APPLICATION OF THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY CONCEPTS IN CORRECTIONAL CAMPS (FROM AMERICAN CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION - PROCEEDINGS OF THE NINETY-NINTH ANNUAL COLLEGE OF CORRECTION - SEE NCJ-02839)

• NCJ Number: 10090
• Author(s): L J HIPPCHEN
• Date Published: 1969
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: American Correctional Association
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PAPER PRESENTED AT ACA MEETING, MINNEAPOLIS, MN, AUG 17-22, 1969

Annotation

THE THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY APPROACH IS PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE IN THE CORRECTIONAL CAMP, WHICH EMPHASIZES A POSITIVE REHABILITATION ORIENTATION TO THE PRISONER.

Abstract

THE SUCCESS OF THE THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY APPROACH DEPENDS UPON THE IMPARTING AND ABSORPTION OF A POSITIVE KIND OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE SELF AND OTHERS. PRISONERS REPRESENT A HUGE POTENTIAL OF UNDEVELOPED CAPACITIES WHICH THEY WILL RECOGNIZE AND EXPLOIT ONLY IF CONVINCED THAT THE NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF SELF ARE TEMPORARY MIRAGES WHICH WILL DISAPPEAR WHEN THEY CAN PERCEIVE THEIR OWN TRUE SELFS AND THOSE OF OTHERS. THE ANTISOCIAL PERSON PROJECTS HIS NEGATIVE SELF-PERCEPTIONS ONTO OTHERS AND LOSES HIS SENSE OF THE UNITY OF MANKIND. THIS SENSE CAN BE RESTORED IN THE OPEN, INFORMAL, TRUST-TYPE ENVIRONMENT OF THE CORRECTIONAL CAMP, IN WHICH THE BASIC RETRAINING TOOL EXISTS IN THE QUALITY OF COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIP WHICH IS ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE STAFF AND THE PRISONERS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)