TREATMENT EXPERIENCE IN PRISON COMMUNITY LIVING (FROM CORRECTIONAL CLASSIFICATION AND TREATMENT - A READER, 1975, BY LEONARD J HIPPCHEN-SEE NCJ 32007)

• NCJ Number: 49117
• Author(s): E REIMER; G B SMITH
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: Anderson Publishing Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE FIRST 18 MONTHS OF AN EXPERIMENT MAKING USE OF SOME OF THE CONCEPTS OF THE 'THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY' APPROACH WITHIN A PRISON SETTING ARE EXAMINED.

Abstract

IN THE SPRING OF 1959, THE CALIFORNIA INSTITUTION, CORRECTIONAL TRAINING FACILITY - NORTH, WAS ACTIVATED. THIS FACILITY IS A MEDIUM-MINIMUM INSTITUTION HOUSING 1,200 MEN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 TO 28 YEARS OLD, AND IS PRIMARILY A TRAINING INSTITUTION WITH EMPHASIS ON ACADEMIC EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING. THE NORTH FACILITY IS DIVIDED INTO TWO SEPARATE UNITS OF 600 INMATES EACH. WITHIN EACH UNIT THERE ARE TWO LIVING HALLS, EACH HOUSING 300 INMATES IN TWO SELF-CONTAINED SECTIONS OF 150 INMATES. IT WAS IN ONE OF THESE SECTIONS THAT THE CONCEPTS PROVEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE 'THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY' APPROACH TO BEHAVIOR CHANGE WERE EMPLOYED. THE 'THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY' APPROACH BRINGS RESIDENTS TOGETHER ON A DAILY BASIS TO DISCUSS AMONG THEMSELVES AND WITH STAFF MEMBERS THEIR PERSONAL AND INTERPERSONAL DIFFICULTIES WITH A VIEW TOWARD INCREASING SELF-KNOWLEDGE, INTROSPECTION, AND A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD ONE ANOTHER AND THE OVERALL COMMUNITY LIFE. THE FIRST MEETING WAS HELD ON MAY 27, 1959, WITH A GROUP OF 19 INMATES AND A STAFF TREATMENT TEAM COMPOSED OF THE LIEUTENANT, SERGEANT, THE HALL OFFICER AND COUNSELOR, AND THE SUPERVISING COUNSELOR FOR THE UNIT, WHO ACTED AS THE LEADER OF THE TREATMENT TEAM. MEETINGS WERE SUSPENDED AFTER 2 MONTHS TO DISCUSS PROBLEMS CAUSED BY A MISUNDERSTANDINGS OF THE PROGRAM BY STAFF PERSONNEL NOT ON THE TREATMENT TEAM, THE LACK OF A CLEAR DEFINITION IN THE MINDS OF THE INMATES THAT THEIR GATHERINGS WERE INTENDED FOR DISCUSSION AND NOT ACTION FOR INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE, AND THE NEED FOR A BETTER SELECTION PROCESS FOR GROUP MEMBERS. AFTER DEVELOPING INSERVICE TRAINING FOR ALL NORTH FACILITY PERSONNEL, SETTING CLEAR PARAMETERS FOR THE GROUP'S OPERATION, AND LIMITING THE GROUP SIZE TO 75 INMATES SELECTED BY VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION, THE PROGRAM RESUMED OPERATION. AFTER 18 MONTHS OF OPERATION, THE UNIT PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM WAS SHOWN TO HAVE FEWER DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS THAN OTHER UNITS AND INMATES WERE OBSERVED TO HAVE A GREATER SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD ONE ANOTHER THAN WAS CHARACTERISTIC OF OTHER UNITS. SEE NCJ 32007. (RCB)