No abstract

This study investigated the impact of the factors of age and length of stay on recidivism for two hundred and twenty-eight male juvenile offenders. These boys, who were between the ages of 12 and 18, were residents at Elk Hill Farm in Goochland, Virginia. Elk Hill Farm is a private, non-profit, institution for troubled youth which utilizes a quality, multi-faceted treatment program that includes the following components; a peer group model, an aftercare program, a special education school, wilderness therapy and p£1rent groups. From 1976 to the present these boys have been followed from the time of their release. A Success Rate Index, which divides the number of months that the boys are reincarcerated after leaving the program into the total number of months since leaving that program, was used to analyze this follow-up information. Longer stays and older boys at Elk Hill Farm appeared to lessen the likelihood of later incarceration. Thus it would appear that social and emotional growth, a quality treatment program, length of stay, and age at the time of leaving the program are important factors with regard to future reincarceration.

No abstract

Which hand is superior for tactile processing in remediating reading?

One hundred and thirty young men, between the ages of thirteen and seventeen, were among the participants in a residential treatment program at Elk Hill Farm in Virginia, U.S.A. This program included a peer group model based upon Vorrath and Bendtro's Positive Peer Culture. A major goal of peer group models is to bring about attitudinal change. A self report instrument, the Jesness Behavior Checklist, was chosen to ascertain how the youths perceived themselves. Changes in attitude were measured by difference in the Jesness Behavior Checklist scores on two administrations, once upon admission to the program and again at the time of termination from the program. All 14 of the factor scores on the checklist were reported as having a statistically significant change (at the .001 level) in the direction of healthy growth.