Summary Of How To Make Behavioral Changes

SUMMARY OF HOW TO MAKE BEHAVIOR CHANGES

1. Recognize shortcomings and their destructive behaviors.

2. See the need for change.

3. Accept yourself as okay, forgiving yourself for the mistakes. There is no value holding onto guilt. Use it for identifying the problem and then move on.

4. Realize WE ARE WHAT WE HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT AND EXPERIENCED, AND WE WILL BECOME WHAT WE NOW THINK ABOUT AND EXPERIENCE.

5. Identify those thoughts that lead to unwanted behaviors.

6. Stop the unwanted thoughts when they appear, and replace them with different ones. Know what the “danger signals” are, and plan to have positive, joyful thoughts to replace them.

7. List the danger signals and the new thought images next to them. FEEL positive about the new thoughts and put them into action. ENJOY it.

8. Meditate on seeing these new behaviors with enthusiasm.

9. Make a habit of new positive behaviors. Even if awkward or challenging, work to develop the new habits.

10. Develop skills and knowledge to build self-esteem. Overcome fear with understanding.

11. Practice, practice, practice. Live these new habits with JOY!

The above thought and cellular memory process is NEEDED, as stated, in an intensive year or more ofpersistence. As individuals or institutions, we must understand that this process is NEEDED if we are to overcome addictions and bad habits. No other known process works. May we have the courage to persist in doing what we know MUST be done.

This summary is from my manual Maturity And Becoming, found at www.personalearning.info.  This manual and others are free to download for your USE.

Some Facts About Sex Offenders

 There are approximately 637,000 registered sex offenders in the United States (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 2008).

• There are approximately 250,000 convicted sex offenders under criminal justice supervision in the community (Bureau of Justice Assistance, 2006).
• Most sex offenders (80-95%) assault people they know. (Greenfield, 1997; Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1997 and 2000).
• At least half of convicted child molesters report that they also have sexually assaulted an adult (Alhmeyer, Heil, McKee, and English, 2004).
• Over 80% of convicted adult rapists report that they have molested children (Alhmeyer et al, 2004).
• Approximately one-third of sex offenders report assaulting both males and females. Research shows that most convicted sex offenders have committed many, assaults before they are caught (English, Jones, Pasini-Hill, Patrick, and Cooley-Towell, 2000).
• Most sex offenders report that they have committed multiple types of sexual assault (sexual assault crimes include exhibitionism, voyeurism, oral sex, vaginal penetration, attempted penetration, fondling, and incest) (English et al, 2000).
• Over two-thirds of offenders who reported committing incest also report they assaulted victims outside the family (English et al, 2000).
• Studies of victims have shown less than 30% of sex crimes are reported to law enforcement (National Victim Center and the Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, 1992; Tjaden and Thoennes, 2006).
• Young victims who know or are related to the perpetrator are less likely to report the crime to authorities (Hansen, Resnick, Saunders, Kilpatrick, and Best, 1999).

Making Sense and Cents Out Of Crime

Making Sense And Cents Out of Crime

 

Income can often be “gained” by making sensible (and “centsible”) decisions.  Close to 67% of those in prison are non-violent.  Most could be released for community supervision which is less costly than prison.  The need to spend millions on more prisons would not be needed.  In addition, the felons could take care of their families, pay costs related to their crime(s), and pay victim costs.  While under community supervision, they could take classes related to their poor choices.  More info related to this can be found by typing into your address bar www.crimereform.info ,

Drug Rehab And More

The Oregonian’s article emphasizing the need for drug rehab was needed, and in some ways, an understated need.  We CAN reduce crime re-offense rate from the current 74% (at the end of 5 years) to less than 5% if we will follow proven guidelines.  The cost to taxpayers, victims, and families can be averted if we have the courage to focus on rehab before leaving prison and in our communities for those on probation.  This has been proven repeatedly.  Legislators and Dept. of Corrections administrators must be willing to abandon former failing approaches to crime and focus on what works.  Reviewing www.crimereform.info will provide proven principles that will greatly reduce crime and more.

