Hillcrest School of Oregon - Guided Group Interaction in a Juvenile Institution (From Female Offender, P 143-162, 1980, by Curt T Griffiths and Margit Nance - See NCJ-70360)

• NCJ Number: 70368
• Author(s): M Robinson; K Hanneman; D Gould
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 20 pages
• Corporate Author: Simon Fraser University
• Sale Source: Simon Fraser University
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

Guided group interaction (GGI) is described for Hillcrest School, an Oregon State institution for a coed population of 12- to 18-year-olds court-committed for a misdemeanor or felony.

Abstract

GGI is a 24-hour-a-day program which focuses on guided peer pressure as the primary means for improving residents' self-concept and consequently modifying negative behavior. Integral to GGI is the group meeting, which involves a counselor as facilitator for the development of group guidance for the members. Group members share successes and problems, and support and advice is given by group members. The group also has decisionmaking powers vis-a-vis group members' home visits, paroles, and off-campus privileges. On some behavioral issues, such as drug use, sexual intercourse between residents, and behavior that is life-threatening, there are established prohibitions. All problems will be brought to the groups for advice, but the administration makes decisions on sanctions. The administration has a policy of overruling the group process only when such action is considered clearly necessary. Testing instruments that measure self-esteem have been administered to residents, and results have shown the program to be effective. For related documents, see NCJ 70361-67 and 70369-77.