Chapter 6

The Rules of the Program

Straight, Inc. was notorious for the long list of rules that were strictly enforced not only by the Staff but the clients as well. Each client is given a complete list of these rules and was expected to memorize each rule and be able to explain why the rule is there and what it means to the client. A client who broke a rule no matter how trivial it may seem could expect strong and relentless confrontation by the Group and in some cases harsh disciplinary action by the Staff.
To enforce the importance of the rules, a Rules Rap was held for 30 minutes each and everyday. The following is a list of most of the rules along with a brief explanation.

The first and most important rule is HONESTY- Honesty in Straight meant more than just telling the truth. It went much deeper than that. When relating to an incident in Group a client was to not just talk about the incident but to also share how that incident made the client feel. For example when a client would talk about stealing money in order to support their drug habit, the client also had to talk about how stealing the money made them feel. Guilty, scared of getting caught, shame etc. When a client was asked how they were doing, it was no longer acceptable to just say "fine". A client was expected to talk about specific changes they were making in their lives and share their feelings.

Empathy and Sensitivity- it was important to be sensitive to the feelings of others. It was equally important to be able to empathize with one another. To actually "feel" what the other is experiencing. This was to help the client come to terms with his/her own feelings about the past and help others who are experiencing what you may have already gone through.

Confidentiality- in every Open Meeting the Director told everyone there, "what is seen here, heard here, and done here stays here." Complete and utter confidentially was thought to be of critical importance for each client. Each client knows that what ever he or she talks about won’t be discussed with anyone else…ever.

No talking behind backs- or no TBB, as it was known. This rule was here for simple common courtesy. No one could talk about anyone else without them being there to defend themselves if needed. This rule also kept a client focused on thinking and talking about themselves.

Never turn your back on your Newcomer- Doing so could give a Newcomer a chance to escape and leave the program or harm the Oldcomer or themselves.

Knock on all doors before entering- another common courtesy. Knocking on a door prevents someone from walking in on a private conversation.

Eat all food on your plate- no matter how badly the food tasted everything must be eaten. Clients were force feed if they refused to eat.

Always talk about yourself when relating- to talk about someone else or to even say the words, "you", "them", or "they" was unacceptable. Everything discussed with the Group or with anyone else had to be stated using "I", "myself", or "me". Again the focus is strictly on the client no one else. Another aspect of this rule was the fact that we couldn’t use name brand or common names while relating. For instance a client couldn’t say, "I drank a Miller® beer and listened to Led Zeppelin®." Instead it was stated, "I drank beer while listening to rock music."

Follow the Chain of Command- strictly enforced by everyone this was unavoidable. The Chain of Command was different depending on what Phase the client is on. All personal problems, concerns, requests or anything else must go through the Chain of Command.
1st Phase- me, my MI, my Oldcomer, foster family, Group, 5th Phaser
2nd & 3rd Phase- Me, my MI, family, Group, 5th Phaser
4th Phase- me, my MI, my RSA, Family, Group, 5th Phaser
5th Phase- they take concerns, questions, and problems to a Staff Trainee (At this point the client had to recite the name of each Staff member for both the guys and girl sides of Group)
Staff Trainee’s- goes to Junior Staff
Junior Staff- goes to Senior Staff
Senior Staff- goes to Group Staff Supervisor
Group Staff Supervisor- goes to Program Coordinator & other Executive Staff
Program Coordinator- goes to Assistant Director
Assistant Director- goes to Director.
The purpose of following the Chain of Command is to allow a Client to solve problems in a systematic manner starting with themselves and then writing an MI about it, talking to an Oldcomer or Family, etc. Of course not everything can be solved with an MI or Family and the Group and so the problem, question, concern is reported to a 5th Phaser and goes up the Chain of Command from there. For instance if a client over the age of eighteen wanted to withdraw themselves from the program, this request was taken directly to a 5th Phaser.

Never leave the Group Room without Staff permission- Anytime anyone needed to leave the Group room, including 7th Steppers, he/she must go to a door. The person wishing to leave along with the person standing at the door raises their hand to get the Staff’s attention. Only after the Staff approves the person to leave could the person standing at the door open it allowing them to exit. Staff Members were the only persons allowed to let people leave the room. This allowed Staff to know who was coming and going from the Group Room. In some cases, if the Staff member doesn’t think the client or 7th Stepper "looks good" they could be kept in the Group Room until someone could talk to them and make sure they are okay. This was to prevent a person from possibly Copping Out.

No Druggie ties- this includes picture of druggie friends, rock t-shirts, albums or cassettes, gifts, or anything else that can be tied to a persons drug using past.

No druggie hangouts- any place where a client use to go to get high or hang out with their druggie friends what strictly off limits to a client during their program. This prevented clients from risk of contact with druggie friends.

