The JCIP is a three-phase, researched-based cognitive restructuring and skill building program designed to help youth change their anti-social thinking and criminal behavior.  Crime-promoting cognitions and attitudes, labeled as criminogenic thinking, are shown to perpetuate maladaptive and antisocial behaviors in criminals and non-offenders.  JCIP addresses these thinking patterns to allow participants to see how the decisions they make affect themselves and those around them. It is a skill-building program that teaches participants how to manage and redirect anger.  It also addresses positive outcomes they can achieve by making good decisions. Work is done in a group setting but the principles are adapted on a daily basis with staff in the milieu of the residents’ daily living environment so the concepts can continually be reinforced.

 

There are three phases to the program, each phase consisting of approximately thirteen 1.5 hour sessions. Nehemiah staff received direct training of 24 hours to be able to instruct youth at our facilities in the JCIP method.

 

Phase 1 - Choices

Looks at thinking cycles, helping youth identify how they think and how their thinking has led them to criminal behavior. Training focuses on using systematic and cognitive behavioral intervention to bring about a healthy balance for clients, most of whom present with issues regarding work, learning,and relationships as experienced by concerns about depression, weight, anxiety, trauma, and self-control.

 

Phase 2 - Changes

Teaches youth a five step problem-solving process that will help residents develop pro-social behaviors.

 

Phase 3 - Challenges

progress of both the individual student as well as the entire program.d  In our continued efforts to quantify evidenced-based outcomes in our programming objectives, this tool is efficient and user-friendly.

A series of self-paced lessons designed to challenge and “test” the client as to his ability to incorporate what he has learned into the decisions he makes on a daily basis.

 

We use HIT ( How I Think) questionnaire tool as a pre- and post- test of each phase of the program.  Measuring four categories of self-serving cognitive distortions (thinking errors) the test allows us to measure whether learning objectives were met.

The questionnaire is 54 - item measure that is administered both in groups or individually.  It is typically completed in one 15 minutes and requires a fourth grade reading level. The questionnaire includes scoring and computation instructions and forms, and is useful in assessment, treatment planning, and tracking therapeutic progress.  It allows us to track the progress of both the individual and as well as the entire program. In our continued efforts to quantify evidenced-based outcomes in our programming objectives, this tool is efficient and user-friendly.