| The cycle of violence and the impact it has on young people is a growing concern in our society. Violence occurs in many contexts including global, communal, familial, and interpersonal violence. Exposure to violence in these systems contributes to the way in which children learn to solve problems and cope with life's pressures. Repeated and intensive exposure to violence proliferates aggressive behavior in young people, hence, leading many of them to commit violent crime themselves. The victim of violence often becomes the perpetrator, thus, the cycle of violence continues. This project aims to address these problems through interventions presented in a workbook format for children and adolescents in correctional settings.; Choosing My Tomorrow is a workbook created by the author as a therapeutic tool to be facilitated by therapists, parents, and other adults. Specifically, the workbook is designed to help demonstrate to violent and aggressive offenders ages 9–15, ways in which problems can be solved using peaceful, prosocial decision-making skills. Cognitive-behavioral, and narrative story telling techniques are incorporated into an easy to read, colorfully illustrated self directed workbook. The creation of the workbook, from the author's inspiration to final completion, is described in detail. The workbook contains four chapters: Street Smarts (community violence), Hot House (family violence), Friendly Fire (peer violence), and Angry Adults (child maltreatment). Each chapter has three subsections, including; a short narrative, Choosing My Tomorrow, and This Is My Story. Chapters include a short tale written in a contemporary adolescent language to increase interest, discussion questions, activities, and space for journaling, each of which is based on improving decision-making skills and problem-solving ability. Tips for the children/adolescents and the adults are provided to make the most of the workbook. Additionally, the workbook is offered in Spanish to serve the Spanish-speaking juveniles incarcerated. Suggestions for a potential study to evaluate efficacy of the workbook and future research are discussed. Finally, the author reveals the triumphs and tribulations encountered while creating this project, her inspiration, and potential goals for how participants may find new ways for choosing their tomorrow. |
