NCJ Number
44122
Journal
Bewaehrungshilfe Volume: 24 Issue: 2 Dated: (1977) Pages: 120-128
Date Published
1977
Length
9 pages
Annotation
AN EXAMINATION OF RESOCIALIZATION THERAPY FOR PRISONERS AND PROBATIONERS IS PRESENTED, WITH EMPHASIS ON THE EXPERIMENTAL AND TRIAL INSTITUTION OF SOCIAL THERAPY IN ERLANGEN, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY.
Abstract
RESOCIALIZATION THERAPY ENCOURAGES BOTH PRISONERS AND PROBATIONERS TO FIND ONE OR MORE CONFIDANTS AND ROLE MODELS AND TO TEST THEIR NEW BEHAVIOR PATTERNS IN A STABLE BUT REALISTIC SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT. PRISONERS WHO ARE NOT ON PROBATION HAVE ACCESS TO A VARIETY OF THERAPIES IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY. HOWEVER, THERAPY DURING CONFINEMENT IS HINDERED IN THAT THE OUTSIDE WORLD BECOMES REMOTE, MORE INHIBITIONS ARE PRESENT, THERE ARE CLASS AND EDUCATION DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PRISONERS AND VOLUNTEER WORKERS, THERE IS A CONFLICT BETWEEN THERAPY AND THE NEED FOR SECURITY, AND GUARDS ARE SUSPICIOUS OF THERAPY PROGRAMS. IN ERLANGEN, THERAPISTS DIVIDE PROBATIONERS' THERAPY INTO THREE PHASES, IN WHICH PROBATIONERS LEARN TO DEAL WITH NEW PROBLEMS GRADUALLY AS THEIR FREEDOM INCREASES. THE THIRD AND FINAL PHASE CONSISTS OF WEEKLY PARTICIPATION IN A 'TRAINING GROUP' COMPOSED OF OTHER PROBATIONERS, FORMER INMATES, AND VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE USUALLY SOCIAL WORKERS AND PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS. PROBATIONERS SPEAK ABOUT THEIR PROBLEMS, PRACTICE SOCIAL SKILLS, AND OFTEN DEVELOP CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH VOLUNTEERS, WHOSE TASK IS TO CONFRONT AS WELL AS NURTURE. 'BASIC SKILLS TRAINING' (BST), IN WHICH EACH PARTICIPANT IS SEEN AS A 'CHANGE AGENT' FOR THE OTHERS, HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE THERAPY AT THIS PHASE. A RECENT SURVEY OF PROBATIONERS IN THE FINAL PHASE OF THERAPY REVEALS THAT THEY ARE MORE SELF-CONFIDENT, HAVE FEWER AGGRESSIONS, INHIBITIONS AND ANXIETIES, AND HAVE LEARNED TO REFLECT MORE ON THEIR ACTIONS. DESPITE POSITIVE RESULTS DUE TO THIS THERAPY, IT IS NOT CLEAR HOW THE FORMER PROBATIONER CAN USE WHAT HE HAS LEARNED AND WHETHER HE IS WILLING TO WAIT FOR THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES. INFLUENCES FROM FAMILY AND FORMER FRIENDS CAN BE HARMFUL. INTENSIVE FOLLOWUP THERAPY AND GREATER PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT ARE DESIRABLE GOALS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. --IN GERMAN.