Behavior Modification

Corey is now almost through the third of five modules (akin to ‘semesters’) of the RDAP (Residential Drug and Alcohol Program). He can’t say it’s been, or will ever be, easy. As he makes his way through the various classes in the program much is expected of him, and I have to say I myself had no idea it would be as inclusive and as intense as it is. However, the intensity of the program itself seems to vary, depending on in what prison you take it, I’ve heard from other friends (men Corey had met and come to know mostly in Taft) who were assigned to take the program in Terminal Island, Ca, or in Sheridan, Oregon, for instance, who said they ‘breezed’ thru it, little was expected of them except to be present, and go through the motions, take the required classes until completion. Until Lompoc, I’d never heard of anyone who was making their way through the program being “recycled”, let alone kicked out of the program entirely except maybe for some serious infraction, some serious breaking of the prison rules.

At the very onset of the Program each man is assigned a “One to One” DTS (“Drug Training Specialist”) who he reports to for the entire length of the program, till completion. It is this DTS that pretty much holds the power to allow the inmate to progress through each stage of the program or to either recyle him (send him back to an earlier module, thus lengthening the entire program) or to kick him out entirely, wherefore he would lose the one year off his sentence all inmates who graduate the program earn.

However aside from the programming itself, it seems it is common practice, even “expected” that about 20% or more of the men in Lompoc’s program will regularly be ‘recycled’ back to earlier modules to retake them before progressing on to the next level, OR be terminated from the program entirely. Knowing this is always a possibility adds in itself quite a bit of anxiety and stress, especially as, although one hopes the instructors are all trained ‘specialists’ and ‘professionals’, this is after all the BOP, and we’ve come to learn things aren’t always what one would expect, especially in staff positions that ‘imply’ some degree of previous education or training. We had for example, learned how one of the “Counselors” at the Taft prison had gotten her position…a previous Kmart clerk, she saw the ad in the paper, applied and was hired! No previous college education or training in counseling or anything of that nature was apparently required to fill this position of power and control over an inmates daily life.

In this case, in the Lompoc RDAP, we’ve come to see, as often is the case, & 'expected' to some degree, personalities and human frailties often enter into the methods employed and appraisal processes utilized by the various instructors. It seems to me in one particular class, Coreys “group”, the 30 or so men he is making his way through the program with, can’t do anything right, according to their instructor. They seem damned if they do, and damned if they don’t. However much most prepare, do their assigned work (journal entries, studying the texts, attending every and any meeting offered, working closely amongst themselves to assist the group as a whole to move forward, be successful individually and as a group) they are constantly insulted and treated as mindless nitwits, some are told they need to speak up more, play a more active role in the class if they are to progress through it, yet when they do they are belittled or humiliated. Far be it for me to know if this is intentional, if there is a ‘method to the madness’, but after weeks and months of this ‘instructional format’ It’s no wonder some of the men’s spirits ‘break’ and they willingly opt out of the Program! Perhaps its this instructors intentions to use the sharp stick Dan Rather spoke of when he stated “The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called "truth." Except it would appear this DTS has forgone the more gentle tugging and pushing?

In our visits and communications with Corey we’ve come to see that each DTS at Lompoc has, of course, his own personality and his own particular method of “instructing”, or leading the men through their classes and various daily meetings. Some encourage the men to dig deep and find the source of their ‘addictive’ personalities, while others seem to feel belittling and insulting the men at every turn (like a drill sergeant in the military) is the best method. Completely break down the existing behavior perhaps in order to rebuild it from scratch…behavior “modification” if you will, which, according to my reading, is what the RDAP is based on. It comes across as a ‘good cop/bad cop” scenario.

THAT being said, all that withstanding, Rod and I, and Corey, see much of value in this Program. Through his studies and his introspection, Corey has come a long way towards understanding some of his own particular personality traits, how and why he has reacted and made some of the poorer decisions in his past. He has learned the difference between reaction and action, he has become much more thoughtful. Listening to him speak of what he has studied and learned has effected Rod and I as well, and we in turn have second hand benefit of the instruction and its benefits. We’ve come to see this is, at its core, a program everyone could benefit from, not just inmates and those with addictive personalities, and it really is unfortunate something like it is not taught in our schools, before we are all unleashed on the world. I really do see how this program can be life changing, how it can prepare these men for a more successful re-entry into society and a happier, more fulfilling future. However, I still have to say, I don’t believe personally that the pervasive negativity and brutish methods utilized by a few instructors is warranted, or does anything towards improving, changing in a positive way, a persons behavior. “Modifying” it? Sure, but in the way expected or hoped for? I’m not so sure.

“A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on cold iron.” ~Horace Mann