In recent years there has been a move away from the traditional institutionalization of deviant members of society and a step toward community-based treatment models. The present paper summarizes and analyzes one such community-based treatment facility for predelinquent boys. Three distinguishing features of the Achievement Place program are elaborated on in some detail: (1) the utilization of a token economy point system as a primary therapeutic tool, (2) the development of a series of well-controlled experiments enabling the establishment of functional relationships across behaviors, and (3) the training of teaching-parents. A variety of target behaviors are systematically reviewed. Overall evaluation of the Achievement Place program is undertaken in light of a number of issues considered relevant to scientific investigation. Recommendations are made for continued research to define more clearly the parameters of the existing model.
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