LANGUAGE OF TREATMENT - ARGOT IN A THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY

• NCJ Number: 55856
• Journal: OFFENDER REHABILITATION Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (WINTER 1977) Pages: 173-193
• Author(s): P E HOAG; C A HARTJEN; N F WASHBURNE
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 21 pages
• Grant Number(s): 1 H81 01747-01
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: Haworth Press, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PAPER PRESENTED AT A MEETING OF THE SOUTHERN SOCIOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 1977

Annotation

THE SPECIALIZED LANGUAGE (ARGOT) USED BY RESIDENTS OF A NEWARK, N.J., THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY FOR THE TREATMENT OF DRUG ABUSERS IS ANALYZED AND COMPARED WITH FINDINGS FROM STUDIES OF PRISON ARGOT.

Abstract

THE ARGOT OF THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY RESIDENTS IS PRIMARILY PROTHERAPY AND INTEGRATIVE IN CHARACTER, WHEREAS PRISON ARGOT TENDS TO BE ANTIADMINISTRATION, ANTITHERAPY, AND ORIENTED TO INMATE SOLIDARITY. THESE DIFFERENCES CAN BE EXPLAINED IN TERMS OF THE DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF PRISONS AND THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITIES, PRIMARILY THOSE HAVING TO DO WITH THE ROLE OF STAFF, THE MANNER OF ACQUIRING ARGOT, AND THE NATURE OF INMATE/RESIDENT SOCIAL ORGANIZATION. IN PRISON, INMATE ARGOT IS CREATED BY THE INMATES THEMSELVES AND REFLECTS THEIR OUTLOOK. IN THE THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY, ARGOT IS CREATED BY STAFF MEMBERS, MANY OF WHOM HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE SAME EXPERIENCES THAT RESIDENTS ARE UNDERGOING, AND IS GEARED TO TREATMENT GOALS. IN ADDITION, THE STRUCTURE OF THE TREATMENT COMMUNITY IS SUCH THAT FORMALIZED THERAPEUTIC ROLES SUPERSEDE THE INFORMAL INMATE ROLES THAT EVOLVE IN PRISONS. SOME THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY RESIDENTS USE THE PROTHERAPY ARGOT BECAUSE THEY HAVE ACCEPTED THE THERAPEUTIC CONCEPT AND WANT TO GET WELL. OTHERS USE THE ARGOT AS PART OF THE 'TREATMENT GAME,' IN THE INTERESTS OF GETTING OUT OF THE PROGRAM. FOR THOSE WHO ACCEPT THE CONCEPT, THE COMMUNITY PROVIDES A MILIEU IN WHICH RESOCIALIZATION CAN TAKE PLACE. THE ARGOT IS PART OF THIS MILIEU. BECAUSE IT IS THE PRODUCT OF THE FORMAL ORGANIZATION OF STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION, THE THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY ARGOT ESTABLISHES PARAMETERS FOR RESIDENTS' BEHAVIOR. WERE THE ARGOT THE INNOVATION OF RESIDENTS (AS IN PRISONS) RATHER THAN THE DICTATE OF STAFF, THE SOCIAL CONTROL MECHANISMS OF THE THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY WOULD BE UNDERMINED, AND THE COMMUNITY'S SOCIAL SYSTEM MIGHT COLLAPSE. A LIST OF REFERENCES AND A GLOSSARY OF THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY ARGOT TERMINOLOGY ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)