From power to empowerment.(Controls from Within by Fritz Redl and David Wineman)

"Everything that goes around comes around." Such is true of the classic book Controls from Within by Fritz Redl and David Wineman published over a half century ago. Their concepts became a hallmark of the emerging field of work with troubled children. Yet today this philosophy has too often been lost in the preoccupation of "controls from without" such as zero tolerance policies and point and level systems. Now there is growing recognition that these coercive methods do not work. Contests over control actually generate more "out of control" behavior and deprive youth of caring and healthy relationships necessary for competence and adult success.

The wisdom of Redl and Wineman is timely. Their action research demonstrated how acceptance, nurturance, communication, and activities foster real growth and change, not just superficial compliance with arbitrary rules enforced by aversive consequences. They were among the first to recognize the power of well-designed activities to encourage positive behavior and to develop the knowledge, skills, and mastery that ensue from participating in activities.

This issue of Reclaiming Children and Youth spans the years, both in terms of those who have authored articles and in the scope of its coverage. Pioneers who helped define the field of child and youth work are represented, as are current practitioners who have crafted their own approaches that resonate with the timeless truths of Controls from Within. The richness and relevance of their work is shown by the major areas covered in these pages of Reclaiming Children and Youth and in a subsequent issue which will focus on the therapeutic power of activities.

We begin with an historical perspective and then review ...