Lesson 3

Behavior Management
Behavior Shaping Tools

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT
INTRODUCTION
The Behavior Management is a component of Therapeutic
Community Modality Program (TCMP) that introduces the
concept and mechanics of the various shaping tools to include
Morning Meeting in order to facilitate the management of and
shape the behavior of the residents. This shows the essential
elements and significance of the tools which would provide the
community common language, increase cohesiveness and adapt
to the moral and behavioral code of the tools application. The
behavior shaping tools are ordered in hierarchy to provide
enough room for personal growth and learning. The community
serves as a dynamic force that motivates the individual to
achieve positive behavior change.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

Objectives:
1.) To introduce the concept of behavior
management through the use of various
behavior shaping tools to residents.
2.) To institutionalize the practice of behavior
shaping tools to foster behavior change among
residents.
3.) To highlight the importance of behavior
management in relation to the other TCMP
components towards attitudinal change among
residents.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

 Indicators:
1.) Residents will understand the different
Behavior Shaping Tools and practice them as part
of their daily living.
2.) Residents will utilize the different behavior
shaping tools in promoting change within
themselves and others.
3.) Residents will display improvement in
demeanor, communication and social skills.
4.) Residents will understand the relevance of
the different tools in the attainment of behavioral
change.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

TOOLS
*Pre Morning Meeting
*Morning Meeting
*Talk To
*Pull Up
*Dealt With
*Haircut
*Learning Experience/ Bans
*General Meeting
*Expulsion

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th
PRE MORNING MEETING
Duration/ Frequency: Fifteen minutes daily
Participants: Senior residents, Counselor
Pre-Morning Meeting is done early in the morning
prior to the Morning Meeting. Senior members of the
community will meet for about fifteen (15) minutes to
discuss the attitude of the house the previous day. It
is also where the senior members formulate solutions
to the concerns discussed and to be executed during
the day. The attendees will also discuss the activities
to be engaged in the Morning Meeting and make
sure that all participants are ready with their
corresponding parts and determine the amount of
time to be allotted for each part. The group will agree
on the theme or concept of the day. This is to make
sure that everything is ironed out prior to the conduct
of the Morning Meeting such as the validation of pull-
ups and other concerns.
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th
MORNING MEETING
Duration/ frequency: One hour daily
Participants: All residents, Counselor
Morning Meeting is a daily ritual that starts the day in a
TC faclility. It is attended by the whole community and
lasts for an hour. It commences with the Opening
Prayer, Singing of the Philippine National Anthem and
the recitation of the TC Philosophy. It is usually
facilitated by any member of the community. It is
divided into two (2) parts namely: (1) public
announcements and community concerns and (2)
community-spirit building or up rituals.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

The first part of the meeting consists of public
announcements regarding important activities or
businesses and other information that the community
needs to know. It is a review of how the community
performed in the previous day and check on the
behavior of erring members through the conduct of
“pull-ups”. A pull up is done as an expression of
concern over the lapses of some members and
encourage ownership of mistakes on the violators. The
pull-up is followed by affirmations of good deeds,
display of responsible concern towards peers or
unselfish acts of some residents.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

This is to show that good deeds are not left unnoticed and
leave a feeling of self-worth to those concerned. The first
part of the Morning Meeting is a serious business where the
members are expected to be formal in their demeanors.
Rules are set such as: no side talking, no cross legging, no
laughing, hands on the laps and sit erect.
The Concept of the Day serves as a guide as to what
direction the community is headed for the day. It is
elaborated by residents of the community to have a better
understanding of the whole concept. The concept of the day
is preferably taken from the Unwritten Philosophies of
TCMP.
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th
The second part of the meeting consists of
entertaining presentations to lighten up the
mood and start the day on a positive note. It
somehow develops some talents and shed off
inhibitions of participants.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

PARTS OF THE MORNING MEETING
I. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT/CONCERNS
a. Opening Prayer (Ecumenical)
b. Singing of the Philippine National Anthem (Flag must be
displayed)
c. TC Philosophy (Adopted translation)
d. Announcements
Staff (Director, Asst. Director, Counselor & other
personnel)
Residents (Coordinators, Dep’t Heads, Expediters)
Report on Dorm Inspection by Chief Expediter
e. Community Concerns
Pull-ups/ elaboration
Affirmations
f. Concept of the Day

