Kids in adult correctional systems: an understanding of adolescent development can aid staff in managing youthful offender populations.

In many jurisdictions, legislators and other policy-makers have decided that violent youthful offenders should be placed in adult correctional systems, thinking that this strategy will make neighborhoods safer, programs more effective, and systems more efficient. The public is fed up with young people who damage property, vandalize communities, or do harm to people, and insists on imposing full sanctions on those offenders. Whether or not young people should be adjudicated and sentenced as adults is a question that is being debated in courts across the country. But the reality is that dozens of correctional systems already are facing the difficult task of integrating young offenders into already-established, well-defined, adult prison populations.

Stories of young offenders challenging adult offenders, the unpredictable nature of these young people, and the inability of staff to predict with any consistency or reliability their behavior, are plentiful. The following trends have been observed and documented about violent youthful offenders:

* Juveniles commit more violent offenses against persons than do adults;

* There is an increase in transfers and remands of juveniles to adult jurisdictions and facilities;

* Younger juveniles increasingly are remanded to adult facilities;

* Imposing adult norms on juveniles can create hybrid inmates with more social, emotional and interpersonal problems;

* Young black men and women are disproportionately transferred to adult jurisdictions and remanded to adult facilities;

* Young offenders' safety in adult facilities appears to be the major problem challenging officials in adult facilities;

* There seems to be no concerted effort to develop innovative programming for remanded juveniles;

* The boundaries of the adult as a "reasoning and responsible" individual are constantly being redrawn to encompass younger and younger persons (reducing the age of responsibility below the 14- to 16-year-old age category).

Many direct line staff (correctional officers, teachers and counselors) find that the interventions they typically use to ensure safety and security within the adult population don't always work with young offenders. Part of the problem in serving this population is directly related to the paradigms used by line staff.

Researcher Joel Barker defines paradigms as those sets of rules we use in order to make sense of the world. These paradigms are fundamental to our ability to make order out of chaos and structure out of ambiguity. We use paradigms to create, solve problems, achieve goals and survive everyday living. Very often, it is our paradigms that restrict us from seeing alternatives to our current operations, and in turn, resist changing them, often causing stagnation in policy development and program implementation. Barker refers to this condition as paradigm paralysis.

If correctional systems are to be successful in providing adequate services to this newest offender population, they will have to change their existing paradigms.

Adolescent Development

One of the ways in which staff can change the paradigms they use is to learn about the nature of adolescent development. Table 1 details an adolescent development model that may be applicable to a correctional system. The core of this model is based upon an assumption that adolescence is a process of growth during which certain attitudes, beliefs and values are explored, cognitive structuring occurs, and skills are acquired. It is through this mechanism that the young person experiences a set of actions, behaviors and processes that augment and facilitate growth in four critical domains: physical, cognitive, emotional and social development.

* Physical Development - Adolescence is a time of dramatic physical change. Hair begins to grow and become darker under the arms and around the genitals, legs and arms. Genitalia become larger in males, breasts enlarge and menses begin in females. There are tremendous chemical and biological changes, including increases in hormones, which in turn, produce a variety of physical and emotional reactions, including moodiness and impulsivity.

* Cognitive Development - Cognitive development occurs as a result of educational and social experiences, as well as physical changes in the brain. In early adolescence, there is a strong emphasis on the "here and now" - youths are constantly exploring different alternatives, and changing their minds. By middle adolescence, there is an ability to think abstractly, and young people are able to connect concepts and draw connections between ideas. By late adolescence, cognitive development is a mature thought process which includes the ability to generalize, engage in inferential thinking and make rational decisions.

* Emotional Development - This is one of the most misunderstood domains in adolescence. Caregivers often watch adolescents experience a roller-coaster ride of mood swings, extreme and exaggerated emotions, and tremendous unpredictability. Adolescents have a propensity to be egocentric. During early adolescence, there is an extreme preoccupation with self. By middle adolescence, young people look for role models and heroes to emulate, and explore their own selfhood and identity. By late adolescence, independent decisions are made, and peer influences take precedence over family. It is only in late adolescence that families are reintegrated into the young person's life space.

* Social Development - Adolescent social interactions are among the most difficult behaviors to understand, as young people attempt to formulate self-identities. In early adolescence, young people spend more than half their time with peers and less than 15 percent of their time with their families. During this time, they are most vulnerable to gang influences and peer pressures. While early adolescents spend a great deal of time with the same sex, by middle adolescence, friendships mature, male-female relationships develop, young people begin dating, and active sexual relationships ensue. By late adolescence, there is a transition from group affiliation to specific one-on-one relationships.

