NCJ Number
197281
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 64 Issue: 6 Dated: October 2002 Pages: 112-113,123
Editor(s)
Susan L. Clayton M.S.
Date Published
October 2002
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article describes the National Institute of Corrections training program, Youthful Offenders in Adult Corrections: A Systemic Approach Using Effective Interventions using research-based methodology on the effective principles of interventions addressing both public safety and changing offender behavior.
Abstract
In today’s society, two concepts of the utmost importance are public safety and offender change. Substantiating these concepts within the criminal justice system is a significant challenge. The National Institute of Corrections (NIC), U.S. Department of Justice’s approach has been in building awareness about the research on effective principles of intervention and through implementation strategies. The result was the development NIC’s Youthful Offenders in Adult Corrections: A Systemic Approach Using Effective Interventions training programs for correctional agencies nationwide. The training program is a highly interactive and practical approach to training both treatment and security staff. It uses modeled behaviors and guided practices to demonstrate knowledge and application of skill levels necessary to work with the unique population of youthful offenders in adult prisons. It combines all the elements of effective interventions to aid agencies in building programs that will achieve offender behavior change and reduce recidivism. In addition, the program integrates three emerging research principles in its curriculum: the risk principle, the criminogenic need principle, and the responsivity principle. The program combines a research-based, practical curriculum teaching implementation methods of the “what works” principles and addresses managing youthful offenders in an adult correctional environment. The issues of public safety and offender change are attainable goals when using research-based methodology.