NCJ Number
74207
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 24 Issue: 2 Dated: (1980) Pages: 171-178
Date Published
1980
Length
8 pages
Annotation
The Wilderness Experience of the New Mexico Forensic System helps maladjusted, antisocial offenders adjust to society through expeditionary programs designed to build trust, self-reliance, and responsibility. Successful completion is an indicator of future social behavior.
Abstract
Antisocial offenders are referred to the program, following complete diagnostic evaluations, as part of an overall treatment plan. The program is divided into training, expedition, and final expedition phases, with each being more stressful and demanding higher levels of interaction in the group and greater physical and mental strength. The staff are psychotherapists and experts in wilderness procedures who become progressively less involved in the decisionmaking of the group. Positive and negative experiences are discussed and applied to daily life situations. Clients are referred to followup programs to enhance the growth experience of the wilderness. Independent evaluation studies have shown that this and similar programs result in significant changes in behavior patterns, such as greater security, ability to make decisions, self-esteem, trust, and less resentment of authority and rebelliousness. Although the cause-and-effect relationship is not clear, recidivism rates are seeen as an indicator of the effect of the program. Rates for juveniles and adults have been 10-15 percent for participants as opposed to 40-60 percent among similar offenders who have not participated. References are provided.