Sex Offender Registration

Despite the court stating that registration is not punishment, I would disagree.  Before passing judgment, consider that sex offender re-offense rate is one fourth that of other offenders.  According to Justice Statistics less than 5% of these folks re-offend within 3 years of their release compared to other felons at 74% within 5 years.  Registration and the costs related to keeping track of sex offenders has not proven effective.  Registered offenders and other felons are too often restricted from getting jobs and housing.  Registration is lifetime registration, costing a sex offender $70 per year in Oregon for the “privilege” of being registered.  They must have a permanent residence, not being allowed to live a mobile lifestyle, even though finding a home is extremely hard, given the fear and alienation that exists.  A national registry is needed to list those who are a danger to society so that schools, day care facilities, etc. can screen potentially harmful persons.  A court hearing to determine whether a person is predatory is needed as stated in the US Constitution, a practice too often ignored.  Rather than witch hunting and living in fear, consider the following:

Would you be comfortable with sex offenders and other felons released from prison as neighbors? Most everyone would emphatically say, NO! We as taxpayers and families must insist that these men and women be treated with proven-effective rehabilitation before being released to our communities. The key phrase above is “proven-effective”. We cannot continue to release these folks with minimal rehab classes, if they get any at all. These folks need to demonstrate needed changes in their thinking and behavior before they are released. Review the summary of Practical Safety Solutions at www.psaes.info or type into your address bar www.crimereform.info . These proven concepts are offered free for downloading, along with other manuals related to overcoming addictions and unwanted behavior patterns.

Rehabilitation For Offenders

Even though most released prison offenders re-offend at 4 times the rate of sex offenders, offenders must get rehabilitation before they are released. More details about this are offered for free viewing and downloading at www.crimereform.info.

A Solution For The Homeless

Having briefly reviewed my experiences, research, and just seen an Oprah program on the “cities” being developed in the US because of homeless needs, I am prompted to offer this brief summary.  Millions of homeless children and families exist because of many needing to leave their jobs and homes to live in tents and on the streets!  This is disgraceful, especially when we could offer help.

            Imagine, if you will, a facility that can house whole families, individuals, those with medical problems, having classrooms and industries, and the ability to be self-sustaining by its homeless residents.  These present facilities can house hundreds of these folks, offer vocational training and skills, provide recreation and counseling opportunities.  Where are these places? 

            They are the prisons, prisons that could release more than half of their inmates because they are not a danger to themselves or others.  There are close to 67% of these folks who are there as non-violent felons.  These same felons could be released to our communities to live under supervision, be employed to support their families and pay victim costs, and/or work on correction work crews.

 Churches can assist in helping these folks find temporary housing among their members and perhaps offer direction for employment.  Many Churches have resources for food, clothing, and programs to assist.  When a person(s) finds temporary homes to live in, they can assist with household responsibilities, including room and board costs when possible.  Most of the felons, after screening, can live responsibly in their home while attending to productive activities in the community.

To fully implement this approach to rehabilitation and providing housing for the homeless, would require Judges to sentence non-violent offenders to probation under supervision with possible related therapy.  Judges, for the most part, have that authority.  Punishment has not proven, for the most part, to be effective. Prisons can release many that can live responsibly.  Reduce the cost of prison building, etc. while providing needed facilities for the homeless.  YES WE CAN.

A Practical Look At Crime

What we have been doing with criminals and crime has and is not working. We could be reducing the crime re-offense rate from the present 74% (at the end of 5 years) to less than 5%. The result would be far fewer victims. Our children and communities would be safer. The need to build prisons would stop, saving taxpayers great sums of money. Perpetrators would be better prepared and successful as responsible citizens. Criminals could actually pay for their crimes, putting the responsibility of crime where it belongs – on the offender. The need to increase costs and safety concerns in our communities would drop tremendously. PROVEN answers to the above RESULTS related to the above, are summarized by googling www.crimereform.info or clicking on this linked address.

Overcome Child Obesity

A major challenge in our society today, is childhood obesity. In addition to families providing a proper nutrition lifestyle, our schools can implement a proven, almost costless, fun filled, and self-esteem building program into their curriculum. Physical education specialists are not needed. All teachers can take part by needing to only prepare about 3 units of instruction during a school year. This briefly described program, called Teaching Activity Package System (TAPS) may be found by typing into your address bar www.personalearning.info or www.assistedlearning.info .

Parents And Child Health

Sadly, too many children are the victims of parent neglect when it comes to their child’s health. Too much TV, poor nutritionally based meals, and not enough exercise is resulting in kids with being overweight, developing diabetes, having poor self-esteem, and not being excited about their life and school activities.
Much of the challenge to raise healthy children is becoming more and more of the role of our schools. Many years ago, I developed Teaching Activity Package System (TAPS) as a physical education program for the youngsters in our school of 4th, 5th, and 6th graders. This was a daily program that involved all students and teachers. Teachers only needed to prepare for three activities for the entire year. The cost was almost nothing. The fitness level of the students greatly increased as well as their self-esteem and learning of dozens of recreational skills.
The above program can be quickly reviewed and downloaded free at my Practical Safety And Education Solutions website. Type into your address bar www.personalearning.info or www.assistedlearning.info .