Various treatment programs for sexual aggressives operate from a set of assumptions, called blame models. Each blame model hypothesizes why sexual assault occurs. The authors review four such blame models, including the offender blame model, the victim model, the situational model, and a societal model. (Author)

Behavioral studies have shown that youths in various settings can function effectively as behavior change agents. The study used five 15- to 18- year-old male youths in a closed institutional setting as behavior change agents for five male youth counselors. Staff increased their frequency of positive verbal comments. (Author)

The development of new evaluation treatment methods for rapists and child molesters has created unique legal and ethical problems for therapists and researchers dealing with this population. Explores the issues of confidentiality, privileged communication, and informed consent to acquaint the reader with the potential problems. (Author)

Research on prisonization has traditionally analyzed cross-sectional data testing either the importation or deprivation model. This investigation incorporates a longitudinal research design to analyze patterns of change in prisonization. Variables including individual status factors, prisoner status factors, factors specific to present…

Assumptions of applied behavior analysis are presented: (1) good practice should be good research; (2) behavioral goals, procedures, and effects should be socially validated; and (3) a systems perspective should be adopted when focusing on behavior analysis and intervention. (Author/JAC)

Reviews 15 studies using Social Skills Training (SST) with delinquent populations and discusses conceptual and methodological issues. Concludes that findings do not yet provide unequivocal support for the usefulness of SST in reducing criminal behavior of delinquents. (Author/WAS)

Outlines the current means of assessing various social skills and applying skills training treatments to sexual aggressives. A major finding was that treatment in one skills area does not generalize into other skills areas; that is, each skills deficit must be resolved by individual treatment. (Author)

Effects of the Transcendental Meditation program in a maximum security prison were studied via cross-validation design. Meditation and control groups indicated reduction in anxiety, neuroticism, hostility, and insomnia as a function of the treatment. (Author)

Offers a positive perspective on the devolution of delinquency. Examines life experiences involved in delinquency devolution of one former juvenile offender and argues for a less pathological perspective of human behavior. Presents an alternative approach, "Positive Outcomes Research." (Author/JAC)

The results of this study support the use of trained volunteers in systematic controlled activities with prisoners. On the institutional measures, prisoners who participated in discussion groups with trained volunteers showed more positive change than did prisoners exposed to untrained volunteers. (Author/CS)

This investigation reports on follow-up information received from past participants of a school-based social learning program designed for problem adolescents. Data resulting from this pilot study fail to conclusively demonstrate the long-term merits of the behavioral program with this population. (Author)

Describes a group training program for teaching social skills to juveniles on probation. The program teaches eight skills: giving positive feedback, giving negative feedback, accepting negative feedback, resisting peer pressure, problem-solving, negotiation, following instructions, and conversation. An eight-month follow-up showed good retention…