Narrates the experiences of a youth in correctional school and mental health treatment programs so as to show the pivotal role education plays in reversing antisocial behavior. Focuses on predisposing factors for problems, the major impact of correctional education influences, and the challenges surrounding public school reentry. (RJM)

A 3-year study of 115 youth offenders ages 14-17 who were involved in a program that integrated wilderness or adventure therapy with a community-based component revealed significant positive changes in 10 out of 33 psychometric scales considered essential precursors to behavioral changes. However, no significant behavioral changes were observed.…

Reviews the various approaches that have dominated the prevention and treatment of delinquency over the last few decades. Presents current thinking about the multiple factors that must be considered in research on delinquency and concludes with a methodological proposal that may facilitate the systematic consideration of these factors. (RJM)

Characteristics of youthful offenders are described, and the role of the individualized education program (IEP) in a training school is considered. The bulk of the paper discusses Project Adventure, a therapeutic program for offenders which emphasizes physical fitness games, risk taking activities, initiative taking, and group cooperation to solve…

Structured Learning Therapy (SLT) teaches aggressive adolescents prosocial skills (negotiation, self-relaxation, and anger control) by modeling, role playing, social reinforcement, and transfer of training. This article summarizes initial application of SLT with psychiatric clients, includes guidelines for improving trainee-trainer-treatment…

This study examined the effect of a specialized after-school program, the Services to Youth Program (STYP), as one method of preventing the reoccurrence of criminal activity among delinquent youth. Seven African American youth who actively participated in the structured, curriculum-based after-school program were compared with a matched group of…

In 1995, the Texas Legislature mandated the formation of Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Programs (JJAEPs) to serve adjudicated youth in counties with a population of 125,000 or more. Some less-populated counties formed their own JJAEPs. This paper presents a comparison of these voluntary programs to the mandated programs. Of the 22…

Reviews the types of treatment facilities being utilized by youth facilities nationwide and their practices regarding self-mutilating residents. Results indicate varied frequencies of self-harming behavior. Findings suggest that departments that chose to take responsibility for stabilizing mutilating adolescents as a distinct group express greater…

Traditional mental health approaches for serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders often fail to yield successful results. However, one method, Multisystemic Therapy (MST), which represents a departure from traditional treatment strategies, is described. MST was designed to provide communities with affordable and effective remedies for…

In 1976 the Special Emphasis branch of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention made $10 million available for the development of 11 diversion programs. A national evaluation of these programs was promoted in the hope of better understanding the viability of diversion as an alternative to traditional practices. The impact of…

Canadian counselors working with young offenders confront at least two problems that interfere with effective intervention: a trend toward increased incarceration, and public confusion and mistrust over approaches to reducing crime. Research during the past decade is beginning to show clearly that programs for young offenders and other at-risk…

Community Accountability Conferencing (CAC) was first introduced in Queensland, Australia schools in early 1994 after a serious assault in the school community. Some family members, students, and staff were dissatisfied with the solution of suspending the offenders. Seeking an alternative, comprehensive intervention strategy, the school community…