Does punishment in secure residential youth care work? An overview of the evidence
| Pages | 3-16 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JCS-11-2014-0048 |
| Published date | 16 March 2015 |
| Date | 16 March 2015 |
| Author | S. de Valk,G. H. P. van der Helm,M. Beld,P. Schaftenaar,C. Kuiper,G. J. J. M. Stams |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Vulnerable groups,Children's services |
Does punishment in secure residential
youth care work? An overview of the
evidence
S. de Valk, G.H.P. van der Helm, M. Beld, P. Schaftenaar, C. Kuiper and G.J.J.M. Stams
S. de Valk is Teacher,
Researcher and G.H.P. van der
Helm is Lecturer, both at the
Youth Expert Centre, University
of Applied Sciences Leiden,
Leiden,
The Netherlands.
M. Beld is Teacher and
Researcher at the University of
Applied Sciences Windesheim,
Zwolle, The Netherlands.
P. Schaftenaar is Manager at
the Secure Psychiatric Care,
Inforsa, Amsterdam,
The Netherlands.
C. Kuiper is Lector Participation
at the University
of Applied Scienced in
Rotterdam and Lector
Transormation in Health Care
at the University of Applied
Science in Leiden.
G.J.J.M. Stams is Professor at
the Department of Forensic
Child and Youth Care
Sciences, University of
Amsterdam, Amsterdam,
The Netherlands.
Abstract
Purpose –Violence is a common problem in secure residential units for young people. Group
workers often think that young people have to learn to behave by means of punishment. The pur pose of
this paper is to investigate whether this approach is effective in these settings, and, if so, under
what circumstances. Furthermore, it aims to provide alternatives to punishment when dealing
with violence.
Design/methodology/approach –Recent evidence on the effectiveness of punishment in secure
residential units is reviewed. In addition, methods which are promising in dealing with violence are described.
Findings –The review shows that punishment is often used to regain control by group workers or,
alternatively, is a result of professional helplessness in the face of escalating problems. Only when the living
group climate is marked by trust and cooperation can punishment be effective.
Originality/value –Punishment in secure residential settings can have severe negative consequences.
Nevertheless, group workers are tempted to use it as a response to violence in an attempt to gain control.
Keywords Control, Alliance, Violence, Living group climate, Punishment, Secure and correctional care,
Review
Paper type Literature review
Introduction
In secure residential youth care, the young people (aged 4-18) are treated in living groups or
wards by trained care staff, social workers or psychiatric nurses. These workers often encounter
severe aggression by the residents (Bracha, 2006; Toch and Kupers, 2007; Whittle et al., 2006).
This has a considerable impact on their professional behaviour because they often fear getting
hurt and experience loss of control (Van der Helm et al., 2011). Group workers sometimes think
that punishment for rule infraction(s) or “bad behavior”is a solution for dealing with both the
antisocial behaviour and the sense of losing control (Hanrath, 2013). But in reality punishment
often aggravates the situation and increases the likelihood of coercive responses by group
workers, both of which damage the living group climate (Fontaine and Dodge, 2009; Patterson,
1976; Van der Helm and Stams, 2012). Approaches that are too rigid or excessively restrictive
increase the risk of violence (Duxbury, 2002; Meehan et al., 2006). Zimbardo (2007) and Hanrath
(2013) show how “good people turn evil”in such situations. Fontaine and Dodge (2009), Dadds
and Salmon (2003) and Van der Helm and Stams (2012) point to negative group dynamic
processes which can explain why punitive behaviour occurs at the individual level and Patterson
(1976) speaks of transactional processes, designated as a “coercion trap”in which group
workers and young people escalate their reactions towards each other in order to achieve
dominance.
This study was made possible by
the support of the Reformed Civil
Orphanage (Gereformeerd Burger
Weeshuis), Rotterdam, The
Netherlands.
DOI 10.1108/JCS-11-2014-0048 VOL. 10 NO. 1 2015, pp. 3-16, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1746-6660
j
JOURNAL OF CHILDREN’S SERVICES
j
PAG E 3
To continue reading
Request your trial