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

II. UP – RITUALS

h. News casting (Local, Nat’l, International,

Sports and Weather News)
i. Entertainment (Choose either Song,
Dance, Skit, Humorous Story)
j. Community Singing (Any song that has
relation to the Concept of the Day)
k. Greetings

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th
HIERARCHY OF BEHAVIOR
SHAPING TOOLS
Behavior Shaping Tools (BST) is employed to
strengthen the learning process and the practice of
more adaptive behaviors within the social learning
environment. The major tools of the BST, such as the
Talk To, Pull–up, Dealt With, Haircut, Learning
Experience, General Meeting and Expulsion were
developed as a means to correct behaviors of the
residents that violated the TC norms. The Hierarchy of
Behavior Shaping Tools will serve as a guide to
determine which of the tools are appropriate to be used
based on the severity of the infraction or violations
committed by the residents against the TC Rules as
shown in Figure 1.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

TALK TO
A “Talk To” is an outright correction done by any
member of the TC community to another member who
has done a minor infraction but is not aware of it. It is a
friendly reminder/advice about an unacceptable
behavior and must be done privately. During a “Talk
To”, the resident is made aware of his/her negative
behavior and the results it may have on others and the
environment. The feedback given to the resident who
committed mistake is done in a positive way. This is to
evoke awareness on the part of the violators to avoid
committing the same mistake and be given heavier
sanctions if done in the future.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

PULL-UP
A Pull-up is done as a result of lack,
missed or lapses in awareness in a
resident. All the members of the
community are responsible to pull-up
minor infractions done by peers. It
encourages honesty, demeanor
awareness and owning up to one’s
mistakes. This is done when the violator
is unknown and must be validated first
prior to bringing up in the Morning
Meeting.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

PULL-UP
Pull-ups create a certain degree of dissonance
on the guilty party whereby there is a strong
internal conflict whether to practice honesty or
continue to live in a lie. When the resident is
able to overcome the impulse to lie and start
practicing honesty, his commitment to live by the
TC standards increases.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

PULL-UP
The resident receiving the pull-up is expected to
listen without saying a word, assume that it is
valid, quickly display the corrected behavior and
express gratitude in receiving it. After one
member did the pull-up, other residents who
want to show concern can make elaborations to
give emphasis to the infractions and concretize
the admonitions that need to be relayed to the
violator. Two to three elaborations are ideal.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

PULL-UP
Too many elaborations are discouraged as they
may take so much time. Focus should be given
to the behavior and not the person. It is meant to
raise awareness and not to punish or embarrass
the violator. Personal attacks, shaming or the
use of racist language are strictly forbidden
during pull-ups. It should be emphasized that
pull-ups are done out of responsible love and
concern to avoid creating negative feelings
during the process.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

PULL-UP
In a situation wherein no one stood and owned
up a negative behavior raised in the pull-up, the
resident doing the Pull-Up will narrow down the
Pull-Up to make it clear and specific, stating the
place and time of the occurrence. In the event
that nobody stood to own it up, the resident
doing the Pull-Up will instead ask the
community to stand and there, he/she will
deliver his pull-up addressing the entire family
believing that the violator is a responsibility of
the whole community.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

PULL-UP
The moderator asks for someone who has a
Pull-up. A member raises his hand and
declared: “Who among my brothers/ sisters did
not flush the toilet after using it early in the
morning?”
(Sinu-sino sa ating mga kapatid na naririto ang
hindi nagbuhos ng tubig sa palikuran (kubeta)
pagkatapos gumamit kaninang umaga?) A few
people stood up to admit the pull up. The
resident doing the Pull-Up then gives his/her
admonition/advice to the violators. The
moderator asks for elaborations.
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th
All members attending the Morning Meeting
must raise their hands to show their concerns. It
is noted that a question must be asked
mentioning the circumstances using the 3Ws
(What, Where, and When). The violators are not
allowed to talk or respond but just stand, face
the community and accept the admonitions.
The number of elaborations depends upon the
number of Pull-Ups. The more Pull-Ups brought
in, the less elaborations.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

