Nada Yorke posted:I had a similar experience as you did Lena, in working with inmates. In fact, my program was initiated in a maximum security prison with voluntary participants. The research was published in the Journal of Offender Rehabilitation in Oct-2009 and recommends that jails/prisons need to use a BIP while they are in-custody. Currently there is one program running in CA which is certified and allows for them to gain credit and eventually transfer into a community-based program to complete. I have recommended to CA probation officers that they consider this option when certifying provider programs. I believe it will increase the completion rate if they are allowed to start while in-custody.
Interestingly, I had very little response in the prison when I advertised my research project as a "spousal abuse" class, but when I remarketed it as a "Healthy Relationship" class, I received a much warmer response. While only 3 of the 23 participants actually had a DV conviction, the majority were able to recognize various abusive behaviors once we implemented the program. So I agree with you that most don't know what a healthy relationship looks like or the difference between love and jealousy. I now train providers of my program to "identify the negative, but teach the positive"...as it was apparent to me that most abusers don't even know what "healthy" looks like or sounds like!
Good luck with you work...I really believe that reaching people while in custody is an effective way to stop the violence. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions or if I can be of any help! nyorke@outlook.com
best regards,
Nada
quoting ""spousal abuse" class, but when I remarketed it as a "Healthy Relationship" class, I received a much warmer response."
you mean people don't want to expose themselves to stigmatization from DV any more than they do with MH issues?!
but what would I know, only having worked in secure settings (prison / forensic MH settings) for more than 20 years