Applications for Adult Corrections

Since adolescents' primary concern is to identify who they are and what they are able to do, the adult corrections staff's role should be to help them in that mission. As such, the programs they design and implement should aid the adolescent growth process by supporting cognitive, social, emotional and physical development.

Those corrections staff who already work with the violent youthful offender population attest that this is among the most difficult populations to serve. Without the benefit of a sound adolescent development paradigm, adolescent behavior within the adult correctional setting often is viewed as bizarre, unpredictable, without rational basis and extreme. Yet, once staff better understand these behaviors in the context of adolescent development theory and practice, these young offenders can be more manageable and proactively directed. The following examples illustrate this point.

Case #1: Khalid was convicted and sentenced for armed robbery. He is a 15-year-old African-American male who has been in an adult correctional facility for three months. During the last 90 days, Khalid spent a total of 65 days in administrative segregation for disruptive behavior. He has assaulted staff and fellow inmates on numerous occasions, for which special housing sanctions have been imposed. He doesn't like large, crowded places and he dislikes having to share his bedroom with three other youthful offenders. He has not settled into the routine of the facility and constantly challenges staff in their ability to reprimand him, since they are "not his parents." Khalid spends more time in restraints and on lockdown status than he does participating in daily activities. It seems like every time Khalid returns to the general population from administrative segregation, he misbehaves and is sent back into solitary confinement.

Staff are frustrated with Khalid's behavior. They have used appropriate institutional procedures to manage this young person, all without success. Unfortunately, staff have not changed their paradigms in dealing with this adolescent offender, and do not know how to interpret his behavior. If they had training in the various adolescent development models, they would realize that Khalid, being in middle adolescence, cherishes his privacy, so much so that he will go to extremes to secure solitary living conditions - even administrative segregation. Staff need also to be aware that Khalid is concrete in his cognitive development, and must have specific, simple directions in order to be successful. By locking Khalid in administrative segregation, staff have provided him with positive reinforcement for his acting-out behavior. He learned quickly that if he disrupts the daily routine of the institution, he will be placed, by himself, in a cell for one - exactly what adolescents who desire privacy crave. Staff should provide Khalid with individual counseling to help him understand his need for privacy and develop a cognitive behavioral skills program that will empower him to choose prosocial alternatives.

Case #2: Group A is comprised of 20 youthful offenders who range in age from 15 to 17 years old. All of the youths are sentenced to an adult institution and have committed crimes that range from assault to murder. The group has been together for about three months, and has generally followed directions, group norms and institutional rules. They rarely have crises that require force or lockdown. For the last six weeks, the program director has been saving money from the food budget by serving 19 instead of 21 meals a week, having a brunch-type meal on the weekends. All afternoon snacks have been eliminated and the evening snack has been modified. The group has become increasingly rambunctious and agitated, especially in the evening just before bedtime. The staff has reacted to this situation with increased sanctions and withdrawal of privileges, further intensifying a potentially negative situation.

The fact that the staff is not familiar with adolescent development, especially the ramifications of adolescent physical and social deprivation, creates a potentially adversarial situation. Young people require at least 3,000 calories per day, including frequent opportunities to eat, both meals and snacks. Additionally, adolescents use meal time to socialize, exchange ideas, test issues of identity and experiment with their thinking processes, from concrete to more abstract reasoning.

Conclusion

The violent youthful offender placed in an adult correctional system requires different programs and services. A working knowledge of adolescent development concepts, in tandem with a concerned and competent staff, will ensure that program principles and effective systems are in place for this population to successfully return to their communities.

ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT - A DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS MODEL

Early Adolescence (10-12 years)

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Puberty starts (period of rapid growth; bodily changes; fidgets, squirms, has trouble sitting still; requires lots of physical activity). Puberty usually starts two years earlier for girls than boys. Begins to show bodily changes (pubic hair; hair thickens and darkens; testes and breasts enlarge).

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

Inconsistent thoughts as they adjust to an open mind and body. Shifts from immature to mature thinking. Logic and reasoning are discovered. Able to imagine beyond immediate environment. Conversation leads to exchange of ideas. Spends more time talking to parents. It is important to feel that their opinion counts. Thoughts lead to feelings of self-consciousness. Girls are more communicative than boys.

