NCJ Number
63385
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 19 Issue: 4 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (OCTOBER 1979) Pages: 384-399
Date Published
1979
Length
16 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER EVALUATES THE TOKEN ECONOMY SCHEME THAT IS PRACTICED IN A SCHOOL FOR DELINQUENT BOYS IN ENGLAND, EMPHASIZING GUIDELINES FOR SIMILAR PROGRAMS.
Abstract
AYCLIFFE IS A CENTER FOR THE ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT OF THE MOST SEVERELY DISORDERED YOUNGSTERS IN NORTHEAST ENGLAND. AN INTENSIVE PROGRAM WAS SET UP IN 1974 FOR A SPECIAL GROUP OF EIGHT YOUTHS WHOSE DISTURBANCES WERE SO EXTREME THAT THEY COULD NOT BE HOUSED WITH OTHERS AT THE INSTITUTION. THE GROUP WAS INSTALLED IN SEPARATE QUARTERS AND ASSIGNED A STAFF OF ONE TWO TEAM LEADER. TWO MALE AND TWO FEMALE SOCIAL WORKERS IN RESIDENCE, TWO TEACHERS, AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORT SPECIALISTS, PSYCHIATRISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND OTHERS. THE STAFF RECEIVED 3 DAYS OF TRAINING AND PREPARATION FOR SETTING UP THE TOKEN SYSTEM. THE EIGHT CHILDREN WOULD BE DIVIDED INTO TWO TEAMS OF FOUR EACH, AND STAFF ALLOCATED TO EACH TEAM FOR CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS. INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP OBJECTIVES WOULD BE DETERMINED AT WEEKLY INTERVALS AND OBJECTIVES AND PAYMENTS ENTERED INTO A WEEKLY PROFORMA CONTRACT. REWARDS WOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY VERBAL PRAISE AND DOCUMENTED BY CHARTS AND GRAPHS. THE CENTRAL EVENT OF EACH DAY WAS TO BE A GROUP MEETING AIMED AT REGULATING THE ECONOMY, GENERATING FEEDBACK BETWEEN CHILDREN AND TUTORS, AND EXPRESSING PEER-GROUP PRESSURES. AFTER 3 MONTHS THE PROGRAM WAS EVALUATED, SHOWING STAFF ANXIETY, FATIGUE, AND STRESS. AMONG TECHNICAL PROBLEMS WAS THE LOSS OF COINAGE AND THE INVOLVED BOOKKEEPING FOR COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS. GRADUALLY, STAFF ATTAINED CONSISTENCY IN DOLING OUT TOKENS; ALL TOKENS ARE NOW GIVEN OUT SPONTANEOUSLY FOR GENERAL GOOD BEHAVIOR. SETTING A BALANCE BETWEEN THE TOKENS EARNED AND PRICES ON THE TARIFF OF REINFORCERS REQUIRED A PERIOD OF TRIAL AND ERROR. THE STAFF FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO PERFORM OBSERVATION AND ENGAGEMENT DUTIES AT THE SAME TIME AND OPTED FOR INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITIES WITH THE CHILDREN. THE NOTION OF POSITIVE PEER CULTURE AND GROUP FINES HAVE HELPED CURB INDIVIDUAL OUTBURSTS. WORKING WITH DISORDERED CHILDREN DEMANDS STAFF SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES WHICH INITIALLY CAME UNDER SEVERE PRESSURE. OVERALL, THE HOUSE HAS BEEN GENERALLY SUCCESSFUL IN ALLEVIATING THE CRITICAL BEHAVIOR OF THE CHILDREN, INCREASING THEIR LEVEL OF COMPETENCE AND COPING ABILITIES. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (MRK)