1st elaboration: “Brothers/sisters, we should
always be aware of our actions. Going to the
toilet is a routine activity. It is a must that we
should flush it after using to keep it clean. We
should always think of other people who might
use it after us”.
2nd elaboration: “Brothers/ sisters, whatever our
wrong practices in the past are should be
corrected here. We need to put our lives in
order. Flushing the toilet is a basic action that
needs no reminders. We should always practice
cleanliness and good hygiene”.
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th
3rd elaboration: “Brothers/ sisters the reason we
are here is because of some wrongdoings. Let
us leave all of those behind us. Let us be aware
of our actions and give consideration to other
people. We should not impose on others what
we don’t want to experience ourselves. Before
leaving the toilet, make sure that you have done
what you are expected to do. Please be
responsible.”

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

DEALT WITH
Dealt With is done when negative behaviors or
infractions to the House Rules/Norms are done
for the second time of same offense by a
resident.
A panel of three (3) composed of a senior
resident, peer and a friend are tasked to deliver
a serious and stern reprimand to the subjected
resident.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th
HAIRCUT
Haircut is done when negative behaviors or
infractions to the House Rules/Norms in same
offense are done for the third time or more or for
first time grave offenses. It is a carefully planned
and structured verbal reprimand given by a Staff
with four other residents - Senior Resident,
Peer, Big Brother, and Department Head (Figure
3). The tone is more serious and can be loud,
more harsh and exaggerated.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

This is done to induce anxiety and eventually
change the person’s behavior. Before the group
calls in the person, they will discuss among
themselves the order of speakers, how intense
the haircut will be and what sanctions will be
given if any. The resident is then called inside
and waits until he is asked to sit.
He will be asked if he knows the reason for his
appearance. After the person’s response, he will
be asked to sit and remain silent to enable
him/her absorb all the advices.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

The haircut gives emphasis on the behavior of the
resident and the severity of the haircut should be
appropriate to the gravity of the offense. Each member
of panel is given ample time to express himself without
interruption from the other members. The staff or peer
who booked the haircut should not be part of the team
so as to avoid bias or subjectivity. Before a resident be
subjected to Haircut, his/her infraction must be first
investigated, discussed and decided by the Disciplinary
Board (Book II, Rule 2, Section 4 of the BJMP Manual).
Sanction/Learning Experience that has been decided
upon by the jail Disciplinary Board and the TCMP staff
will be imposed after the Haircut.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th
LEARNING EXPERIENCE
A Learning Experience (LE) is an action or
activity given to a resident who was subjected to
Haircut or General Meeting who did an infraction
to correct or modify a behavior. LE may be task
–oriented, written task or peer interactions.
Since TCMP is educational rather than punitive
in its approach to behavioral change, the LE
should be done in a way that would remind the
person of the negative attitude he has done
without compromising his human dignity.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

The intent of the LE is not to stigmatize the
person but to motivate him to make restitutions
for the wrong doings he committed and redeem
himself in the community.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

The LE should be related to the infraction committed
for him to focus on the behavior expected of him in
the community. It should not be given as a
punishment but rather a motivation to develop more
positive attitude. This will develop a sense of
responsibility on him while stressing his
inadequacies. LE should be realistic and humane.
Putting a person on LE for more than one (1) week
may lessen the learning objective. Putting the person
on LE for an extended period of time or sanctions that
are far harsher than the offense or may deny him of
the basic necessities may border on abuse and
violation of human rights.
Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th
 Close supervision with clear goals increases the
effectiveness of the sanction. Upon lifting the LE after
seven (7) days, the resident subjected to the tool will be
accorded with a Senior Resident coming from his/her
Static Group who will provide guidance and continually
monitors the performance in the house of the former.
The senior resident assigned will give a self-report after
fifteen (15) days on how the resident (who undergone
LE) carried out his responsibilities after the LE and state
therein the resident’s condition whether he/she needs
further supervision. The authority in giving LE lies in the
Disciplinary Board and TCMP staff.

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 6th