Biology Forums - Study Force

Describe wilderness probation programs. Do you believe these programs have value, why or why not?
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Wilderness probation programs involve troubled youths in outdoor activities as a mechanism to improve their social skills, self-concept, and self-control.
 Typically, wilderness programs maintain exposure to a wholesome environment; where the concepts of education and the work ethic are taught and embodied in adult role models, troubled youth can regain a measure of self-worth.
 A number of wilderness programs for juvenile offenders have been evaluated for their effects on recidivism.
 Research of the effects of wilderness programsthose emphasizing physical activity over more therapeutic goalson recidivism, indicated that these programs do not work.
 Some of the programs show success, such as the Spectrum Wilderness Program in Illinois, others had negative effects; that is, the group that received the program had higher arrest rates than the comparison group that did not receive the program. Taken together, the programs suffered from:
 Poor implementation.
 Weak evaluation designs or problems with too few subjects or large dropout rates.
 Failure to adhere to principles of successful rehabilitation, such as targeting high-risk youths and lasting for a moderate period of time.
 However, wilderness programs that include a therapeutic component have been shown to be effective in reducing juvenile offending.
 Student views will vary.