AMI PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

 

The group of 41 juvenile justice rehabilitation programs-known as ASSOCIATED MARINE INSTITUTES, INC. was founded in 1969 in Florida. AMI, a private non-profit organization, operates residential and non-residential programs in eight states and one foreign country - Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, South Carolina, Delaware, Louisiana, Virginia, Texas and the Cayman Islands. The institutes serve boys and girls, l4 to 18 years of age, who have an average of 8 - 12 offenses before entering the AMI program.

The youth of AMI programs participate in a core of curriculum of oceanography and earth sciences, seamanship, diving, aquatics, physical education, academic and vocational education. Each to provide classes that motivate students. Many of the youngsters entering the program require remedial education. The 7:1 student to instructor ratio permits a curriculum individually designed for each student. The youth's skills are evaluated and a need assessment is developed to build on strengths, and improve areas of weakness. The instruction is organized so that half of the youngster's time is spent in the field with actual "hands-on" learning experience

One of the primary goals of each institute is to improve academic skills such as reading comprehension, mathematics, and language. When appropriate, students are assisted in preparation for the GED. During the post year over two hundred fifty students earned their GED's.

Along with academic and vocational skills, building appropriate positive behavior is encouraged and rewarded. Youths earn points for course completions and accomplishments, attendance, participation, enthusiasm, leadership, and a number of other criteria. These points are used to 'bid' on special trips or activities. AMI believes it is important for the youngsters to realize that "good work precedes reward" and that they are responsible for their own actions.

The AMI institutes have been highly successful in accomplishing their three primary goals for troubled youth:

  1. TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE RECIDIVISM
  2. TO INCREASE VOCATIONAL SKILLS
  3. TO INCREASE ACADEMIC SKILLS

Over 14,000 youth have successfully completed the AMI programs since inception in 1969. Recidivism statistics do document that a large percentage of all youth who have participated in AMI programs have had no negative contact with the law after they leave the Institutes. Each youth's adjustment to society is tracked for a minimum of three years after he or she leaves the program. Presently, the programs ore serving approximately 2,000 boys and girls each year.

Each program is an integral part of its respective community with an autonomous Board of Trustees and separate incorporation. The Board Members are community leaders in the fields of education, law, business, construction, etc. They volunteer their services and advise and monitor the institute progress.

Associated Marine Institutes' corporate head quarters is in Tampa, Florida. AMI contracts with state agencies to provide rehabilitative services for youthful offenders. AMI also coordinates and supervises the fiscal management and operations of all youth programs.

The ASSOCIATED MARINE INSTITUTES, INC. looks forward to an exciting future providing continued cost-effectve rehabilitation service to America's greatest resource - it's youth.

 

MARKET ADVANTAGES WE HAVE
CREATED AND PROMISES WE MAKE

  1. Nothing comes before the safety of our clients and staff.
  2. We place the kids first in our decision making.
  3. We recognize the funding agencies are our partners in the enterprise of helping kids. We are flexible and responsive to our partners and always ready to go the extra mile - you can depend on us in tough times.
  4. When developing new programs, we must first evaluate the needs of the youth agency, community, and kids targeted for service. The program should be designed around those needs using marine institute philosophy and values.
  5. Our niche is to serve kids in a positive family oriented setting. We believe in using the least restrictive environment possible while still ensuring public safety.
  6. We will accept all referrals who are not arsonists, in need of constant physical restraints or on-going intensive psychotherapy.
  7. We believe it is better to have a few inappropriate referrals than be accused of "creaming" the kids. The funding agencies' job is to deliver the kids. Our job is to work with them.
  8. AMI operates cost effective alternatives to institutional programming.
  9. We do not need to own real estate. We believe in saving tax dollars by acquiring "dollar a year" type leases from government agencies, municipalities, etc.
  10. We protect the public's safety through supervision. We have proven for over twenty-five years that you put the public's safety first by putting the majority of our budgets into staff, not hardware.
  11. We will over enroll non-residential programs by 10%.
  12. We will over enroll residential programs by 5%.
  13. Our number one value is integrity. This means we do what we agree to in our contracts.
  14. We believe in multi-disciplinary approach to helping kids grow. This approach is more like effective parenting than any particular treatment modality. The essence of AMI's approach is doing "whatever it takes".