MRT^® - What is it? Why use it?

What is MRT^®?

Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT^®) was one of the first comprehensive, systematic attempts to treat substance abusing offenders from a purely cognitive behavioral perspective. In 1985 formal MRT^® was developed by Dr. Greg Little and Dr. Ken Robinson by combining Smothermon's concepts with theories of moral development (Kohlberg), ego and identity development (Erikson), behavioral conditioning, Maslow's needs hierarchy, and Carl Jung's concepts.

MRT^® is an objective, systematic treatment system designed to enhance ego, social, moral, and positive behavioral growth in a progressive, step by step fashion. MRT^® has 12 to 16 steps, depending on the treatment population. MRT^® attempts to change how drug abusers and alcoholics make decisions and judgments by raising moral reasoning from Kohlberg's perspective.

Briefly, MRT^® seeks to move clients from hedonistic (pleasure vs. pain) reasoning levels to levels where concern for social rules and others becomes important. Research on MRT^® has shown that as clients pass steps, moral reasoning increases in adult drug and alcohol offenders and juvenile offenders.

MRT^® focuses systematically on seven basic treatment issues: confrontation of beliefs, attitudes and behaviors, assessment of current relationships, reinforcement of positive behavior and habits, positive identity formation: enhancement of self-concept, decrease in hedonism and development of frustration tolerance, and development of higher stages of moral reasoning.

Why Use MRT^®?

• MRT^® is easy to implement.
• MRT^® is designed and developed to target issues specific to an offender population.
• MRT^® is designed to address issues of a treatment resistant population.
• MRT^® has shown to reduce the recidivism rate of offenders from 30%-50% after 10 years of release.
• MRT^® improves offender compliance to rules in an institution or while under supervision in the community.
• MRT^® is delivered in groups which are open ended which allows for maximizing resources.
• MRT^® easily meshes and blends with other types of programming including self help groups, education, counseling and behaviorally oriented programs.
• MRT^® will increase offenders' moral reasoning, decrease dropout rates, increase life purpose and reduce antisocial thinking and behavior.
• When implemented in a variety of criminal justice settings in a community, MRT^® provides a continuum of care.
  
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