| Inmates participating in the SUMMIT Program complete the six-month institutional phase at SCCI, and then are released to a 90-day transitional leave in the community. The main program components of the six-month institutional phase are: Cognitive Change, Alcohol and Drug Education and Process Groups, Pathfinders, Education, Anger Management, Community Meetings, Learning Experiences, Work Assignments, Physical Training, Teambuilding, and Evaluations. |
View of a SUMMIT Dormitory
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Cognitive Change: In Cognitive Change classes, inmates learn about their criminality and what thoughts, attitudes, and belief systems helped them to justify their criminal activity. Inmates are held accountable to address their "thinking errors" and taught the skills they need to intervene and overcome these unhealthy thinking patterns which have resulted in socially unacceptable behaviors.
Alcohol and Drug: Inmates participate in both Alcohol and Drug Education classes, Alcohol and Drug Process Groups, and a 12-Step course entitled "Doing Life." While in SUMMIT, inmates complete a detailed substance abuse history, a self-assessment of substance abuse problems, begin working the 12 steps of AA/NA, and develop an individual relapse prevention and recovery plan.
Pathfinders: Pathfinders classes cover a broad range of issues relating to lifestyle changes, including: teambuilding; communication; stress, anger, and time management; problem solving; values; motivation; life planning; parenting; and employment skills.
Education: Inmates at SCCI who do not have a high school diploma or equivalent participate in Adult Basic Education/General Educational Development (ABE/GED) programming. Contracted through Southwestern Oregon Community College, inmates in the education program work in a computer lab and in classes to obtain their GED.
Anger Management: In Anger Management classes, inmates review their cycle of anger throughout their lives and learn to identify the red flags to anger and develop tools to appropriately handle their emotions.
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Community Meetings: Each evening, the community gathers as a group in one of three formats: Community Meeting, Clearing, or Confrontation.
Community Meetings are group meetings with a structured format that allows inmates to discuss areas where they, as individuals, can take accountability for their negative behaviors, point out other behaviors in the community which need to be addressed, and offer progress reports on positive change and personal growth.
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Clearings are designed to provide a process for expressing feelings with the others in their communities. Each individual in the group shares with the group what their feelings for the day are and why they are feeling that way, without comment or rebuttal from the other community members.
Confrontations are closely supervised meetings where group members confront one individual on their actions and behaviors which are detrimental to the community.
Learning Experiences: Inmates are assigned week-long Learning Experiences as a way to bring negative behaviors/attitudes to their attention and to give them tools to address those issues. Learning Experience Committees (made up of SCCI staff and peers of the inmate) meet with the inmate to discuss the behaviors/attitudes and to develop an assignment to address those issues. A typical example would be assigning an inmate to keep a participation log for a week of all the times he participated in classroom discussions to address his lack of participation in classes, then having him review that log for areas where improvements could be made.
Work Assignments: Inmates in the SUMMIT Program are assigned to off-site work crews two days per week. Work assignments are designed to provide an opportunity for inmates to gain valuable work ethics, to learn to work together as a team, and to provide benefits to the local community.
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Physical Training: Inmates participate in physical training each morning while in the program. The Physical Training program is primarily focused on developing healthy exercise habits that they can continue in the community upon their release, including proper warm up, stretching, and cool down. |
Teambuilding: In teambuilding exercises, inmates learn how to work as a team to accomplish tasks and develop trust in other members of their team through these exercises.
Evaluations: Inmates are evaluated daily by six different program areas on attitudes, effort, and behaviors. These evaluations assist the offenders to see themselves as others see them, while offering a gauge as to their progress in the program. Inmates also carry instant evaluation forms on which entries may be made by any staff member throughout the day.
For more information about Shutter Creek Correctional Institution or
any of its programs, contact the institution at
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