Absolute Advocacy is excited to announce the addition of a CBI Program to our services. CBI stands for Cognitive Behavioral Intervention. CBIs refer to interventions designed to change long-term behavior, and the benefits of this program are far reaching for our clients and our community.
The program has the potential to help those facing certain criminal charges to change and avoid the behaviors that led to their arrest. Much like Drug Education School, CBI has the kind of impact that changes lives.
Understanding Cognitive Behavioral Intervention
Philadelphia born author B.J. Neblett once said, “We are the sum total of our experiences. Those experiences – be they positive or negative – make us the person we are, at any given point in our lives. And, like a flowing river, those same experiences, and those yet to come, continue to influence and reshape the person we are, and the person we become. None of us are the same as we were yesterday, nor will be tomorrow.”
In so many ways, we are the culmination of our morals, values, and beliefs, all of which are influenced by environmental factors. Our parents, families, and closest friends imprint their positives and negatives on us. Our life experiences change what we believe and our decision making process. Everything we come in contact with contributes to our cognitive behavior.
The vast majority of the population makes good decisions or, at least, puts forth their best efforts to make the best decisions. Sometimes a series of bad decisions coupled by negative influences creates a behavioral pattern. And sometimes a person develops detrimental cognitive behaviors that lead to crime related actions like theft, shop lifting, and resisting arrest.
When Bad Behavior Has Real Consequences
According to N.C. Gen. Stat. §14-72, if you are convicted of shoplifting in the state of North Carolina, you can face up to 45 days in jail, repayment of the stolen property, reimbursement of the property owner’s attorney fees, and be required to pay additional court mandated penalties.
According to N.C. Gen. Stat. §14-223, resisting arrest is considered an obstruction of justice. If you are charged with resisting arrest, you could spend up to 60 days in jail and face the addition of a Class 2 Misdemeanor to your criminal record.
Does jail time really stop a person from committing either of these offenses? History has taught us that the answer to this question is often no. The United States has one of the highest prison populations in the world, and it has arguably done nothing to reduce crime rates because the root problems have not been addressed. As the debate of treatment over incarceration gains ground, programs like Drug Education School and now Cognitive Behavioral Intervention are giving some a chance to choose treatment over a continuous relationship with incarceration.
How the CBI Program Benefits Its Participants
Absolute Advocacy is now a state-approved provider of CBI classes. The program focuses on first time offenders who have been charged with:
- Larceny
- Public Affray
- Public Disturbance
- Resisting Arrest
- Shoplifting
- Trespassing
The immediate benefit is that the CBI program offers first time offenders a second chance. Whether their charge was the result of a one-time lapse in judgment or the product of a flawed decision making process, they can see their charges expunged upon successful completion of the program. A clean slate is a valuable benefit, but it doesn’t mean much if the behaviors that landed the person in trouble with the law do not change.
The Long-Term and Personal Benefits of the CBI Program
If you were asked to put together a five minute presentation about yourself, how hard would it be? Most of us would find it easy, and we would fill those five minutes with a general summary that reflects who we are as a person.
If you were asked to create a thirty minute, in-depth presentation about yourself, how hard would that be? The vast majority of us would cringe before searching for an excuse to escape the task, much like a bloodhound hot on the scent of a rabbit. The creation of an in-depth and lengthy presentation requires in-depth knowledge of ourselves and, let’s be honest, most of us spend years trying to figure out who we are without the pressure of presenting it to the world.
The Cognitive Behavioral Program helps participants learn more about themselves. Classes dig deep into beliefs, attitudes, and motivations. You will not only begin to better discern how you ended up in trouble, but you will also learn how to better deal with others in the future. CBI classes focus on:
- Social Skills
- Handling Peer Pressure
- Problem Solving
- Decision Making
The program equips participants with the tools, resources, and support needed to make better decisions and positively contribute to the community. It isn’t a program dedicated to erasing misdemeanors; it is a proven program that teaches how to be more than the sum total of your experiences and make the smartest and best decisions moving forward.
State Approved CBI Classes Are a Must
Cognitive Behavioral Intervention classes that allow for court submission to satisfy court-ordered CBI classes cannot be conducted by just any provider. The provider must be state-approved. Otherwise, the completion of the classes will not hold the proper credentials for the court’s requirements and dismissal of the charges from crimes falling under this state-regulated program will be impossible. Be sure to check the legitimacy of any provider you are considering and ensure they adhere to the state’s regulation.
Get Started Today
Are you in search of CBI classes from a state-approved provider? Search no further! Absolute Advocacy is a proud North Carolina provider, and we offer a convenient class schedule for those in the Charlotte Mecklenburg and Concord Cabarrus areas.
The CBI Program works in four simple steps:
- Qualify for the program
- Register for classes
- Attend all of the classes
- Follow up with the court system or your probation officer
Contact us today for more information or to get started.