Use of Free Time
An Empower Community Care Organization
Use of Free Time
© 2025 by Carey Group Publishing
This Guide is based on the Carey Guide Prosocial Leisure Activities, originally published in 2012.
All rights reserved. The publisher grants purchasers the right to copy pages that are marked: “Carey Group Publishing grants the purchaser the right to copy this page.” It is unlawful to reproduce by any means any other portion of this book without the written permission of the publisher.
Author
Ingrid Sharos, MS, Justice System Consultant; Former Deputy Director Adult Services, DuPage County Probation Department (Illinois)
Acknowledgments
Carey Group would like to acknowledge the vision, inspiration, and leadership of its founder and co-founder, Mark Carey and Madeline M. Carter, whose dedication and hard work brought life to the Carey Guides. We would also like to recognize Frank Domurad, former vice-president of Carey Group, for the integral role he played in the development of the Carey Guides.
To those who reviewed the original version of this Guide and generously shared their expertise with us, we are deeply grateful:
• William D. Burrell, Community Corrections Consultant
• Donald G. Evans, Former President, Board of Directors, Canadian Training Institute
• Kevin B. Johnson, Director, Whiteside (Illinois) County Court Services
• Russ Stricker, MSW, Former Supervisor, Intensive Supervision Program, Hennepin County (Minnesota) Department of Community Corrections and Rehabilitation
• Faye S. Taxman, PhD, University Professor, Faculty Fellow, George Mason University, Schar School of Policy and Government; Director, Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence
Produced by
Susan Burke
Tom Dart
Franz & Company, Inc.
Judy Hammer
Debbie Smith
1.877.892.2739 #80 info@thecareygroup.com www.thecareygroup.com
About Carey Group
Carey Group is a national consulting and publishing firm that equips justice system and behavioral health professionals with knowledge, skills, and tools that improve the lives of clients. We make this possible by providing an array of staff training, organizational consulting services, and evidence-informed intervention tools.
What Are the Carey Guides?
Research has shown that the contact model of supervision (i.e., supervision dictated by the number of contacts with corrections professionals) does not reduce recidivism. Instead, a more effective method is to work with people to help them understand and address their identified criminogenic needs and to teach them the skills they require to change their own behavior. The Carey Guides support this method.
We know you have a heavy workload and little time, so we have made the Guides short, practical, and easy to use. They are designed to help you do your job more effectively by translating evidence-based practices (EBP) into a series of strategies and skillbuilding tools. The tools are not meant to substitute for treatment or programming, and are designed for use with people at all motivation levels.
The Carey Guides can assist you in moving people from resistance to action, from illegal behavior to law-abiding behavior.
“Leading Innovation and Change”
A Note About Terminology
The Carey Guides are for professionals working with people under correctional supervision. This includes, but is not limited to, institutional and field settings, adults and youth, probation and parole, pretrial and post-sentence, and halfway houses and residential centers. As such, finding a specific set of terms that resonates with all areas of specialty is a bit daunting. The Carey Guides use the term “corrections professional” to refer to any staff member responsible for managing, supervising, treating, or otherwise providing case management services to people involved in the justice system. In addition, Carey Guides use “person-first” language rather than dehumanizing and stigmatizing labels such as “offender,” “inmate,” or “delinquent” in recognition that individuals involved in the justice system are first and foremost people
Use of Free Time
How Can Healthy Leisure Activities Support a Law-Abiding Lifestyle?
Recreation is important for maintaining a balanced lifestyle, relieving everyday stress, and improving physical and mental health. Youth or adults who are justice-involved and who participate in healthy leisure activities have a greater likelihood of meeting others who are positive influences, developing and practicing the skills needed to interact and communicate with people in a healthy way, gaining a sense of accomplishment and belonging, and increasing their sense of self-efficacy. Identifying and incorporating positive leisure activities into their life can provide people with structure, which, in turn, can reduce their risk and opportunity for participating in illegal activities and unhealthy behaviors.
