NCJ Number
75186
Date Published
1968
Length
33 pages
Annotation
This article describes a program devised to reach the hardcore inmates of juvenile correctional institutions who were not benefiting from rehabilitation efforts but were diverting a disproportionate amount of staff time from the rest of the population by their disruptive behavior.
Abstract
Developed by a clinical psychologist, Project READY (Reaching Effectively Acting-Out Delinquent Youths) was conducted at the National Training School for Boys in Washington, D.C. in 1967, under the auspices of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Department of Justice. The inmate population of the National Training School consisted of male juvenile offenders who had violated a Federal law. Project READY operated 7 days a week, with project activities conducted during the evening hours and on weekends. Frequent changes of activity to avoid boredom, innovative devices to get the boys to perform cleanup details, organized games and competitive contests, incentive and reward systems, and psychodrama were tried with varying degrees of success. Verbal persuasion, suggestion, or other similar attempts to reach high-psychopathy delinquents failed consistently, while placing the boys in a situation to which they had previously reacted negatively when asked for their opinion often worked surprisingly well. Project READY generally showed the efficacy of separating the more psychopathic offender from other types of delinquents and using carefully selected staff to control and treat this group. While a number of mistaken assumptions were made in setting up the treatment activities for working with this group, relevant and helpful programs were discovered. Thus, the prime function of Project READY was realized. It served as an exploratory endeavor to develop more effective approaches for difficult-to-manage youths. Nineteen references are appended.