Wilderness programs for juveniles - Research Paper Example

?Running head: WILDERNESS PROGRAMS ON JUVENILES Wilderness Programs on Juveniles Introduction: Wilderness programs on juveniles can be defined and exemplified in many ways. The programs are basically converted to bring the lost personalities in the right track of life. The programs are designed with an approach in the wilderness therapy. The programs defined do not appear to force change but instead allow the environment to persuade the client reactions through natural outcomes. As per the programs if it is observed that the client is not ready to be a part of the entire program the staffs stake a backseat and focus on other factors and let them continue to work such as time away from closed once and family, physical work out etc and continue doing so until the client is completely ready to initiate the programs itself. Wilderness identity concern and group protection are made possible by natural outcomes that helps to educate on personal and social liability, which in turn creates an unbiased and protected environment to relate to the real or metamorphic lessons of the life. The programs provide treatment for the troubled adolescents or drug addicts. It is basically an endeavor which is meant for providing self confidence and mental help to the troubled teens by creating a light of new hope for them (Russell, 2001, pp. 70-73). Objectives, Process & Staff’s Training and Development: The wilderness programs for juveniles are being progressively more used for those adolescents who in serious trouble owing to use drugs, alcohol or victimized due to intense parental conflict etc. The preliminary objective of the program is to make the victim get rid of the chemical dependencies by removing them from the disparaging environment that perpetuated their dependence. It emphasize on eradicating the juveniles from the trap of their former surroundings including numerous diversion of adolescent culture. Moreover the programs are conducted to build up a positive outlook within the juveniles towards life. They help them to learn and recognize and take up social and personal responsibilities. These programs are facilitated by virtue of natural outcomes. Their goal is to assist juveniles to take a broad view over the metaphors of personal care and natural outcomes of real life which often are a difficult task for the wildness program juveniles. The juveniles are directed to get a grasp on their anger, addiction, sorrow and every kind on emotions related to their social personal life through the program. In connection to the objective of the program Hendee & Russell has said, “If the goal for a client was to communicate better with parents, the therapist helps them develop strategies to accomplish this goal” (Hendee & Russell, 1999). The programs follow definite process through which it develops the personality of the juveniles in the right direction. The programs process the juveniles through outdoor adventure quests and other activities such as archaic abilities and reflection in order to develop personal and impersonal augmentation. Involvement in this outside quests used to occur in presence of the skilled leaders who used to keep a note that these activities, as processed, generate differences in the targeted behavior. After these the victims were taken for a session of psychotherapy in vigilance of qualified professionals. The entire process of the program was segregated into three phases where it was a mandate for all the juveniles to go through the three to compete the entire program. Going through all the three processes helped the victim to evolve a as reframed personality (Russell, 2001, pp.74-75). The programs choose their staffs very carefully. Having professional qualification is a must criterion to be a part of the program. Handling the victims with care is essential parameter while recruiting. Specials preferences are given to professionals who are husband and wife by relation to be a part of the program (Greenwood, 1986, pp. 217). As per Lawrence & Hesse, 2010, “the success or the failure should be viewed on a continuum using multiple indicators rather than a dichotomous win-lose criterion” (Lawrence & Hesse, 2010, pp. 215). Two Studies on Effectiveness and Lack of Programs: A case study clearly depicts the effectiveness of the program on the juveniles. In a case based on a French girl it has been observed that the girl was from the problems of loneliness and proper guidance which took her in a wrong direction and she started taking drugs and marijuana. Her parents said that she was admitted under the juvenile wilderness program when they observed insanity on her behavior during her school days. Initially she was reluctant to b e under medication but as she started interacting with the other juveniles of the program she slowly started to open up herself. Based on her progress she was put under therapy which included rock climbing and other outdoor activity which developed her personality and helped her to come up as a sensible human being (Norton L C, 2009, 230-232). In another case it was seen that Billy was diagnosed of abuse dependency and oppositional defiant disorder. Billy was initially put under drug and alcohol treatment. The victim did not accept it wholeheartedly but as the treatment proceeded he started to