Community Accountability New Awareness Appropriate Social B h i Behaviors PERSONAL GROWTH Emotional & Mental Stability Congratulations for choosing to participate in this Program! You are taking the first step towards resolving your conflict with the criminal justice system. The exercises that you will complete are designed to improve mostt every aspectt off your life. lif Y You will ill be b presented t d with ith a new awareness about b t matters tt th t nott only that l address your behaviors but may offer you new and better choices in life as well. This newly found freedom will elicit the responsibility needed to continue on your path to positive personal growth. This specially designed curriculum addresses the reasons why you were referred to this Program. Moreover, this Program explores the reasons why we do the things we do. We ask that you respond to all the exercises honestly and complete them to the best of your ability. It is recommended that you approach this task with an open mind and willingness to prevent this situation from happening again. This course will provide the following: • Information presented in a well-structured and organized manner for an optimal learning experience • Freedom to ask questions when you do not understand the information being presented • Appropriate boundaries to safeguard your well being and protect your anonymity • Guidance to think critically about the choices that led to your conflict with the criminal justice system • Encouragement to make more positive decisions to prevent future conflict with the legal system • Encouragement to make more timely decisions that will lead you to a healthier and more secure future • And finally, an opportunity to give an anonymous and unbiased evaluation of the class © Copyright 2013 All rights reserved, no part of this publication may be duplicated or utilized without express permission. Community Accountability PROGRAM INTRODUCTION You may be wondering, “Why am I here?” or “How did this happen?” You may be experiencing a wide variety of emotions as a result of being required to complete this requirement of the Prosecutor’s Program. You are here because your choices and decisions led you to violate the state’s law(s). The purpose of this course is to help you make better decisions which will prevent such a violation from happening again. Many people who break the law do not appear to possess a criminal personality or lifestyle, yet they have nonetheless made a decision to break the law. What is the definition of a criminal? Is everyone who breaks the law a criminal? Why would someone knowingly break the law? These are serious questions that deserve your careful consideration. The Prosecutor’s office (has given to many of you) the opportunity to avoid criminal prosecution through participation in this Program. Others are here because a judge ordered this Program as a condition of probation or sentence. During this course, you will have the opportunity to closely examine the decisions you have made, and their resulting consequences. consequences This course will focus on many of the factors that may have contributed to your decisions. This material will discuss how personal issues such as lack of personal responsibility, pride, stress, or perhaps substance abuse may have influenced your decision-making ability. The goal today is to create a positive learning environment where you may acquire new skills to help you avoid similar critical situations in the future. What will it take to ensure this situation never happens again? The ultimate responsibility rests with you! We encourage your full participation in order to receive the maximum benefit this material has to offer. PROGRAM GUIDELINES 1. All students must participate in class. This includes class discussions, workbook exercises, and the completion of a program evaluation. 2. Class members will be respectful p of each other at all times. Opinions p should be expressed p in an appropriate manner. 3. There will be no private conversations in class. 4. Please turn OFF all electronic devises (e.g. phones, iPods, gaming devices, etc.) 5. No smoking or eating is allowed during class. 6. No sunglasses are to be worn in class. 7. Please do not work ahead in your workbook. 8. Please use restrooms only during scheduled breaks. 9. Students must be on time when returning from breaks. Anyone who does not attend the entire session, or appears under the influence of alcohol or drugs, will forfeit the program fee and must obtain approval to re-take the class. 10. Confidentiality: Everything that you say and/or write in this workbook will be strictly confidential and will only be view by the appropriate staff in the Program. Upon completion of the course, you will receive an attendance certificate for your records. If under a court order, that certificate must be returned to the court as soon as possible. I, _____________________________________ hereby agree to the above course guidelines. 2 Community Accountability STUDENT INTRODUCTIONS Introduce yourself by writing your name, where you are from, a favorite hobby, your occupation, and something that you are proud of. INDIVIDUAL REPORT Review the following statements and complete an individual report: 1 Please 1. Pl circle i l the th reason(s) ( ) below b l th t best that b t describe d ib why h you are here: h o I knew what I was doing was wrong and I was willing to face the consequences o I acted before I had time to think about the consequences o I thought I wouldn’t be caught o I could not stop myself o M judgment My j d t was impaired i i d due d to t the th use off alcohol/drugs l h l/d o NOT driving made me feel helpless, restless, and trapped o Other (please describe)_____________________________________________________ 2. Please answer the following questions in the spaces provided: How has this action affected you? (your job, time, stress, relationships, finances, etc.). ______________________________________________________________________________ Why was your license originally suspended /revoked? ______________________________________________________________________________ How have your choices affected your family and/or other relationships? ______________________________________________________________________________ Can you identify any factors or situations that may have influenced your behavior? ______________________________________________________________________________ Have you been in trouble with the law before? How many times? What offenses? ______________________________________________________________________________ Wh t are you willing What illi to t do d to t preventt this thi situation it ti from f occurring i again? i ? Be B specific. ifi ______________________________________________________________________________ Small Group Exercise Each student will share within an assigned small group why he or she is here. More importantly, each student will discuss specifically what he/she will do to prevent this situation from recurring in the future. Use your answers to the questions above to help guide you. Start by introducing yourself. State your name and something interesting about yourself so that other group members can get to know you better. 3 Community Accountability POSITIVE CHANGE “I am responsible for the outcome of my life!” It is our hope that you leave here today with the necessary tools needed to change your values, attitude, and behaviors. Your approach to personal responsibility must change or it could result in more serious consequences. Another similar criminal incident could force you to incur additional fines and/or fees and possibly incarceration. Change is not easy, but it’s doable! As a step towards positive change, please complete the Personal Contract below. below What will you do differently to make sure you are never in this situation again? Upon completion of this class, you will be asked to share your contract to strengthen your commitment to positive changes in your lifestyle. PERSONAL CONTRACT I, ____________________________, plan to “Do Differently” the following to make sure that I am never in this situation again: _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ I,________________________________, will strengthen my positive values by:_________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________to help prevent this situation from happening again. Signed:________________________________________________ Date: _________________ Witness:_______________________________________________ Date:__________________ 4