SA, > [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...
Makes sense. > [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... I assume the theory is that if you can get the residents to talk about their problems that, with the help of a therapist, they will then be better able to deal with those problems. I wonder. What did you think of Pirsig's views on treating the mentally troubled in Chapter 26 of "Lila?." Did you take any ideas away from his observations that helped you on the job? > > [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. Is job training included in your facility? Or are most of the residents too young? > > [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. Well said, a living testament to the failure of amoral intellect. > > > > [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. Your experience of being on a treadmill certainly indicates problems beyond control It's probably presumptuous for me or anyone here to suggest solutions. But it seems to me if the MOQ is ever to be of real value, it must open avenues to answers heretofore unknown or unapplied. I haven't anything helpful to offer, but perhaps others do. Thanks for taking the time to fill us in on the details of your work. Platt Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
