Editorial

Citation

Pearce, S. (2012), "Editorial", Therapeutic Communities: The International Journal of Therapeutic Communities, Vol. 33 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/tc.2012.62033daa.001

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Therapeutic Communities: The International Journal of Therapeutic Communities, Volume 33, Issue 4

Welcome to issue 33(4) of Therapeutic Communities.

The first paper by Taylor et al. provides initial data on a cohort of men admitted to a new high secure forensic therapeutic community (TC) for people with personality disorder and learning difficulties (LD). Although often excluded in the past from psychosocial interventions on the basis that they were unlikely to benefit, people with LD have long been residents in TCs in the belief that TCs provide a compassionate environment, but without an expectation of change. The authors set out the measures put in place to challenge this assumption. If TCs can effect lasting change in patients with personality disorder and LD, they will be the first intervention to be shown to do so.

Ranz et al. examined two populations attending drug free TCs in Israel, comparing addicts from the former Soviet Union with those born in Israel. The former stay longer in treatment, but score lower on self-efficacy measures, and suffer from lower levels of social support. The reasons for these differences, some of which are counterintuitive, bear close scrutiny.

Finally Holmes and Williams present a theoretical paper drawing on elements of business theory to draw conclusions about the toleration of chaos in TCs. At a time of increasing regulation and risk aversion, the ability to tolerate uncertainty, and allow creativity to flourish in a less tightly regulated environment, is a message worth considering, and perhaps one particularly suited to a TC environment.

November 2012.

Steve Pearce