Intensive Behavior Therapy Unit

Description of the Strategy

The key component of the intensive behavior therapy unit (IBTU) is a weekly incentive program within a prison that monitors personal hygiene and grooming, sanitation, compliance with general rules, such as not engaging in assaultive behavior, and socialization activities. Appropriate compliance with these activities is recorded on a checklist that is completed on a daily basis by an officer who oversees the unit. Incentives are distributed or withheld based on each inmate/participant's performance and progress. The goal of IBTU is to promote prosocial behavior through external rewards, with the hope that the problematic behavior will eventually become extinguished as the inmate/participant comes to feel intrinsically rewarded by behaving in an appropriate manner.

Each IBTU inmate has a comprehensive behavioral ...