working with young adult offenders
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Working with Young Adult Offenders. Joe Lunievicz, BA RYT Executive Director, NDRI-USA, Inc. [email protected]. Agenda. YA Challenges Adolescent and Young Adult Developmental Issues Strategies and Case Studies. Activity. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Working with Young Adult Offenders
Joe Lunievicz, BA RYTExecutive Director, NDRI-USA, Inc.
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Agenda
YA Challenges
Adolescent and Young Adult Developmental Issues
Strategies and Case Studies
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Activity
What have you seen to be the goals of the young adults in your drug courts?
What have you been able to note as the influences that impact on the lives of young adult clients.
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Forced Choices Exercise
Answer the questions agree/disagree
Discuss in your small group
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“No matter how articulate the practitioner may be, the words may not be comprehended if the speaker lacks understanding of the effects of drug use on adolescent cognitive development and the individual’s ability to comprehend the court proceedings in which he/she is involved, to comply with court orders and conditions of release, and most important, to be motivated to change his/her behavior over the long term.”
Cooper, Adolescent Drug Users, 2008
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Drug Court YA challenges
Little motivation to succeed Denial of drug abuse Low frustration tolerance Minimal family support Negative peer influences Lack of role models High rates of trauma &
victimization
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These lead to…
Young adults stay in the first phase of treatment longer than other drug court participants
More court sanctions and incarcerations
Higher rate of placement in treatment facilities than level of addiction
Less positive outcomes
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Review & Revision
Need for review and implementation of effective strategies with young adult population.
o Redefining practitioner perspective
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“Adolescence is the period of physical and psychological development from the onset of puberty to maturity.”
American Heritage Dictionary
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Major Developmental Shifts
Adolescence (Early and Middle teens)
Young Adulthood (Late teens and early
twenties)
Later Adulthood (Mid-twenties and after)
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Adolescence
Abstract Thinking
Increased intensity of emotion
Increased sensation-seeking
Sensitivity to alcohol & other drugs
Changes in sleep cycle
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Limitations
Right & wrong thinking
Instrumental focus
Emotional regulation
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16-17 years old
More likely than adults to be Impulsive Aggressive Emotionally volatile Likely to take risks Reactive to stress Vulnerable to peer pressure
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Young Adulthood
Greater complexity of thinking Critical thinking More integration of cognitive & emotional Relationships based on shared values, mutuality Respect for diversity Modified risk taking Decisions based on future consequences & impact
on others
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Limitations
Abstract principles
Following vs. shaping rules and roles
External vs. internal basis for decisions
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Later Adulthood
Greater complexity of thinking Shaping vs. following rules and roles Solving ill-structured problems Big picture thinking Self-correction, self-evaluation Internalized commitment of relationships and
work Evaluation of external expectations
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Brain changes in Young Adulthood
Maturation of brain from back to front
Prefontal Cortex Myelination: adding white
matter Synaptic Pruning:
decreasing number of connections
Connections among regions
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Source: Tapert & Schweinsburg, 2005
Prefrontal Cortex Executive Suite
Matures last (ages 25-26 for full maturity)
Calibration of risk & reward “On second thought… ”
Problem-solving
Prioritizing
Thinking ahead
Self-evaluation
Long-term planning
Regulation of emotions
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Caveats
Not automatic
Roles for both nature and nurture
Periods of equilibrium
Intermediate steps
Uneven across areas
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Developmental Range
Optimal spurts
Functional gradual
Nature vs. Nurture Developmental stage and vulnerability to environmental
influences
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Influences on Level of Functioning
Emotional arousal: cold cognition vs. hot cognition
Alert vs. Sleepy Familiarity of context Familiarity of content Practice Support
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Individual & cultural Variation
Age, education, gender
Abuse, neglect, trauma
Race, ethnicity, sexual identity
Temperament
Family background, parenting style
Illness
Learning disabilities
Substance abuse
Ares of concentrated interest
Cultural background
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Positives Influences
Challenging Old thinking Faculty and other adult interactions Diversity of peers Interdisciplinary and integrative approaches Out of classroom experience Instruction in cognitive skills, eg critical thinking
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Positive Influences
Providing support for growth Matching level of challenge with ability Scaffolding, balance of structure and flexibility Safety net, monitoring Tincture of time
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Drugs and the Brain
Impact on the brain’s reward circuit (limbic system)
Pleasure = release dopamine
Drugs hijack the system and release more over a longer period of time.
Impact on the Pre-frontal Cortex
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Alcohol
Adolescents with a history of alcohol use disorder may show deficits in short-term memory 10% less memory on short term verbal and non-verbal tasks
Hippocampus encodes new information into memory Adolescents with history of alcohol abuse have smaller
hippocampus volume
Most vulnerable parts of the brain associated with memory, attention, sleep, coordination and judgment.
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Marijuana and THC
Hippocampus, cerebellum, basal ganglia, cerebralcortex Interferes with learning and memory Impacts on ability to study, learn new things, recalling
recent events (short term memory) Long term impact
inability to do complex tasks Increased risk of psychosis Increased of depression and anxiety
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Case StudiesStrategies from Denver and Seattle
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Denver Adult Drug Court, CO
Situation: Evaluation showed 18-25 were least successful in program Pre-contemplators for problem smoking Marijuana drug of choice Entire family smoked Lack of male role models Limited job skills and education Hopelessness about future Cognitively function as adolescents
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Denver Program
One dedicated probation officer
Dedicated docket began with 10 and now have 35
Everyone gets a case manager
Don’t use disease model or call it treatment or recovery
Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (cognitive behavioral manualized treatment protocol) Focus on job, school, family, substance abuse
We go to them Do home visitations – teach child safety Meet them at Starbucks or the park
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Denver Program (continued)
All case managers have cell phones for texting
Significant other involvement (CRAFT)
Train Police Officers to be mentors
Life skills groups
Tours of colleges and trade schools
Attorney talks about legal status regard to children
Athletics Basketball with former Denver Nugget Phoenix multi-sport (recovering addicts) weightlifting, yoga, 12-step group
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Seattle WA
Young Adult track 18-25 Deliveries or possession with intent to sell Gangs and home environment issues, trauma Marijuana, alcohol, PCP, Spice, Oxy
Used American University for TA
2 & ½ day retreat – resources and development of new approach
Work with 1 treatment agency who works best with this age group
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Seattle WA – Developmental Approach
Changed phase system from 3 to 4 Each phase has smaller segments Within 90 period they don’t have to restart entire phase only the
segment they were on 60 consecutive days of sanction free time 30 days of consecutive abstinent time Achieve three short-term goals as per treatment plan Treatment plan includes long and short term goals Presentation of portfolio to judge and peers to move to next phase
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Seattle WA continued
60-day treatment program in custody in local jail MRT, drug and alcohol treatment
Step down to work-release program – structure
Housing that’s clean and sober
Then community service, volunteer work, be in school, or vocational training
Sanction grid approached differently: Drug related get therapeutic interventions like writing assignments or
community service Punitive sanctions for behavioral problems
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Seattle WA continued
Two week returns or weekly
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Mental Health Counseling
Life Skills, couples and family counseling
Vocational education specialist on staff
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Young Adult Development References
A. Rae Simpson, The MIT Young Adult Development Project
Adult Services Plan: Serving 18-25 year-olds Best Practices; Chief Probation Officers of California; 9/11/07
Successful Young Adult Development, Benson & Scales Search Institute; 12/4/05
Developmental Counseling: The Young adult Period, Lee A. Beaty
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