GRIP students learn to:  

1. Stop violent actions and do no harm. They study and practice a toolbox of skills to use when challenged, thereby undoing the roots of antisocial behavior. We tell students that they are not in prison because of what they did; more precisely, they are there because they believed the thoughts that justified what they did. By learning how to name and question those belief systems, they can find inner freedom and increase their ability to respect one another.
    
2. Cultivate mindfulness.  Mindfulness develops the ability to discern between a blind reaction and a well-considered response. Students learn skills to handle stress and develop the inner resources to be resilient in any circumstances that might arise.

3. Develop emotional intelligence. Students learn how to regulate and manage strong emotions in order to nurture healthy and mutually beneficial relationships as opposed to the toxic and trauma-based relationships so many of them are used to.

4. Understand victim impact. Learning empathy by facing the impacts of criminal behavior is an effective way to develop the intrinsic motivation needed for prosocial behavior to take hold.  GRIP is based on the understanding that criminal lifestyles weren’t formed overnight – this is why we devote a whole year to create durable behavior change.

Being a member of a GRIP TRIBE is an essential part of the program. Each member is trusted and valued as an integral member of their Tribe. In this bonding process, a unique learning environment emerges and deep healing takes place. 

Most incarcerated people have experienced extraordinary abuse, violence, and trauma in their early lives. The culture of GRIP honors and acknowledges the humanity of all participants, as well as the unique path that each student takes to build resilience and heal their own particular wounds. It is only through this kind of compassionate and restorative approach that true accountability and empathy emerge.