ANTICEDENTS, CONSEQUENCES, AND PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE
The information that participants will receive in this session results from 12 years of research and development on the issues of: · Prison aftercare · Violence reduction · Offender recidivism
The perspective that intentional injury (violence) is preventable and, therefore, a public health issue will be discussed through the experiences of Dr. Roberts during the years of his research and development of Project Return, a prison aftercare program proclaimed by the U.S. Department of Justice as the most successful efforts of its kind in the country. Dr. Roberts will discuss his collaborations with indigenous medicine men from three different continents and primeval insights long forgotten by modern cultures that have been the foundation of Project Return's success in reducing recidivism among 1800 former prisoners by more than 60% over the past seven years.
Session participants will receive the unique perspectives of the indigenous world in bringing boys and men into responsible adulthood through the primeval traditions of ritual initiation and how certain of these practices such as "grief work" and "remembering" are indispensable in breaking the cycles of violence, drugs and crime. Additionally, participants will leave understanding the differences in modern and indigenous perspectives of mentoring, and which can be more successfully applied in the prevention of youth violence. Lastly, participants will learn the fundamental importance of employing ex-offenders who have successfully broken the cycles of criminal behavior to work with other ex-offenders in doing the same and/or to function effectively in the role of mentors to youthful offenders.
Learning Objectives: THE ANTICEDENTS, CONSEQUENCES, AND PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE The information that participants will receive in this session results from 12 years of research and development on the issues of: · Prison aftercare · Violence reduction · Offender recidivism The perspective that intentional injury (violence) is preventable and, therefore, a public health issue will be discussed through the experiences of Dr. Roberts during the years of his research and development of Project Return, a prison aftercare program proclaimed by the U.S. Department of Justice as the most successful efforts of its kind in the country. Dr. Roberts will discuss his collaborations with indigenous medicine men from three different continents and primeval insights long forgotten by modern cultures that have been the foundation of Project Return's success in reducing recidivism among 1800 former prisoners by more than 60% over the past seven years. Session participants will receive the unique perspectives of the indigenous world in bringing boys and men into responsible adulthood through the ancient practices of ritual initiation and how certain of these practices such as "grief work" and "remembering" are indispensable in breaking the cycles of violent behavior, drug use and crime. Additionally, participants will leave with an understanding of the differences in modern and indigenous perspectives of mentoring and which can be more successfully applied in the prevention of youth violence and gang activity. Lastly, participants will learn the fundamental importance of employing former offenders who have successfully broken the cycles of criminal behavior to work with other former offenders in doing the same and/or to function effectively in the role of mentor to youthful offenders
Keywords: Criminal Justice, Mental Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: NA
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.