WILDERNESS THERAPEUTIC CAMPING - AN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT APPROACH FOR THE JUVENILE OFFENDER AN EVALUATION

• NCJ Number: 59681
• Author(s): B E BAILEY; G L SELMAN; K FAHERTY; D DROMNES; P E RAY
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 15 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE CROCKETT THERAPEUTIC WILDERNESS CAMP IS DESCRIBED; THE 1977 EVALUATION RESULTS ARE DISCUSSED, AS WELL AS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF SIMILAR PROGRAMS IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY TREATMENT.

Abstract

AN INNOVATIVE TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR JUVENILE DELINQUENTS THAT ATTEMPTS TO COMBINE THE ADVANTAGES OF PEER GROUP TREATMENT WITH RECREATION THERAPY IS WILDERNESS THERAPEUTIC CAMPING. IN 1977, RESEARCHERS UNDERTOOK AN OVERALL PROGRAM EVALUATION OF A WILDERNESS THERAPEUTIC CAMPING PROGRAM IN TEXAS, THE CROCKETT THERAPEUTIC WILDERNESS CAMP. THE PROGRAM WAS INITIATED IN THE FALL OF 1975; BY 1978, 3 SEPARATE CAMPING AREAS WERE OPERATING WITH A TOTAL CAPACITY FOR 156 STUDENTS AND AN ANNUAL BUDGET OF NEARLY 1 MILLION DOLLARS. ONCE ADMITTED TO CROCKETT, THE CAMPER LIVES IN A GROUP CONSISTING OF 12 STUDENTS, 1 TEACHER, AND 2 GROUP WORKERS. THE TEACHERS HOLD TEACHING CERTIFICATES, THE GROUP WORKERS, BACHELOR'S DEGREES EACH GROUP FUNCTIONS INDEPENDENTLY, AND ALTHOUGH SUPPLIES ARE PROVIDED, IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GROUP TO UTILIZE PROVISIONS EFFECTIVELY AND CONSTRUCT THEIR OWN CAMPSITE. THE YOUTHS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AND FOLLOW DAILY PLANS, AS WEEKLY AGREED UPON BY THE GROUP. THE MAJOR TREATMENT MODE FOR HANDLING PROBLEMS IS THE HUDDLE-UP, A PROBLEM SOLVING SESSION IN WHICH THE ENTIRE GROUP GETS TOGETHER AND TRIES TO SOLVE PROBLEMS OF ONE OR MORE CAMPERS. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, SELF-CONFIDENCE, AND PROBLEMSOLVING SKILLS ARE STRESSED. THE EVALUATION FOCUSED ON OBSERVATION AND CONSULTATION, INSTRUMENTATION DEVELOPMENT, DATA COLLECTION, AND ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATION. THE DATA COLLECTION PHASES INVOLVED OVER 1,000 HOURS OF DIRECT OBSERVATION, ASSESSMENT, AND INTERACTION WITH PROGRAM STAFF; ALL CAMPSITES WERE OBSERVED. CLIENT PROGRESS WAS EVALUATED IN TERMS OF PSYCHOSOCIAL ADJUSTMENT, MEASURED THROUGH BEHAVIORAL AND ATTITUDINAL METHODS. THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT IMPORTANT CHANGES IN INDIVIDUAL ADEQUACY AS MEASURED BY SELF-RELIANCE, IDENTITY, AND WORK ORIENTATION APPEAR TO TAKE PLACE AS THE INDIVIDUAL PROGRESSES THROUGH THE PROGRAM. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE PROGRAM ACHIEVES FAVORABLE RESULTS AND THAT FURTHER RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO IDENTIFY PARTICULAR ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM THAT AID IN REMEDIATING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED IN THE EVALUATION. (LWM)