understand the positives of life and of the treatment itself. At the end of the program he evolved as an sober sensible personality which changed his course of life exerting a positive effect (Russell, 2000, pp. 172-175). Juvenile Drug Courts: With the growing juvenile addiction and crimes the need for setting up the juvenile drug courts enhanced. The courts gave offender an opportunity to alter their behavior and cease their habit of using illegal lethal drugs. They were prohibited from doing such activities and after hearing if they were found that they were still continuing with so then they were penalized. The offenders were ordered to take up the wilderness program. To ascertain that the juveniles were completing their therapy the court deployed few persons with such responsibility who kept a vigilance over them and said their observation on the court in the next hearing. Few cases showed that the jurisdiction exerting importance on making the juvenile addiction free proved out to be successful (Butts & Roman, 2004, pp. 9). Interview: In my career as a journalist, I interviewed one such drug court practitioner during my entire career. He was associated with the Juvenile drug court for 15 years of his service. During his span of service he witnessed many cases. While interviewing he shared one incident with me. He shared with me an incident where a boy named Jim as found guilty with a charge of insulting and beating a policeman on road. He was taken into custody immediately and found a drug addict after the medical test session. He was then after send under the custody of the Juvenile drug court where he had been ordered to follow certain methodology. Apart from this he was ordered to participate in the juvenile wilderness program as well. People were appointed who was in charge of keeping an eye on him. In the next session on court Jim was founded in a better state as a person. He was a member of the wilderness program then. After few hearing Jim was declared as a completely normal person free from the dependency on drugs. The wilderness program as well as the court played the greatest role in Jim’s life helping him to take a foot forward in his life in the right direction. Effectiveness on the Juvenile Drug Court: The effectiveness of drug court on juveniles has been observed from the past decades. Practitioners in the court through their experience realized that these activities had a close connection with the behavioral problems of offenders as presented in the court. The juvenile court was founded with the aim of rehabilitation of the youth. The court was successful in solving the juvenile problems of drugs by adopting certain methodology (Cooper, 2002, pp. 1690). The court also focused on reducing the dependency of the juveniles over drugs and reducing their criminal behavior by directing evidence based treatments (Henggeler & et.al, 2012). On the contrary the courts were criticized on the basis of lack of authority and resources. In this connection author has said,” juvenile proceedings in many jurisdictions are increasingly taking on the adversarial characteristics of the adult process, focusing primarily on the youth’s adjudication and case disposition, rather than on rehabilitation” (Cooper, 2002, pp.1690). The court aimed at a noble cause but the same was not executed due to lack of virtue, infrastructure and methodology Conclusion: Based on the entire analysis it can be concluded that the wilderness juvenile program brings a light of hope in the life of the juvenile with lost personalities. It is not always true that these youth are the offenders by choice, sometimes they are the victims by fate also. Wilderness program plays the greatest role in their life, giving them a new hope, a new life and the confidence to live the rest life in the peace and happiness. References Butts A Jeffrey & Roman J, (2004), Juvenile Drug Court and Teen Substance Abuse, Washington DC, The Urban Institute Press Cooper S C, (2002), Juvenile Drug Treatment Courts in the United States: Initial Lessons Learned and Issues Being Addressed, OJP Drug Court Clearinghouse and Technical Assistance Project, 34(12 & 13), 1689-1722 Greenwood W P, (1986), Intervention Strategies for Chronic Juvenile Offenders, Greenwood Press Henggeler S W & et.al,(Apr2012), Enhancing the Effectiveness of Juvenile Drug Courts by Integrating Evidence-Based Practices, Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology,80(2), p264-275. 12p Hendee C. J. & Russell C. K.,(1999), Wilderness Therapy As An Intervention And Treatment For Adolescents With Behavioral Problems, University of Idaho Wilderness Research Center, retrieved on 8 July 2013 from: http://www.strugglingteens.com/opinion/wildernesstherapy.html Lawrence R & Hesse M, (2010), Juvenile Justice The Essentials, United Kingdom, Sage Publication Inc Norton L C, (2009), Into the Wilderness—A Case Study: The Psychodynamics of Adolescent Depression and the Need for a Holistic Intervention, Springer Science & Business Media, retrieved on 8 July 2013 from: http://www.hiddencorner.us/html/PDFs/Wilderness_Depression.pdf Russell, C. K., (2000), Exploring how the wilderness therapy process relates to outcomes, Journal of Experiential Education, 23(3), 170-176. Russell, C. K., (2001), What is Wildness Therapy? , Journal of Experiential Education, 24(2), 70-79 Read More