Therapeutic Wilderness Programs and Juvenile Recidivism

Very little is known about the effects of wilderness stress-challenge programs on juvenile recidivism. A quasi experimental design is used to assess the effects of participation in an Outward Bound type program on the recidivism of a sample of juvenile probationers. Findings indicate a one-year delinquency reduction effect, which is confined to those youth who successfully completed the program. While the reductions were exhibited for both high and low-rate offenders, the reduction effect was not found at a two-year follow up period. lmplications for such programs and sanctioning policies are discussed.