…today’s secret…The ProSocial Six Trap. (Part 1 of 3)

This week I’m sharing some dormant criminal justice research that is starting to wake up…research that can help your organization unmarginalize the marginalized your organization chooses to help.

Whew!

I’m calling these six factors the ProSocial Six.

Here’s the deal on these six factors.

The more people have in each of these six factors the better they work and play well with others.

Here are the six factors…

1) 25 years of age or above…data has begun to show that crime peaks in late adolescence and young adulthood and most people stop offending. We get wiser with age.

2) Literate…the higher level of education the more functional we become.

3) Mental health and substance abuse problems addressed…enough said.

4) Family functional…the emotional maturity to make a commitment to be responsible to another person.

5) Meaningful employment…a career path, not just menial labor.

6) Belief in a higher power…not necessarily a belief in God, but rather a person’s ability to be involved in a purpose beyond themselves.

I’m going to say this again because it’s important.

The more people have in each of these six factors the better they work and play well with others.

You can go down a rabbit hole here about a couple of your friends who are missing a couple of the six and have some mental fun if you want…but, stick with me here…

Your organization has chosen to help others by giving them a ‘hand up’ instead of a ‘hand out.’

You are a non-profit, social enterprise, government agency, private for-profit company, etc.

However your organization chooses to give others a ‘hand up,’ your intervention broadly slides under one of these ProSocial Six factors…

…Workforce development? Education? Counseling? Ministry? Some combination? Other?

If you don’t think your intervention falls under one of these six, let me know. I’ve been known to be off base.

Next week I’m going to disappoint you concerning these six factors. I’m going to introduce you to the ProSocial Six Trap organizations fall into while giving others a ‘hand up.’

Henry David Thoreau had it right.