[Platt]
> Is being sent to rooms or other "time-out" areas the
> major deterrent of destructive behavior?
Yes, the major deterrent. We ask them or put
them in areas in which their misbehavior is contained
for the safety of others, and then we proceed to
process them out of these areas. By process, we
discuss with them and go over what they did, what
could have been differently, etc...
[Platt]
> Is "therapy" the major means to elicit good
behavior?
By "therapy", I assume you mean talking with
them, providing a safe area in which they will open up
to somebody about what problems have been involved in
their lives. There is post-traumatic stress disorder
group, drug and alcohol therapy, empowerment groups,
individual sessions with therapists, discussion with
their peers and staff on the units, etc... We use a
privilege system that if residents do better and
better, then they are able to gain more privileges and
thus, more freedom. They can have more time on the
telephone, longer showers, play video games or use the
computer, walk between buildings without staff, go out
to the sportscourt without staff, walk the circle
without staff, etc...
> [Platt]
> Are the majority of residents from a culture of
> welfare dependency?
I don't know, but I do know that all parents,
siblings, and/or guardians involved that may take
these residents back into their homes do have jobs.
What I do see is single parents, no parents (thus,
grandmother or aunt involved), or both parents work,
and such.
> > [Platt]
> I was responding to your words, "Who said we have to
> live in a house? How about a tent, box, cave,
etc..." I see now you
> were being facetious.
I wasn't being facetious. Social pressure deems
housing necessary, necessary enough to elicit fear or
despair if one doesn't have one, is losing one, or has
difficulty keeping one, and such.
>
> [Platt]
> Good point. The residents must be kept safe from
> physical interference and abuse
> by other residents. That's where our own government
> has failed in many areas due
> to, as Pirsig argues, intellect's lack of
> understanding of the role of social
> forces in keeping biological forces at bay.
Exactly. And what's sad is that we're 'winging
it'. It's a free for all. There are no guidelines.
This attempt to align intellectuals guidance to social
problems is grossly devalued. Staff get hit, spit on,
and yelling out in demeaning ways daily and their wage
starts at ca.$9.30 whereas flipping burgers one can
start at $8.50 down the road. Where are our
priorities? How many people realize that without this
attempt to use intellect to help deter youths habits
that have been on-going for years that society will
end up dumping more and more people in prison? By
dumping we are pushing a major problem off to the side
as it grows. It is the same concept in the physical
sciences I believe. When more and more anomalies
appear, and society doesn't know what to do with these
social anomalies, then this social experiment (that
which we measure to be the way and what we measure as
correct and leading us somewhere of quality) is not
working. These social anomalies are not measurable
within the current paradigm. These social anomalies,
misbehaviors, are not understood and just pushed aside
into prison as if when we throw trash out it has
nothing to do with us anymore is NOT working. Out of
sight, out of mind is what's happening now, but there
are thousands and thousands of people holding the line
everyday trying to contain unsafe situations from
boiling over and growing.
> > > [Platt]
> Thanks for explaining with further details how your
> facility operates and
> is funded. What in your opinion should society do to
> help assure that such
> individual problems as you describe might be avoided
> in the first place?
I know where I work everybody is overwhelmed.
The facility is hiring more therapists and trying to
hire more staff. It is very overwhelming with all the
work that needs to be done, and that's just it.
People are stretched to their limits. As we pass each
other with so much to do it becomes a culture of do
this and do that, and this needs to be done, and that
needs to be done. During these times of rushing
around across the nation, if not only appreciation
could be shared, but time to understand who we are
beyond the surface, deeper than skin. We don't have
the time to sit down and talk much anymore. The
weight of our jobs tire us out at home. It has to do
with getting the chance to honestly know somebody,
instead of just trying to mundanely get things done
over and over again. This is what first comes to my
mind.
thanks.
woods,
SA
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