RTP and Corrections

For those interested in the field of corrections, RTP has been highly successful at a juvenile prison in Tucson, Arizona, and in adult probation here in Maricopa County, which covers the Phoenix (Arizona) metropolitan area. Unfortunately, RTP is no longer used at the juvenile  prison, and they have returned to their former behavior management program.

A school administrator changed the process and eliminated RTP. Prior to RTP, the school was experiencing 13 staff attacks by juveniles per month. Within two months after implementing RTP, those attacks dropped to one per month, and some months went by without any attacks. Presently, according to one employee, they are averaging one per day.

In Phoenix, Arizona, I've been working with Jake Jacobs, Maricopa County Probation Officer, for over 20 years. We've been doing groups and teaching, and sometimes working individually with the probationers. I've also done training for the department.

Presently, we are doing group/teaching sessions with those prisoners in a work furlough program in the county jail, where the men and women are released to work during the day, and are required to report back to jail for nights and weekends.

The chapters referenced below are well worth reading, especially the role play with a typical probationer, who shows up with "dirty" urine, indicating drug use which can be found in the chapter written by Jake Jacobs.

Book One: Chapter 27, Juvenile Corrections and RTP: How It Works at Catalina Mountain School

Book Two: Chapter 18, RTP and the Probation Officer