If people lack healthy leisure activities, they may look for illegal ways to occupy themselves. For example, people who like excitement might steal cars to feel a “rush.” People who seek social interaction may turn to gangs. If, on the other hand, they engage in positive leisure activities, they may be more likely to surround themselves with positive friends and associates, make meaningful connections within their community, and develop alternatives to the behaviors and social norms of a harmful lifestyle, thus reducing their risk of breaking the law again.
One of your roles as a corrections professional is to help people define their positive interests, identify activities that match those interests, locate opportunities to engage in those activities, and structure their days so that healthy leisure activities become part of their everyday life.
Types of Leisure Activities
• At home: Cooking, reading, listening to music, watching movies, gardening
• In the community: Getting involved in a community services project, going for dinner with friends, going to concerts
• At places of worship: Prayer services, committees, meetings, social activities
• At community centers and in parks: Playing basketball, running, skateboarding, taking martial arts classes, taking salsa lessons
• Adventure: Boxing, cycling, rock climbing, going on wilderness expeditions
Using Evidence-Based Practices to Promote Healthy Leisure Activities
Using evidence-based practices to increase people’s involvement in healthy leisure activities can improve their likelihood of remaining law-abiding. Follow these five sequential steps:
Assess: Find out about the types of positive activities that people enjoy and assess the degree to which an absence of these activities might contribute to their unlawful behavior:
• Do people usually just hang out or do they plan their days?
• What kinds of positive activities do they like doing?
• What personal needs (e.g., excitement, sense of accomplishment, calm) do these activities meet?
• Which activities would they like to do more often?
• When during the day do they engage in these activities?
• When do they tend to have a lot of “down time”?
• When are they most at risk of getting into trouble? It is usually when people are not engaged in healthy leisure activities or other constructive behaviors, such as working, going to school, or attending to family commitments, that they are at a greater risk of getting into trouble again.
While a lack of healthy leisure activities can contribute to illegal behavior, it is considered a lesser influence than factors such as poor decision-making skills or a lack of positive friends and associates Refer to other Carey Guides, such as Doing
What’s Right and Friendships, for ways to address those factors .
Target: Target the specific thoughts and feelings linked to people’s unhealthy actions and help them understand how healthy activities could address those thoughts and feelings in positive ways. For example, if they feel anxious, a pastime such as fishing or meditating might help. Discuss additional benefits of healthy leisure activities, such as the opportunity to meet and engage with positive role models and learn new skills. Target your interventions for those times of the day when they may be at greatest risk to recidivate.
Engage: Engage people in the process of identifying their interests and talents, and then explore with them which healthy leisure activities they might like to pursue. Engaging people is critical if they are to take ownership of their overall case plan, maximize their participation in positive leisure activities, and experience success.
Match: Help people select healthy leisure activities that will most likely address their risk of violating the law. These activities should take into consideration their strengths, interests, and motivation. If people are risk takers, identify activities that might generate excitement but that are lawful in nature. If they are easily bored, choose activities that might offer a challenge. Where appropriate, encourage them to get involved in activities that are social. They are more likely to stick with leisure activities that they do with people whose relationships they value.
Plan: Work with people to create a case plan that will increase their likelihood of success. Keep the plan simple, concrete, and achievable so that they can develop a sense of self-efficacy. Offer support and reinforcement with each small step. Remember that many people may not know where to find or how to become involved in clubs, hobbies, or activities of a positive nature. Provide them with choices of activities they can do in their neighborhood or nearby.
The case plan should include ways to overcome obstacles that would make it difficult for people to engage in healthy leisure activities. For example, if they do not have a driver’s license or if they do not own or have access to a vehicle, work with them to identify public transportation options or family or friends who could provide transportation to appropriate, healthy activities. When contacting organizations about their activities, ask if they provide transportation.
