NCJ Number
35863
Date Published
1974
Length
23 pages
Annotation
THIS PAMPHLET INCLUDES A DESCRIPTION OF THE TREATMENT TECHNIQUES AND THE RESULTS OF TWO PROGRAM EVALUATIONS FOR THIS ALTERNATIVE COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS PROGRAM FOR COURT-COMMITTED INDIAN MALES.
Abstract
THE CENTER FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT (CYDA) IS AVAILABLE TO YOUTHS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 13 AND 21 YEARS. TYPICALLY, YOUTHS COMMITTED TO THE CYDA HAVE SEVERELY LIMITED AND INAPPROPRIATE SOCIAL, ACADEMIC, AND WORK SKILLS. YOUTHS COMPLETE TREATMENT IN THE PROGRAM BY ADVANCING THROUGH A SERIES OF FIVE TREATMENT LEVELS. EACH TREATMENT LEVEL IS EARNED BY YOUTHS' DEMONSTRATING THE ACHIEVEMENT OF SPECIFIED BEHAVIORAL REPERTOIRES MORE CLOSELY APPROXIMATING SELF-SUFFICIENCY. STUDENTS RESIDE IN NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL HOMES AND ARE SUPERVISED BY TRAINED TEACHING PARENTS IN A FAMILY-STYLE LIVING ARRANGEMENT. THE PROGRAM IS BASED ON PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIORAL PSYCHOLOGY AND EMPLOYS A TOKEN SYSTEM WHEREBY POINTS ARE GIVEN FOR SKILL ACQUISITION AND OTHER CONSTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR AND REMOVED FOR INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR. THIS REPORT DESCRIBES THE FIVE TREATMENT LEVELS, THE HALFWAY HOUSE ENVIRONMENT, AND THE DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES. THE HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION PROGRAM, HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM, VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM, AND CULTURAL AND SELF-IDENTITY PROGRAM ARE ALSO OUTLINED. FINALLY, TWO FORMAL RESEARCH EVALUATIONS OF THE CYDA ARE BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. THE FIRST COMPARED THE POST-TREATMENT RECIDIVISM OF CYDA YOUTHS TO A SAMPLE OF INDIAN YOUTHS TREATED BY OTHER (CONTROL) PROGRAMS, AND FOUND RECIDIVISM OF THE CYDA YOUTHS TO BE CONSIDERABLY LOWER. THE SECOND EVALUATION COMPARED 25 CYDA YOUTHS EXPERIENCING ONLY COMMUNITY BASED TREATMENT WITH 25 CONTROL YOUTHS EXPERIENCING AN ISOLATED TREATMENT SETTING DURING THE SAME PERIOD. THE RESULTS SHOWED CONSIDERABLY LOWER RATES OF REINSTITUTIONALIZATION AND REARRESTS FOR CYDA YOUTH. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)