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Redcliff Ascent

Redcliff Ascent (RCA) is a wilderness program, which offers behavior modification. They are based in Utah and the program was found in 1993

Some of the detainees are court-ordered into the program, but most are placed there because they would not follow house rules like cleaning dishes, wearing helmet when using a bicycle or just general disagreements with a step parent. (Parents do often use the children as tools against a new partner. RCA is then used as a defense tool from the parent with custody to turn them over to their side.)

The program has a stay between 30 to 60 days. 45 to 60 is the norm, but on the internet stays over 100 days is also to be found.

They are a member by The Independent Small Programs Alliance (ISPA).

Program Structure

Intake: Pollywogs

When they detainees have been processed they are taken to an area where they join a group called Pollywogs. While they are a part of this group, they have to learn 14 safety rules so good that they can recite them verbatim. They are out in the wilderness but not allowed to hike. The main tool is isolation and the urge in among to detainees to move forward in the program, so they can be released.

The program consist of 8 phases the detainees has to complete before being able to see their family again. During the entire stay the only means of communication is by letter.

Some of the phases are called: Coyote, Buffalo and Eagle

Punishment

When a child is not willing to hike, they use pressure points at the last resort. It is called Positive Control System. See video [3].

Criticism

In the rare cases where the program has been evaluated when the parents have tried to get the authorities to pay for their off-spring's stay at RCA, it have not been possible to prove that the program have worked. [7]

In the News

The first season of Brat Camp was filmed at Redcliff Ascent [4]. The program was heavily modified to accommodate the viewer. Redcliff declined to take part in the next seasons, because they could not be as tough as they needed. From the article in Guardian: "The teenagers have the appearance of grizzled explorers: all have severely chapped lips, their faces are sunburned to the point of rawness, layers of skin flaking and peeling away. Their camp-issue clothes are dirty and ripped. And there is the fetid smell of unwashed humanity." [5]

In 1999 a group of boys assaulted the staff members. All eight was later caught. Some ended up in juvenile jail, which were a improvement of their situation [1] [2].

The program is also used to put the teenagers through such a hard torment, that even being rape can seen being bearable compare to the program [6]. 

 

 

References:

External Links

Info: Homepage of the facility
WildernessWork: Rekruting site for Redcliff Ascent
Survivor group: RCA! Red Cliff Ascent students!, Myspace
  Redcliff Ascent, Myspace
  Survivor - Wilderness Edition, Myspace
Forum: Redcliff ascent forum
Fornits tread on Redcliff Ascent