NCJ Number
105982
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 49 Issue: 3 Dated: (June 1987) Pages: 38-42
Date Published
1987
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The aggression replacement training (ART) used by the New York State Division for Youth, has helped institutionalized juveniles learn social skills that have enhanced constructive adjustment both in the institution and in the community after release.
Abstract
ART involves teaching youths basic and advanced social skills, skills for dealing with feelings, skill alternatives to aggression, skills for dealing with stress, and planning skills. A major feature of the program is anger control training, which requires participants to bring to each session a description of a recent anger-arousing experience. They are trained to handle these incidents by identifying 'triggers,' identifying cues, using reminders, using 'reducers,' and evaluating the response. ART also involves moral education designed to provide motivation and rationale for using alternatives to aggression. Evaluations that involve the use of control groups composed of juveniles who have not participated in ART indicate that ART participants had significantly less acting-out incidents in the institution and better adjustment in the community after release. 7 references.