NCJ Number
212603
Journal
Journal of Correctional Education Volume: 56 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2005 Pages: 347-371
Date Published
December 2005
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This study explored data on learning styles and thinking skills of students who were either incarcerated or committed to correctional programs.
Abstract
The inability of juvenile correctional systems to productively impact juvenile crime and recidivism has led to greater frustration and an increasing public demand to get tough on crime. This stance has diverted attention from focused efforts to develop research based interventions that are more likely to have value rehabilitating juveniles. Almost all juveniles will eventually be released back to their communities; ensuring they do not recidivate should be a priority. Delinquent students need to feel success and be confident that they will be accepted into a job or career instead of a gang. Correct educational techniques will provide them with this opportunity. The goal of this study was to develop a learning style profile of the juvenile offenders. The study analyzed data on the information processing abilities of 1,480 male and female incarcerated youth within a correctional center between 2001 and 2003. Study results indicated that the bulk of the students were figural learners in terms of the preferred modality for receiving information. The strongest processing abilities were creativity and memory. In the area of level of complexity, the students’ strengths were in relationships and transformations. Transformations are very similar to creativity and confirm the need to allow for a classroom structure that promotes student involvement, movement, and open-ended questioning and contributions. Study implications are presented and discussed. References