Offender Self-Help Movement as Correctional Treatment (From Correctional Counseling and Rehabilitation, Third Edition, P 241- 253, 1997, Patricia Van Voorhis, Michael Braswell, et al, eds. - See NCJ-169329)

• NCJ Number: 169340
• Author(s): M S Hamm
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 13 pages
• Sale Source: Anderson Publishing Co
• Publication Type: Overview Text
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The inmate self-help movement suggests certain opportunities for inmates and administrators in contemporary corrections.

Abstract

For inmates, involvement in the self-help process may relieve some of the "pains of imprisonment" associated with psychological and physical deprivations that are an inevitable part of incarceration. Research indicates self-help groups provide a specific support system that meets certain social and cultural needs of inmates. Some self-help groups also provide training in leadership and organizational development and management. For correctional administrators, opportunities associated with the self-help movement are obvious. Under certain conditions, these groups satisfy a fundamental goal of corrections to meet the social and cultural needs of offenders. Further, self-help groups promise to relieve correctional administrators of some of the responsibility they have for providing rehabilitative sanctions. Self-help groups for inmates are classified into four broad categories: de-stigmatization programs such as Seventh Step, groups for the addicted such as Alcoholics Anonymous and the disabled, ethnic groups, and human potential groups. 4 notes