Do not wear shirts with pictures or writing- shirts with pictures or writing was thought to be a distraction and kept the client from focusing on his/her programs. Belt buckles with pictures or writing were also prohibited.

No druggie friends in the same Foster Home- Once a druggie friend, always a druggie friend was the philosophy behind this rule. It was believed that if two druggie friends lived together, they might start reminiscing about their past and leave the program together. Druggie friends were encouraged to find other friends until much later in their program.

No eye games- making eye contact with another client was prohibited. Clients could not respond or attempt to communicate via eye games with another client. This was thought to be a way of preparing for a cop-out attempt from the Group Room.

No talking out in Group- this helped maintain order within the Group. If everyone were allowed to talk at once, little if anything would be accomplished. This also showed respect for the person talking at the time. A client who talked out was silenced with a hand over the mouth to keep them quiet.

Pay attention to the person talking- another common courtesy. Paying attention to a client who is talking helps them learn about other clients in the program.

3 days to relate, 14 days to progress- all Newcomers were not permitted to talk in Group for the first three days. This allows them to observe the daily activities and learn how things work at Straight. A 5th Phaser or their Oldcomer could answer any questions they have within the first three days. A Newcomer would have to wait fourteen days before he/she could put in for the privilege of Talk, Talk and Responsibilities, or Home. This was considered enough time for the client to become involved in the group and the Staff could make a determination as to whether or not they could talk with their parents.

No playing off Oldcomer’s, parents, or Foster Parents- a classic game everyone play at some point. Asking multiple people the same question until they get the answer they are looking for was prohibited. We were expected to accept the first answer we get.

No talking in lines or bathrooms- lines were straight, everyone stood heel to toe, facing the back of the head of the person in front of you. You were expected to think about your day. Often times the bathrooms were crowded when in use between raps. Too many people talking was thought to cause confusion and allow for mass cop-out attempts.

No asking Staff or 5th Phasers questions during raps- questions directed to a 5th Phaser could only be address between raps, during lunch or dinner. Asking a Staff Member anything was generally not done unless the Staff member asked if anyone had questions.

No R Rated movies- Because of the nudity, violence and drug use R rated movies were prohibited. These types of images were thought to be distractions.

No pro drug music, radio stations or TV shows- it was thought that most anything could influence a person to go back to drugs or alcohol. This included music about drugs and radio stations that encouraged drug use. Television program and movies that portrayed drug use in a positive way were thought to interfere with the client’s commitment to staying sober.

No make-up, jewelry, wallets, watches, belts, money or ID- it was thought the use of makeup and jewelry were ways to avoid one’s self. Using makeup and jewelry was also thought to be tied to self-confidence, self esteem, and the image one has of themselves. Wallets could hide weapons and contraband. A watch on 1st and 2nd phase was considered a distraction from concentrating on the activities of the day. Belts on 1st phase could be use to hurt themselves or others. Money wasn’t needed until 3rd Phase and ID was also not required until latter Phases.

No mouthwash, deodorant, or colognes containing alcohol- it was believed that them items would be used for clients to get high with.

If you are sick and in need of medical attention in the building, use the Chain of Command and/or medication line- A client could not be given any medication without a prescription by a Medical Doctor. A client couldn’t even take an aspirin for a headache unless the client had a temperature of 102. In the extremely rare case that a client does become seriously ill they would be permitted to rest in the two-bed infirmary. In an even more rare case the client would be transported to the hospital for treatment.

No stopping off to or from the building, check out all stop off’s- Simply put, no one could stop at a store or gas station while a client was in a car. This prevented the client from copping out. A 4th or 5th Phase could get permission to stop and get gas to or from work so long as it was understood that no Newcomers could be in the car at the time.

No hitch hiking or picking up hitch hikers- Self explanatory

No lending or borrowing money- It was believed that this was a bad habit.

Report all possible cop-outs- Anyone who had a suspicion that another client was going to cop-out had to be reported to Staff immediately. The person being reported even if they had done nothing wrong could expect a relentless confrontation and possible set back or started over. Failure to report a possible cop-out could result in set back or start over as well.

No talking or associating with Copouts, terminations, or Pulled Clients- Associating with a person no longer in good standing with Straight was thought to weaken a client by them talking bad about the program. A former client is left isolated, lonely and detached from the friends they once had in the Program. The parents of these former clients were strongly encouraged to ignore their pleas for help unless they agreed to come back to the program.

Report all suspicious persons around the building or Foster Home- Straight believed that suspicious person could be someone looking to "rescue" their friend from the program or cause harm to others.

No listening to the radio or watching TV while writing Moral Inventories- This was believed to be a distraction.

No lifting weights until 3rd Phase- Prevented client from building up strength and over powering another client in order to cop-out.

