NCJ Number
47690
Journal
Corrections Magazine Volume: 4 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1978) Pages: 32-35
Date Published
1978
Length
4 pages
Annotation
RUGGED, SHORT-TERM WILDERNESS EXPERIENCES, WHICH ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE POPULAR AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS, ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
WILDERNESS TRIPS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE BATTERY OF CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS IN MORE THAN 20 STATES IN THE PAST FEW YEARS. WHILE ADULT OFFENDERS TAKE PART IN THREE OR FOUR SUCH PROGRAMS, MAINLY AS A PRELUDE TO RELEASE FROM PRISON, JUVENILE OFFENDERS OFTEN ARE RECRUITED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO INCARCERATION. OBSERVERS ESTIMATE THAT THERE ARE 150 TO 200 SUCH PROGRAMS FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS, UP FROM 10 OR 15 PERCENT 5 YEARS AGO. VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE WILDERNESS COURSES FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS ARE MODELED ON THOSE OFFERED BY OUTWARD BOUND, A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION THAT OFFERS SEA, MOUNTAIN, AND FOREST SURVIVAL COURSES. INSTRUCTORS IN THE FIELD SAY THAT THE COURSES ARE DESIGNED TO REQUIRE A GREAT DEAL OF PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL PERSEVERANCE, SO THAT AT THE END, THE PARTICIPANTS WILL FEEL THAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT. PROGRAM DIRECTORS SAY THAT THE TRIPS WORK BEST WITH DELINQUENTS WHO TRY TO APPEAR TOUGH. IN RELATION TO EFFECTS OF THE PROGRAM, ONE STUDY SHOWED THAT RECIDIVISM AMONG JUVENILES WHO COMPLETED THE PROGRAM IN MASSACHUSETTS OF 1966 WAS MUCH LOWER THAN FOR A CONTROL GROUP, BUT THIS EFFECT BEGAN TO WEAR OFF AFTER A YEAR. SOME THINK THAT JUVENILES DO NOT RECEIVE ENOUGH PREPARATION OR SUPPORT FROM INSTRUCTORS BEFORE EXPEDITION, AND ARE SO SHOCKED BY THE INITIAL EXPERIENCE THAT THEY HAVE TO DROP OUT. CRITICS ALSO CLAIM THAT INSTRUCTORS OFTEN HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH THE OUTDOORS THAN WITH DELINQUENTS AND HAVE FEW COUNSELING SKILLS TO OFFER. THERE IS NO FORMAL ACCREDITATION FOR SUCH WILDERNESS INSTRUCTORS AS REGARDS JUVENILE DELINQENTS PROGRAMS. PROGRAM DIRECTORS SAY THAT THE POOL OF QUALIFIED INSTRUCTORS EXPERIENCED WITH DELINQUENTS IS GROWING. INSTRUCTORS WITH LONG EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD SEE A NEED FOR STRICTER ACCOUNTING OF PROGRAMS IN THEIR SAFETY PROCEDURES, THEIR STAFF, AND THEIR RESEARCH, ALTHOUGH MOST TEND TO DISTRUST INSTITUTIONS AND BUREAUCRACIES, VALUE THEIR OWN RELATIVE NEWNESS TO THE FIELD OF CORRECTIONS, AND WISH TO MAINTAIN FREEDOM FROM GOVERNMENT AND ACADEMIC STRUCTURES.