COMMUNITY ADJUSTMENT OF MALE TRAINING SCHOOL RECIDIVISTS - PART 2 - THE DARE (DEVELOPMENT THROUGH ADVENTURE AND RESPONSIBILITY) EXPERIENCE

• NCJ Number: 40605
• Author(s): A C BIRKENMAYER; M POLONOSKI
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 31 pages
• Corporate Author: Ontario Dept of Correctional Services
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

DARE IS A THREE-MONTH PROGRAM, PATTERNED ON THE OUTWARD BOUND PARADIGM, WHICH PROGRESSES THROUGH A SERIES OF STRUCTURED CHALLENGES OF INCREASING DIFFICULTY AND COMPLEXITY.

Abstract

AT EACH STAGE THE PARTICIPANT IS ENCOURAGED TO ACHIEVE GOALS WHICH, ON THE SURFACE, WOULD APPEAR TO BE BEYOND HIS CAPACITY. THE INTENT OF THE PROGRAM IS TO HELP YOUTH DEVELOP A SENSE OF PURPOSE, ENCHANCED SELF-ESTEEM AND A STRONGER DESIRE FOR ACHIEVEMENT. THESE AIMS ARE SUPPOSEDLY ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE PARTICIPANT'S REALIZATION OF HIS OWN QUALITIES. THE PARTICIPANT'S IN PROJECT DARE (PORTAGE LAKE) WERE MOSTLY RETURNEES TO TRAINING SCHOOL WHO WERE AT LEAST 15 YEARS OLD. THIS REPORT, THE SECOND OF A SERIES DEALING WITH THE ACTIVITIES OF OLDER BOYS WHO HAVE BEEN RETURNED TO TRAINING SCHOOL, COMPARES THE GRADUATES FROM THE PROJECT DARE CAMP AT PORTAGE LAKE WITH GRADUATES FROM MORE TRADITIONAL TRAINING SCHOOL PROGRAMS. SIXTY-FIVE DARE GRADUATES AND 83 CONTROLS RETURNED TO TRAINING SCHOOL BETWEEN JANUARY AND AUGUST 1973 WERE FOLLOWED-UP FOR AN AVERAGE OF 10.5 MONTHS. ANALYSIS WAS BASED ON THE RESULTS OF PRE AND POST-TEST DATA ON TRAITS AND ATTITUDES RELATED TO SELF-ESTEEM AND SCHOOL STAFF AND AFTER-CARE OFFICER BEHAVIOR RATINGS AT GRADUATION AND THREE MONTHS AFTER COMMUNITY PLACEMENT. DATA REVEALED THAT THE BOYS WHO WENT TO PROJECT DATE (PORTAGE LAKE) DID NOT DO AS WELL AS WAS EXPECTED AFTER GRADUATION. IN FACT THESE BOYS TENDED TO DO WORSE THAN A COMPARABLE GROUP OF BOYS WHO REMAINED IN A TRADITIONAL TRAINING SCHOOL PROGRAM. FIFTEEN PERCENT OF THE STUDY SAMPLE CAME FROM FAMILY BACKGROUNDS WHICH SHOWED AT LEAST ONE MAJOR FAMILY PROBLEM, AND 76 PERCENT OF THE ENTIRE SAMPLE SHOWED SOME SORT OF MAJOR CHARACTER OR BEHAVIOR PROBLEM PRIOR TO FIRST COMING TO TRAINING SCHOOL. THEREFORE, MANY OF THE BOYS DID NOT HAVE CHARACTERISTICS TO PROFIT FROM A DARE EXPERIENCE. THE NEED FOR AN INTENSIVE PROGRAM FOR RETURNEES IS SUGGESTED. FOR THE OTHER TWO REPORTS IN THIS SERIES, SEE NCJ-40604 AND 40606. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...ELW