Ensure that people’s case plan is dynamic in nature, changing as their need or circumstance changes, new information is acquired, new strategies are required, or progress is made.
Forming partnerships with local community centers, park districts, and faith-based organizations can help you create opportunities for people to participate in healthy leisure activities . When partnering agencies understand and participate in the case planning process, they may become more invested in people’s success . As a result, they might extend special privileges to people, such as waiving participation fees, helping them feel more welcome, and providing additional positive reinforcement .
Skill-Building Tools to Promote Healthy Leisure Activities
The skill-building tools in this Guide will help you identify the role that healthy leisure activities can play in increasing people’s likelihood of remaining law-abiding. Introduce people to the tools in the order listed, teach and practice skills during your appointments, assign parts of the tools for completion before you next meet, and debrief the work together at your next appointment. If you think that people with whom you are working have reading difficulties, read and complete the tools with them. Alternatively, if they give their permission, have their parents, partners, or other supporters help them fill out the tools in a non-threatening setting.
Teach people how to enjoy themselves without putting themselves in high-risk situations . Realize that they may not yet be aware of how to do something with their leisure time other than “hanging out .” Help them search for healthy activities to occupy their time and suggest ways to remove barriers that they might encounter in trying to do so .
How to Use the Skill-Building Tools
There are four skill-building tools in this Guide: “Identifying Healthy Leisure Activities,” “The Benefits of Healthy Activities,” “Time Chart,” and “Making a Plan.” In “Identifying Healthy Leisure Activities,” people identify activities they enjoy and people with whom they would like to do these activities. “The Benefits of Healthy Activities” helps them understand that the choices they make around their leisure activities can greatly impact their life. “Time Chart” encourages people to explore how they can incorporate more positive leisure activities into their daily routine. “Making a Plan” helps them build the skills they need to plan and engage in healthy leisure activities.
Identifying Healthy Leisure Activities
Instructions
This tool helps people to identify healthy activities that they enjoy and to determine with whom they would like to do these activities.
SESSION 1
1. Talk with people about why leisure time is important for everyone. Explain that fun, healthy leisure activities
• help us feel good physically and emotionally;
• reduce our level of stress;
• give us the opportunity to socialize with new, positive people; and
• help us maintain a balanced lifestyle. Give examples of healthy leisure activities, such as working out at the gym, going to see a movie with a friend who has a positive impact, or volunteering for a community services project.
2. Ask people to think about what healthy leisure activities they enjoy. Have them complete Question 1 at home.
SESSION 2
1. Review people’s answers to Question 1. If they express an interest in activities that may be considered healthy for others but that might be risky for them, steer them to alternative activities and suggest that they revise their answers.
2. Find out more about the activities that people enjoy. For example, you might ask questions such as the following:
• What kind of music do you like?
• What kinds of things do you like to build?
• Where do you hike?
• What sports do you play?
• What’s the last book you really enjoyed?
3. Then, ask people to choose five activities that they enjoy and to think about what they have in common. Are they exciting? Are they interesting? Do they help them relax? Do they involve other people? Have them record their answers in Question 2.
4. Ask people to pick the three activities they enjoy the most and to identify with whom they would like to do these activities. It might be friends, family members, or coworkers. (Be prepared for the possibility that they may not be able to designate positive friends and companions, and that you will have to help them identify possibilities. Alternatively, they may be more comfortable participating in the activities alone.) Have them record their answers in Question 3.
The Benefits of Healthy Activities
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Instructions
This tool helps people understand how healthy activities can reduce their risk of committing illegal behaviors.
SESSION 1
1. Ask people to think back to a day when they got or almost got into trouble. Elicit the following information:
• What were they doing (e.g., a structured activity, just hanging out)?
• Where were they?
• Who were they with?
• How were they feeling (e.g., bored, lonely, angry)? Have them record their answers in Question 1.
