBLE NATURE, ALONG WITH SHARED DECISIONMAKING BY GROUP MEMBERS. FOR MOST INSTITUTIONS, THESE REQUIREMENTS IMPLY CHANGE, AND THERE HAS BEEN ENORMOUS RESISTANCE TO SUCH CHANGE IN SCHOOLS, MENTAL HOSPITALS, AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS. BUT THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE THAT CHANGE TOWARD MORE OPEN SYSTEMS, THOSE IN WHICH SOCIAL LEARNING THRIVES, IS POSSIBLE IN PRISONS, PARTICULARLY WITH THE SUPPORT OF PRISON LEADERSHIP. EXAMPLES OF PRISON REFORM IN THE DIRECTION OF MORE OPEN SYSTEMS ARE CITED. METHODS OF INTRODUCING SOCIAL LEARNING INTO A PRISON THROUGH STAFF TRAINING SESSIONS, REGULAR INMATE-STAFF GROUP MEETINGS, AND DAILY REVIEWS OF STAFF INTERACTIONS WITH INMATES ARE DESCRIBED. EXAMPLES OF PRISON THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITIES, IN WHICH GROUPS OF INMATES HAVE JOINED TOGETHER IN SUPPORT OF ONE ANOTHER AND ESSENTIALLY HAVE DEVELOPED THEIR OWN TREATMENT PROGRAMS AND SOCIAL LEARNING PROCESSES, ARE DESCRIBED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED.