NCJ Number
165593
Date Published
1996
Length
21 pages
Annotation
The Oregon Department of Corrections boot camp for adult male and female incarcerated felony offenders was established in March 1994 to ease prison overcrowding and reduce criminal recidivism.
Abstract
The SUMMIT (Success Using Motivation, Morale, Intensity, and Treatment) program emphasizes cognitive change, basic education and work skills in a military framework, discipline, teamwork, and responsibility. Inmates volunteer for the 6-month program; upon successful completion of both the institutional 180-day phase and the 30-day transitional phase in the community, they are released to postprison supervision. Inmates typically receive 2 to 30 months off their original sentences, and this "carrot" is essential in motivating inmates to begin the program. Inmates are taught the rudiments of military bearing, particularly dignity and respect, and they participate in rigorous physical training. Within the military framework, the heart of the SUMMIT program is a modified therapeutic community based on the concept of cognitive change. In addition to the military framework, therapeutic community, and cognitive change components of the SUMMIT program, other program elements are delivered to inmates to give them the life skills and information they need to become productive members of the community after release. Inmates work 3 days a week, performing community service work and physical labor for nonprofit agencies. Education classes consist of approximately 13 hours a week of adult basic education, work toward general education development certificates, and learning computer skills and resume writing. Other aspects of the SUMMIT program include color vision screening, parole readiness, personal and spiritual wellness, visitor counseling, decisionmaking, and motivation. Different tools used to gauge inmate progress in the SUMMIT program and resulting internalized change are described, as well as program staff schedules and training. 1 figure and 5 photographs