Not only CAN the Carey Guides and BITS be used in non-justice settings; they ARE being used in non-justice settings—for example, in social service settings and in secondary schools—to help people build skills that would support them in leading successful lives.
Let’s say you’re working with someone who has education or employment challenges. If you have determined that one of the reasons why they have this challenge is because they have antisocial ways of thinking, you can use the tools in the Antisocial Thinking Guide to help them develop more prosocial ways of thinking. If anger management is an issue, the Anger Guide can help them develop strategies to manage their anger. If they are being influenced by antisocial peers, the Antisocial Associates and Engaging Prosocial Others Guides or the BITS Who I Spend Time With tool can be used to help people recognize who may be a negative influence, how to change or end friendships that are not healthy for them, and how to develop more prosocial relationships. If problem solving is an issue, the Problem Solving Guide and BITS Problem Solving tool teach five steps that people can use when confronted with a problem.
Our one caution is that some of the Guide tools (but not the BITS) do include language that is specific to people who are justice-involved. For example, there are references to “corrections professionals” and to “illegal behaviors.” As you review those tools with clients, modify the language—either orally or in handwriting, on the tools themselves—to suit the circumstance.