A checklist of standards for democratic therapeutic communities

Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to grasp the nettle of developing a “checklist” of standards that can be used to accredit a therapeutic community, which are concrete enough to be objectively assessed as present to a greater or lesser degree, but at the same time reflect the daily living learning experience of a therapeutic community in a way that practitioners will recognise as a true picture of what they do or try to do.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper describes the development of a set of auditable standards for democratic therapeutic communities, and the results of an initial pilot study. The original 60‐item checklist is attached.

Findings

The Kennard‐Lees Audit Checklist (KLAC) was developed out of an accreditation structure proposed to the ATC by Morris in 1998. This was developed by the present authors into 42 specific items which were posted for comment and suggestions on the ATC website in October 1999. A modified version was then discussed with the Prison Service, as a result of which a number of further items were added, resulting in the 60 items versions that was published on the ATC website in October 2000.

Originality/value

The checklist provides a set of auditable standards acceptable to managers, practitioners and residents of TCs. This early work acts as a measure for how things have changed since 2001.

Citation

Kennard, D. and Lees, J. (2012), "A checklist of standards for democratic therapeutic communities", Therapeutic Communities: The International Journal of Therapeutic Communities, Vol. 33 No. 2/3, pp. 117-123. https://doi.org/10.1108/09641861211291603