2. Help people see how each factor in Question 1 may have contributed to their unhealthy behavior and how engaging in healthy activities might have led to more positive outcomes. Ask questions such as the following:
• If you had been gardening instead of just hanging out, how might your day have been different? (Tailor the alternative activity you suggest to one that is relevant to the person. Use ideas from Tool 1.)
• If you had been at a movie instead of at a bar, how might your day have been different?
• If you had been with your daughter instead of with your friends who use, how might your day have been different?
• If you had been calm instead of angry, how might your day have been different? Have them record their answers in Question 2.
3. Tell people that Tool 3 will help them see when they are at the greatest risk for illegal behavior and how they can fit more positive leisure activities into their days.
Time Chart
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Instructions
Using this tool, people will identify their daily activities, discover when they are at the greatest risk for harmful or illegal behavior, and learn how to organize their leisure time more constructively to reduce their chances of recidivism.
SESSION 1
1. Explain to people that you want to help them think critically about how they use their leisure time and how they could plan their days to include more healthy activities. Explain that taking part in positive activities will help reduce their risk of getting into trouble again.
2. Show people the time chart on page 14. Ask them to fill out the chart every day for a minimum of two weeks. Emphasize the importance of being thorough in filling out the chart. You might complete a sample time chart with them based on the day of their appointment with you so they can see what the chart should look like.
3. Make enough copies of the time chart for people to complete a two-week cycle and schedule your next appointment with them for shortly after the cycle is over.
SESSION 2
1. Review the time charts together and help people evaluate how they spent their days. Begin by asking them to color with a highlighter all those times when they were engaged in healthy leisure activities. (This is Part A, Question 2.) Praise them for all the positive leisure activities in which they were involved.
2. Then, ask people to put a checkmark beside all the times when they were doing something or were with someone who put them at risk for breaking the law. (This is Part A, Question 3.)
3. Look at the time charts with people to see what days of the week and what times of the day they were most at risk for misconduct. These are the best times for people to add positive leisure activities to their routines. Have them fill out Part B of the tool.
Making a Plan
Instructions
Many people are isolated from opportunities that would allow them to pursue healthy leisure activities. They may currently lack the skills to find out what activities are available and how to get involved. This tool helps them make a plan and helps you identify ways to offer them support.
SESSION 1
1. Remind people of the top three activities that interest them (see Tool 1, Question 3). Have them list these activities in Part A, Question 1a. Then, in Question 1b, have them record the day(s) and time(s) when they might participate in these activities. These should be the day(s) and time(s) when they are most at risk of getting into trouble. (Refer them to their answers for Tool 3, Part B.)
2. In Part A, Question 2a, have people record the activity that they would like to pursue first. Together, determine if the activity will help address the factors that led to their illegal behavior, as identified in Tool 2, Question 1. For example, if they were looking for a thrill, ensure that the activity they chose can offer excitement. If they felt nervous, anxious, depressed, or afraid, ensure that the activity can provide them with a sense of calm. If they were bored, make sure that the activity is interesting, different, and gives them the opportunity to do something that is not part of their current routine. If they did not choose an activity that meets their needs, suggest that they select an alternative.
3. Work with people to create a plan for participating in the activity they chose. Begin by asking them what they know about the activity and what they want to know. Encourage them to think about
• where they can do the activity;
• when they can do the activity;
• how much the activity costs;
• what equipment they need;
• with whom they can do the activity; and
• what things they would need to put in place in order to do the activity (e.g., transportation, childcare).
Have them record what they know and want to know in Part A, Question 2b.
SESSION 2
1. Ask people how they might be able to find answers to the questions they recorded in Part A, Question 2b. Have them record their ideas in Part A, Question 3. For example, they could find out about activities offered by park districts, community
and fitness centers, libraries, and places of worship from online or printed schedules or by calling these organizations. In addition, your agency or a community welcome wagon organization may have already developed a list of resources for the community, with addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and websites. If these lists are available, share the information with them.
