Thinking For a Change
T4C is an evidence based curriculum that integrates three approaches: cognitive restructuring, social skills and problem-solving. Focusing on these three areas help juvenile offenders learn to change their behavior. It begins by teaching youth an introspective process to examine their ways of thinking, feelings, beliefs and attitudes. This process continues and is reinforced throughout the program. This is combined with explicit teaching of interpersonal skills relevant to youths' present and future needs. The goal is to provide contextual instruction and related experiences so that youth are confident and motivated to use pro-social skills when faced with interpersonal problems and/or anti-social situations. Social skills training provides youth as an alternative to anti-social behaviors. T4C concludes by integrating the skills youth have learned into steps for problem solving. Thus, problem-solving becomes the central approach they learn that enables them to work through difficult situations without engaging in criminal behavior. The training is a 22 session program, but is designed to continue indefinitely depending on the need. Youth meet twice a week for a 1 to 2 hour group session co-facilitated by trained group facilitators. Youth are referred to the program by their Community Supervision Officers based on their scoring moderate to high risk on their YLS/CMI.