The HISTORY of RealVictory
RealVictory, a 501c3 non-profit organization established in 2004 in partnership with Brigham Young University, aims to identify, develop, and research methodologies that reduce criminal behavior and increase prosocial behavior among repeat offenders. RealVictory’s research focuses on a unique combination of training and technology.
TRAINING
The RealVictory training model is a cognitive-change intervention centered on the idea that beliefs drive behavior (Robert Bennett, Gaining Control, 1987). The model was designed to help individuals examine their principles and beliefs more clearly, understand how their beliefs are driving their behaviors, and make certain that the results of their behavior are aligned with their basic needs.
A similar type of model was already being used successfully by Carl Reddick, an Oregon parole officer. Reddick designed a curriculum based on Robert Bennett’s change intervention principles and began to use his curriculum to train parolees. His experience indicated that parolees who had not responded to traditional therapeutic or treatment programs made substantial progress in their attempts to fundamentally change their own lives.
TECHNOLOGY
In 2005, Bruce Bennett, inventor of Victoryseeker, an automated cell phone-coaching program successfully used in drug recovery programs, and his cousin Jim Bennett, trainer and co-author of the RealVictory cognitive-behavior training program, approached Dr. David Cherrington and Dr. Stephen Bahr at Brigham Young University about the possibility of combining their training methodology with the cell phone-coaching technology in a pilot research program to treat probationers and parolees in Utah County.
Dr. Bahr and Dr. Cherrington saw the potential of the two programs and began a partnership with RealVictory to research whether the cognitive behavior program in combination with the cell phone coaching program could be an effective, and cost-effective, solution to the disturbingly high rates of recidivism and subsequent expenses on society associated with prison sentencing.
Under the direction of Dr. Stephen Bahr, Dr. David Cherrington, Dr. Bert Burraston, and Dr. Stephen Liddle, the BYU research team developed a Monthly Report Card measurement tool, designed to determine pro-social behaviors in adult and juvenile participants.
In 2005, RealVictory, in partnership with BYU, contracted with the Utah County 4th District Juvenile Court to provide training and cell phone coaching to 50 juveniles in Utah County. RealVictory also simultaneously began adult participant training through Utah County Adult Probation and Parole. In 2006, researchers from the University of Utah joined the project.
To date, more than 500 adult and juvenile probationers have participated in the study. Our primary focus has been in the Utah and Salt Lake Counties. State and county correctional entities continue to pledge support to RealVictory and encourage our research. As one parole director put it, “We wish every parolee could go through your program. RealVictory works.”