2. If people are unsure of how to gather information, guide them through the process. For example, if they want to work out at a local gym, look together at the gym’s website to see what facilities and classes there are, when the gym is open, and how much it costs to go.
With your help, people can practice calling for information. In Part A, Question 4, have them write a script that they can follow. Talk with them about things to keep in mind during the conversation:
• Say hello.
• Tell the person what you want to know.
• Repeat what the person told you to make sure you understood.
• Ask clarifying questions to follow up on the answers you received.
• Jot down notes to remind you of what you learned.
• Thank the person for the information.
3. Once people are comfortable and confident in the practice situation, encourage them to actually find the information they want to know, including making any necessary phone calls.
4. Remember that there may be times when people do not follow through on assignments such as making phone calls or gathering information from websites. Offer them ongoing support and encouragement. For example, you might invite them to look up websites, make phone calls, or look through print resources during your appointment. In some cases, you may need to gather the initial information prior to your appointment and use the information to educate, encourage, and engage them in the process.
5. Have people record what they learned in Part A, Question 6.
SESSION 3
1. Help people set a realistic goal for taking part in the activity they chose. The goal should include details about
• what activity they want to do;
• on what day and at what time they want to do the activity;
• with whom they will do the activity; and
• when they want to start doing it.
Ensure that the goal is realistic. Give an example, such as “I want to work out at the gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. with Luke. I’m going to start tomorrow.” Have them write their goal in Part B, Question 1.
2. In Part B, Question 2a, ask people to rate, on a scale of 1 to 10, how confident they are that they will meet their goal. A rating of 1 means that they’re not very confident; a rating of 10 means that they’re very confident. If they rate their
confidence as 5 or lower, ask them what obstacles they think might make it difficult for them to meet their goal. Guide them as they determine how could they overcome these barriers. They should record their ideas in Part B, Question 2b.
SESSION 4 AND BEYOND
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1. Talk with people about their progress in meeting their goals. If they have been successful, congratulate them. If they are experiencing difficulty, talk with them about ways they could modify their plan or overcome obstacles that they’ve encountered. Have them record their ideas in Part C, Question 1.
2. Encourage people to complete this tool for each activity that they’d like to try.
Identifying Healthy Leisure Activities
There are many things to do that are positive and that can lead to enjoyment. This tool will help you think about the healthy leisure activities that you enjoy and who you would like to do them with.
Part A
Put a checkmark beside those activities that you enjoy.
❑ Visit the library
❑ Get involved in a project around the house
❑ Hike in a local, state, or national park
❑ Go to an amusement park
❑ Kick, hit, or throw a ball in a park
❑ Call a friend you haven’t talked to recently
❑ Go to a free weekend event in your town
❑ Bake cookies, a cake, or a pie
❑ Play with a pet
❑ Go on a scavenger or treasure hunt
❑ Have a surprise party for no reason
❑ Make or fly a kite or paper airplane
❑ Listen to a free outdoor concert at the park
❑ Put together a puzzle
❑ Learn something new for fun
❑ Watch planes or trains arrive and depart
❑ Create a budget to save for a vacation
❑ Go bowling or golfing with a friend
❑ Memorize all the U S capitals and states
❑ Take a walk
❑ Feed the animals at the park
❑ Pick up cans and recycle them
❑ Play a game of football or soccer
❑ Set a goal and do one thing to reach it
❑ Go to a play
❑ Surprise someone with something special
