NCJ Number
66107
Date Published
1977
Length
84 pages
Annotation
PAPERS, COURSE REPORTS, AND PUBLISHED MATERIALS ON OUTWARD BOUND'S WILDERNESS TRAINING PROGRAM FOR OFFENDERS ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
OUTWARD BOUND IS A PROGRAM WHICH USES THE WILDERNESS AS THE CONTEXT AND VEHICLE FOR COUNTERING PERSONALITY AND SKILL DEFICIENCIES TENDING TO PRODUCE DELINQUENT AND CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. BACKPACKING, ROCK CLIMBING, CANOEING, SOLO SURVIVAL, AND OTHER PHYSICAL-MENTAL WILDERNESS PROBLEMSOLVING EXPERIENCES ARE STRUCTURED FOR THE PARTICIPANTS. COMPLETION OF THE TESTS FOSTERS SELF-CONFIDENCE, RESPONSIBLE DECISIONMAKING, AND SKILLS IN MANAGING ONE'S ENVIRONMENT. SOCIAL SKILLS ARE DEVELOPED THROUGH COOPERATION AND INTERACTION IN SMALL GROUPS IN THE COURSE OF WORKING TOWARD WILDERNESS OBJECTIVES. OUTWARD BOUND WAS FOUNDED IN BRITAIN DURING WORLD WAR II AS A SURVIVAL SCHOOL FOR MERCHANT SEAMEN, STRESSING BOTH THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF SURVIVAL. SINCE THEN IT HAS BECOME AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION WITH MORE THAN 30 SCHOOLS. THE COLORADO OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL WAS FOUNDED IN 1962, FOLLOWED BY SCHOOLS IN MINNESOTA, MAINE, OREGON, NORTH CAROLINA, AND TEXAS, AND AN OUTWARD BOUND CENTER AT DARTMOUTH COLLEGE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES EXPERIENCE IN DEVELOPING THEIR OWN WILDERNESS TRAINING PROGRAM FOR DELINQUENTS IS DESCRIBED IN ONE REPORT. THE PROJECT WAS INSPIRED BY FAVORABLE RESULTS FROM SENDING DELINQUENTS TO COLORADO'S OUTWARD BOUND PROGRAM. IN A SECOND PAPER, WILDERNESS TRAINING IS PRESENTED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO INCARCERATION WHICH PRODUCES MORE FAVORABLE OUTCOMES. A REPORT ON HOMEWARD BOUND, A MASSACHUSETTS PARALLEL TO THE OUTWARD BOUND PROGRAM, DESCRIBES THIS ALTERNATIVE TO INSTITUTIONALIZATION FOR ADJUDICATED JUVENILE OFFENDERS. PROCEDURES FOR 'MARKETING' AN OUTWARD BOUND PROGRAM FOR FUNDING AT THE STATE LEVEL ARE SUGGESTED BY A PAPER BASED UPON THE NEW YORK STATE EXPERIENCE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HIGHER HORIZONS PROGRAM. ALSO INCLUDED ARE PAPERS ON THE SELECTION AND ORIENTATION OF DELINQUENTS FOR PARTICIPATION IN OUTWARD BOUND, THE DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT OF OUTWARD BOUND COURSES FOR DELINQUENTS, AND THE DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT OF SEMINARS FOR MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL CONSIDERING ADAPTING THE OUTWARD BOUND EXPERIENCE TO THEIR OWN PROGRAMS. (RCB)