NCJ Number
57369
Editor(s)
J S STUMPHAUZER
Date Published
1979
Length
406 pages
Annotation
THE 20 PAPERS IN THIS ANTHOLOGY EACH DEAL WITH SOME ASPECT OF BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION, BEHAVIOR CONTRACTING, OR BEHAVIOR CHANGE IN DELINQUENT OR PREDELINQUENT YOUNG PEOPLE.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH SPECIFICALLY DEALING WITH YOUNG OFFENDERS, THE PRINCIPLES AND PROGRAMS INCLUDED IN THIS TEXT ALSO APPLY TO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH OTHER PROBLEMS, AS WELL AS TO ADULTS. SPECIFIC TOPICS COVERED INCLUDE A COMPARISON OF BEHAVIOR THERAPY AND TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS PROGRAMS FOR DELINQUENTS, GROUP ASSERTION TRAINING FOR DELINQUENTS, A MAJOR PROGRAM EVALUATION OF ACHIEVEMENT PLACE (A GROUP HOME PROGRAM FOR JUVENILES WHICH USES A POINT SYSTEM FOR MOTIVATING YOUTHS TO ENGAGE IN APPROPRIATE, ADAPTIVE BEHAVIORS), EFFECTS OF BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION ON THE ATTITUDES OF DELINQUENTS, AN INTRODUCTION TO LEARNING HOUSE (A NEW GROUP HOME FOR DEVELOPING SELF-CONTROL IN CHILDREN), AND AN IMPORTANT NEW MODEL FOR COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSES OF DELINQUENCY PROGRAMS. TRAINING JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICERS THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, REDUCING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY THROUGH EMPLOYMENT, AND HAWAII'S BUDDY SYSTEM FOR USING VOLUNTEERS AS BEHAVIOR CHANGE AGENTS ARE ALSO COVERED. A BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS OF A LOS ANGELES, CALIF., GANG, AND AN EXAMINATION OF THE CALIFORNIA YOUTH AUTHORITY ARE PRESENTED. NEARLY ALL OF THE PAPERS ARE THE RESULT OF EXPERIMENTAL WORK. EACH CONTAINS CHARTS OR TABLES PRESENTING STUDY DATA, A DESCRIPTION OF THE EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUE, AND A DISCUSSION OF THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE PROGRAM. MOST HAVE NUMEROUS REFERENCES. THE PAPERS AS A WHOLE POINT OUT THAT A GREAT DEAL OF WORK HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN THE FIELD OF BEHAVIOR THERAPY, THAT MANY DIFFERENT REWARD TECHNIQUES HAVE PROVEN EFFECTIVE, AND THAT THIS AREA HOLDS GREAT PROMISE FOR PROBATION WORKERS, TEACHERS, COUNSELORS, AND OTHERS WHO DEAL WITH PROBLEM YOUTH.