❑ Make a pizza
❑ Travel to a new place in your city
❑ Sing a song or play an instrument
❑ Go swimming
❑ Listen to music or a band
❑ See a movie
❑ Play in the sprinklers or rain
❑ Ride a bike
❑ Try a new food
❑ Watch birds or wildlife at a park
❑ Go inline skating or skateboarding
❑ Garden
❑ Visit the zoo
❑ Have a picnic or barbecue
❑ Help a neighbor
❑ Go sightseeing
❑ Write a story or poem
❑ Read a novel or comic book
❑ Watch a sunrise or sunset
❑ Pick up trash in the neighborhood
❑ Go to a museum
❑ Fold paper into origami
❑ Make a playlist
❑ Play computer/video games
❑ Do a crossword or Sudoku puzzle
❑ Write in a journal
❑ Have a water balloon fight
❑ Write a letter
❑ Go fishing
❑ Ride a horse
❑ Start a collection
❑ Go window-shopping
❑ Visit a second-hand bookstore
❑ Lie on the grass and look at the clouds
❑ Work on a model kit or a craft project
❑ Listen to a podcast
❑ Smile, tell a joke, or enjoy a good laugh
❑ Play in the leaves, sand, or dirt
❑ Play checkers, chess, or a new board game
❑ Take a free class at a home renovation or craft store
❑ Walk the inside of your local mall
❑ Dance
❑ Pop popcorn the old-fashioned way
❑ Organize one room or closet in your home
❑ Volunteer at an animal shelter or food bank
❑ Help a church or nonprofit organization
❑ Take flowers to a hospital or seniors’ home
❑ Go camping
❑ Fly a balloon on a string
❑ Go tubing or rowing
❑ Jump on a trampoline
❑ Invent or play a new game
❑ Start a new exercise routine
❑ Take pictures
❑ Climb a tree
❑ Meditate
❑ Do yoga or pilates
❑ Practice swimming for distance
❑ Go to an arboretum
❑ Reread your favorite book
❑ Paint a picture
❑ Join a running club
Other:
Other:
Source: Adapted from Maricopa Adult Probation Department
2 Select five of the activities you identified. What do they have in common? Do they make you feel calm? Are they exciting? Are they interesting? Do they involve other people?
3 What are the three activities that you enjoy the most? Who would you like to do them with?
1
2
3
The Benefits of Healthy Activities
How we spend our time can have a big impact on how our day unfolds. This tool asks you to think about how a particular day would have ended differently if you had made another choice about your leisure activities.
Part A
1 Think back to a day when you got or almost got into trouble. Complete this web to tell about that day.
2 Imagine that your day had been different. Ask yourself the questions below, then answer each one.
AWhat were you doing (e.g., drinking)?
AWhat was the event (e.g., scratched car with a knife)?
What were you feeling (e.g., mad)?
BDWhere were you (e.g., at a bar)?
Who were you with (e.g., my buddy Tom)?
Ca. What if I had been instead? Name an activity you enjoy, like one you listed in Tool 1. (e.g.,“What if I had been working out instead?”)
B
I would
(e.g., “I would not have been drinking.”)
b. What if I had been at/in instead? Name a place. (e.g., “What if I had been at the gym instead?”)
I would
C
(e.g., “I would not have been at the bar.”)
c. What if I had been with instead? Name a someone who suppor ts your goals. (e.g., “What if I had been with my brother instead?”)
I would
D
(e.g., “I would have stayed sober.”)
d. What if I had been instead? Wr ite a thought or feeling. (e.g., “What if I had been tired from working out instead?”)
I would
(e.g., “I would have gone home and crashed.”)
Tool 3
Time Chart
The purpose of this tool is to help you evaluate how you spend your time, who you spend it with, and on what particular days and at what particular times you are most likely to become involved in risky situations.
Part A
1 Complete this chart each day for at least two weeks. Record the date what you were doing in each block of time, and who you were with during those times. Time
12 am – 1 am
1 am – 2 am
2 am – 3 am
3 am – 4 am
4 am – 5 am
5 am – 6 am
6 am – 7 am
7 am – 8 am
8 am – 9 am
9 am – 10 am
10 am – 11 am 11 am – 12 pm
12 pm – 1 pm
1 pm – 2 pm
2 pm – 3 pm
3 pm – 4 pm
–
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MONDAY
2 Color with a highlighter all the times when you were engaged in healthy leisure activities (e.g., gardening, listening to music, reading, playing basketball or soccer).
