Group Counseling in a Correctional Setting

Abstract

This article describes a model of group counseling with prison inmates. Members assume responsibility for what transpires and structure is not imposed by the leader. This format contrasts with the high degree of control and rigidity found in the institutional environment. The stages of a typical group are reviewed. The counselor's personality is seen as a crucial variable in the group's success. Those counselor qualities that engender positive group outcomes are explored. The author stresses that highly structured environments, such as prisons, need not be barriers to meaningful counselor intervention.