The program, utilized by Ivy Ridge and plenty of different “schools” for troubled teenagers, used tried and examined methods to interrupt the inmates. And because the documentary factors out, the basis of many of those packages was one thing known as Synanon.
What is Synanon?
This was a non secular group, turned cult, based in 1958 by Charles Dederich Sr. Dederich was a member of Alcoholics Anonymous which he thought was not powerful sufficient, so he arrange his personal facility which might soak up these with drug in addition to alcohol addictions. Synanon (the origins of the phrase aren’t clear – Syndication-Anonymous? Symposium-Anonymous?) was residential, and Dederich developed his personal program, which he insisted you might by no means full. Much of his method was based mostly on Attack Therapy, which basically includes figuring out individuals’s weaknesses and screaming of their faces throughout group periods (we paraphrase). The thought is to interrupt the affected person down a lot that they begin to consider they will rebuild themselves and alter their very own lives. It’s a observe which inspires sufferers to assault and humiliate one another in group periods which might final for days at a time. Later Synanon added additional controlling insurance policies together with requiring feminine members to shave their heads, male members to get vasectomies, and married {couples} in this system to separate up.
Eventually Synanon obtained concerned in a education program which had a view to coach kids in such a manner as to enhance society as an entire. Of course, the group turned more and more violent and abusive, dedicated monetary crimes, and members had been convicted of tried homicide (two members put a rattlesnake within the mailbox of a lawyer who introduced a case towards Synanon!). Though it was disbanded within the ‘90s Synanon influenced ‘tough love’ remedies ever after.
WWASP
While The Program focuses initially on Academy Ivy Ridge, this system fell underneath the umbrella of WWASP – the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools, based in 1998. It was based mostly in Utah and founded by Robert Lichfield, whose brother Narvin Lichfield is seen within the doc doing karaoke. Pupils are sometimes forcibly faraway from their properties or former faculties and offered with a dizzying array of guidelines which it’s nigh on unattainable to recollect. Breaking these guidelines resulted in a lack of “points”.
Seminars
The most blatant affect of Synanon on WWASP is the seminars. The Ivy Ridge college students needed to full a collection of those to have the ability to transfer between ranges – The Program is a “points and levels system” which means you may transfer up a stage by incomes factors, however any perceived infraction means shedding factors. The increased stage you might be, the extra privileges you might be allowed.
These seminars had been group “therapy” periods that had been obligatory. Katherine and the previous college students bear in mind having to crawl round on the ground like infants, being given towels wrapped in duct tape that they needed to bash to launch their feelings. They had been meals disadvantaged, sleep disadvantaged, and time disadvantaged because the individuals had no thought how a lot time had handed. Like in Synanon the concept was to place individuals in a extremely stimulated however exhausted state, breaking down their sense of self and leaving them open to vary. And by change we imply brainwashing.
