INSTRUCTORS' RATINGS OF DELINQUENTS AFTER OUTWARD BOUND SURVIVAL TRAINING AND THEIR SUBSEQUENT RECIDIVISM

• NCJ Number: 48689
• Journal: Psychological Reports Volume: 36 Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL 1975) Pages: 547-553
• Author(s): D J BAER; P J JACOBS; F E CARR
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: Psychological Reports
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INSTRUCTORS' RATINGS OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS ENROLLED IN AN OUTWARD BOUND SURVIVAL TRAINING COURSE AND SUBSEQUENT RECIDIVISM OVER A 5-YEAR PERIOD WERE ASSESSED.

Abstract

SUBJECTS WERE 60 MALE DELINQUENTS, 15.5 TO 17.5 YEARS OLD, COMMITTED TO THE MASSACHUSETTS DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICE DURING THE SPRING OF 1966. SUBJECTS PARTICIPATED IN THE STANDARD 26-DAY COURSE IN SMALL GROUPS WHICH INCLUDED NONDELINQUENT PARTICIPANTS. INSTRUCTORS COMPLETED A RATING SCALE FOR EACH SUBJECT WHICH CONSISTED OF 40 OPPOSING ADJECTIVE PAIRS (I.E., LEADER-FOLLOWER, DECISIVE-INDECISIVE). IN ADDITION, COURSE CERTIFICATES WERE PRESENTED TO PARTICIPANTS WHO SHOWED SUCCESSFUL PERSONAL GROWTH AND POSITIVE ATTITUDES AND WHO COMPLETED THE MINIMUM COURSE REQUIREMENTS. RECIDIVISM WAS DEFINED AS ADJUDICATION FOR A NEW OFFENSE OR PAROLE VIOLATION. WHILE ONLY 15 OF THE 50 DELINQUENTS (30 PERCENT) WHO RECEIVED THE COURSE CERTIFICATE RECIDIVATED OVER THE 5-YEAR PERIOD, 9 (90 PERCENT) OF THOSE WHO FAILED TO RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE WERE RECIDIVISTS. IN GENERAL, INSTRUCTORS' RATINGS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY RELATED TO THE AWARDING OF CERTIFICATES. SIX FACTORS WERE EXTRACTED FROM THE FORTY RATING ITEMS: EFFORT, MATURITY, LEADERSHIP, EXTROVERSION, COMPETENCE, AND PHYSICAL ABILITY. OF THESE, HIGH RATINGS ON EFFORT, MATURITY, AND LEADERSHIP CORRELATED WITH NONRECIDIVISM OVER THE 5-YEAR FOLLOWUP PERIOD. RESULTS SUGGEST THAT OUTWARD BOUND PERFORMANCE IS A USEFUL PREDICTOR OF JUVENILE RECIDIVISM. THIS MAY BE ATTRIBUTABLE TO A NUMBER OF FACTORS. FIRST, THOSE FAILING TO OBTAIN CERTIFICATES REPRESENT THE MOST EXTREME CASES. SECOND, THE INTENSE PHYSICAL CHALLENGES OF THE PROGRAM TEND TO BREAK DOWN CHARACTERISTIC DEFENSES, THUS PERMITTING INSTRUCTORS TO MORE ACCURATELY ASSESS SUBJECT BEHAVIOR. FINALLY, FAILURE IN THE PROGRAM MAY BE A SYMPTOM OF AN INABILITY TO ADJUST WELL TO STRESSFUL SITUATIONS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT OUTWARD BOUND PROVIDES CORRECTIONAL AUTHORITIES WITH AN EFFECTIVE AND ECONOMICAL METHOD OF IDENTIFYING DELINQUENTS LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND TO REHABILITATIVE EFFORTS, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING A MEANS FOR DISCOVERING OFTEN HIDDEN POTENTIALS FOR CHANGE. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.