3 Put a checkmark next to all the times where you were doing something or were with someone who put you at risk for illegal behavior.
Part B
Look at your time charts. Think about what days of the week and what times of the day you were at risk for illegal behavior. These are the best times for you to add healthy leisure activities to your routine.
1 On which days are you most at risk for illegal behavior? Why did you pick those days?
2 During which hours of these days are you most at risk? Why did you pick those times?
Making a Plan
Now that you have a better idea of the kinds of positive activities that interest you, it’s time to make a plan to do one of them. This tool will help you to set a goal for taking part in this activity and to determine what steps you need to take to achieve your goal.
Part A
1
a. List the top three activities that interest you. These are the activities you identified in Tool 1, Question 3 (page 12).
n
n n
b. Select the day(s) and time(s) when you might participate in these activities. These should be the day(s) and time(s) when you are most at risk for getting into trouble. (Check the answers you recorded in Tool 3, Part B [page 15].)
n Day(s):
n Time(s):
2 a. In the chart on page 17, write the name of the activity you want to pursue first. Make sure you choose a healthy activity that will give you the same feeling you were looking for on the day you got in trouble or almost got in trouble. (Look back to Tool 2, Question 1 [page 13] to remind yourself of what that feeling was.) For example, if you were looking for excitement, the activity should be exciting. If you were looking for calm, the activity should make you feel calm.
b. Write what you know about the activity and what you still want to find out. Think about
n where you can do the activity;
n when you can do the activity;
n how much the activity costs;
n what equipment you need;
n who you can do the activity with; and
n what things you’d need to put in place to do the activity (e.g., arrange for transportation or childcare).
For example, if you want to start going to the gym to work out, you might already know that there’s a gym down the street from where you live. You may want to find out what facilities the gym has, what classes it offers, and what days and times it’s open. MONDAY
3 Identify how you can find answers to your questions.
4 Work with your corrections professional to find the information you need. For example, if you want to work out at a local gym, you might look together at the gym’s website to see what facilities and classes are available, when the gym is open, and how much it costs to go. Or, call the gym, using the questions you listed in Question 2 as a guide. It might help you to write a script for the conversation. Keep in mind these points: 1 Say hello. 2Tell the person what you want to know. 3 Repeat what the person told you. 4 Ask clarifying questions. 5 Jot down notes to remind you of what you learned.
6 Thank the person for the information.
5 Ask your corrections professional to practice the conversation with you. The more you practice, the more confident you will be. Once you’re comfortable, contact the person.
6 Record what you learned about the activity in the space below.
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1 Set a goal for taking part in the activity. Make sure that your goal is realistic, for example, “I want to work out at the gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Luke. I’m going to start tomorrow.”
Activity Goal
I want to take part in the following activity:
I’m going to do the activity on this day:
I’m going to do the activity at this time:
I’m going to do this activity with this person:
I’m going to start by this date:
2 a. On a scale of 1 to 10, rate how confident you are that you will meet your goal. Put an X on the number line to show your rating.
Part B
b. If your rating is 5 or less, list the things that you think might get in the way of meeting your goal and the ways you could overcome these things.
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Part C
1 During your next appointment with your corrections professional, discuss your progress in meeting your goal. If you’re having trouble, talk with your corrections professional about ways to modify your plan or to overcome unexpected challenges. Record your ideas below.
2 Complete this tool for each activity that you’d like to try.
Glossary
When applied to Use of Free Time, the terms are defined as follows:
Case plan A document that outlines the issues people will address to promote their success and the steps they will take to address them.
Evidence-based practice (EBP) A progressive, organizational use of direct, current scientific evidence to guide and inform efficient and effective correctional services.
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Self-efficacy A person’s belief that they have the skills and abilities to achieve a goal and overcome obstacles.