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Seeks independence, establishes individuality. Wants some control in decisions affecting life. Propensity toward awkwardness, self-consciousness, and bouts with low self-esteem. Begins developing mature relationships with siblings. Begins to be self-conscious about appearance. Girls often feel less attractive. Need praise and approval from adults to demonstrate concern and care about their welfare.

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Has a desire to "fit in;" to be well-liked is important. Cliques are formed with others. Wants to be with friends without adult supervision. Feels that peer pressure is constantly present. Begins experimenting with smoking, alcohol and sex. Appreciates conversations that lead to an exchange of ideas to better understand other people's points of view.

Middle Adolescence (13-15 years)

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Puberty continues (boys begin growth spurts and surpass girls in height and weight by age 15). Acne and body odor are prevalent. Habits are developed that affect lifelong levels of physical fitness. Motor skills increase through physical activity. Clumsiness due to rapid physical development. At-risk habits such as smoking, drinking or drugs are started. Poor eating habits develop. Extremely aware and sensitive to own development and that of peers.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract thinking begins. Problem-solving, analytical thinking and writing may be deficient. Learn from doing; expand knowledge; experience through academic activities and performance. Greater separation in school between those who succeed and those who fail. Parents have less influence. Girls may begin failing in school. Decreased evidence of creativity and flexibility. Peer conformity critically important ("belongingness").

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Craves freedom. Adept at "masking" true feelings and state of mind. Neutral responses to feelings of happiness and sadness. Intense desire and need for privacy. Rapid hormonal and body changes often lead to low self-esteem and lack of confidence. Seeks independence from, but still needs structure and limits from, parents and adults. Increased sexual desires and experimentation. Needs praise and approval to show that adults are concerned about their welfare.

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Friendships and romance become increasingly important. Realizes that others have different points of view. (Initial perspective-taking critically important to moral reasoning); and that outlook may be influenced by self-interest. Begins to define themselves and develop more concrete self-concept. Shows increased communication and negotiation skills. Experiences increased capacity for meaningful relationships with peers and adults. Explores rights and responsibilities. Wants to hang out with older teens. Same sex groups socialize together. Parents start to have less influence.

Late Adolescence (16+ years)

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Boys' growth has doubled since age 12. They are taller and heavier than girls. Appropriate physical tasks have been learned and managed. Appetite has increased. Eating disorders may appear (bulimia and anorexia). Life patterns become consistent.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

Critical thinking and reasoning skills begin. Want to think out their own decisions. Concerned about the purpose and meaning of life. Can manipulate a number of variables at once. Develops beliefs, values, career choices and an identity. Limited evidence of creativity. Increased peer conformity. New challenges and experiences are required.

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Develops a sense of personal identity. Self-esteem continues to develop and improve. Competencies such as decision-making, stress management and coping with problems develop. Thoughts and worries about adult life increase. Friendships are based on mature intimacy, and sharing thoughts and feelings - rather than just hanging out and doing things together. Strong sexual feelings are experienced. Generally, strong ties with the family are maintained with increased need for parental love, care and respect.

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Independence developed and demonstrated. Susceptibility to peer pressure declines; parent-teen conflicts decrease. Cooperation and communication increase. Identity formation experienced through exploration and experimentation. Obsessed about appearance. Want to distinguish themselves from the crowd. Begins forming heterosexual groups and pairs up socially. Strong same-sex friendships continue to exist and strengthen. Has large circle of acquaintances and small circle of friends. After-school work prevalent - usually 15 to 20 hours per week. Is involved with social causes and movements (e.g., local community actions; environmental issues; volunteer work; political awareness).

REFERENCES

American Correctional Association (ACA). 1996. Survey on violent youthful offenders in adult correctional systems. Lanham, Md.

Barker, Joel A. 1990. Changing Paradigms. Videotape. San Diego: Joel Barker

Glick, B. and A.P. Goldstein. 1995. Managing Delinquency Programs That Work. Lanham, Md.

Barry Glick, Ph.D., N.C.C., is a senior consultant with G&G Consultants, and was formerly associate deputy director for local services with the New York State Division for Youth. This article is based in part on No Time to Play: Youthful Offenders in Adult Correctional Systems, by Barry Glick and W. Sturgeon, 1998, ACA.