No using or answering the phone until 4th Phase except Dime Therapy on 2nd and 3rd Phase- This meant that a Newcomer didn’t have access to call home or druggie friends. 2nd & 3rd Phase clients could use the phone to call other Oldcomers in the program, but only after a parent dialed the number and assured the approved Oldcomer was the one on the phone. Calling anyone NOT on the Dime Therapy list was prohibited. Not answering the phone prevented the client from getting a call from a druggie friend.

No sending or receiving letters or packages, and no answering the door until 4th Phase- This prevented someone from receiving drugs or other contraband through the mail. Answering the door was considered risky because a druggie friend could be on the other side. If someone stopped by unannounced and/or not approved by Staff, they would be turned away. The Client is usually sent to their room until the visitor left.

Maintain the anonymity of Foster Parents while on 1st Phase- This prevented a clients parents from finding out where their child was living and who was taking care of them. This rule kept parents from stopping by their home for a visit.

A parent must be in the home with the Clients at all times- Parental supervision was strongly mandated.

What I hear in Staff office or front Lobby remains there- This was true for anyone in those areas. It was never a practice that clients be permitted to even see the inside of the Staff offices. The lobby was usually where the Phoner took messages for Staff. These messages were to be kept strictly confidential.

No Clients in the File Room, Staff Office, or Executive Area’s without Staff Permission- A client rarely saw the inside of a Staff office. Confidential information was kept there. The File Room was off limits to everyone but Staff. All client files were kept here and could only be read by Staff. A client couldn’t even see their own file during the program without Executive Staff present.

No knives, scissors, or sharp objects around Newcomers- Newcomers could not be trusted to use these items responsibly. They could be used as weapons to harm themselves or someone else.

No Newcomers talking to Newcomers- It was thought that communication between two Newcomers only meant they were up to no good.

Banking is limited to a joint account with parental co signature required for withdraws- This applies to 3rd Phase and higher. This prevented a client from withdrawing money if they decided they were going to cop-out from the program or buy drugs.

No photographing Newcomers- this ensured confidentiality.

Nobody enters or leaves the Carpet Room once Executive Raps begin- Executive Rap only occurred twice a week. To show respect to Executive Staff interruptions of this nature were prohibited.

No animals in the building except Seeing Eye dogs- Health code regulations.

Report cards must be sent to Staff via the Chain of Command- this let the Staff know how well a client is doing in school. A client had to maintain a B average otherwise the client could be pulled from school and set back as punishment.

If you are late for Group you make up a day for yourself and one day for each of your Newcomers- This applied to 2nd Phase and higher. Once a client made 4th Phase they couldn’t have a day off until these days are made up in Group.

Dime Therapy- used on 2nd Phase and higher. Dime Therapy was used in a situation when a client was having difficulty at home and needed some advise. A typical Dime Therapy list consisted of three 4th Phasers, two 5th Phasers and one Staff Trainee. A Staff Trainee was called only in an emergency involving a client who was seriously ill, causing problems in the home, or who had copped-out.

Permissions- There were several types of Permissions. Shopping Permissions allowed a client on 3rd Phase or higher to go shopping for new clothes for school or work. Job Hunting Permissions were granted for clients who were looking for a job. Most had already graduated from high school. Driving Permissions were granted to clients who had a driver’s license and had a reason to drive. (To and from work) Clients were not permitted to drive to or from school. A driving permission was valid for 7 days and must be renewed weekly. Specific information had to be given to Staff when filling out a Driving Permission. Name of client, year make model and color of car, license plate number including issuing state. Drivers license number and state issued. Group Permissions were granted to 4th & 5th Phasers. Several clients would get together on their day off and go out and doing something together, like go to the zoo, or amusement park. A parent MUST accompany the clients on the permission. Permissions had to be handed in 72 hours in advance except 5th Phasers, 24 hours in advance. Staff had to know who was going, the date they were going, where they were going complete with address, what time they were leaving and what time they could be expected back from the outing. Any part of the permission form that was left blank or not appropriately answered would cause the permission to be denied. If a group of clients were late in leaving or returning from a permission the clients responsible would have their days off taken away and/or other disciplinary action.

Third Phasers may go outside in the yard if accompanied by a parent-

No extracurricular activities- No sports, clubs or other after school activities until 5th Phase.

No turning your back on the Group while standing at a door- 2nd-4th Phasers were responsible for standing at a door that led out of the Group room. This ensured that only authorized person could come in or leave the Group room. Turning ones back on the Group was believed to give a client an opportunity to charge the door and cop-out.

Sign in and out of Group- This let Staff know where all clients were at all times.

A guy and girl cannot be in the same room alone until 6 months 7th Stepped- It was believed that this caused unnecessary temptation for both sexes. The ONLY exceptions to this rule were 7th Step Officers. When I first became an Officer I was under 6 months and the other Officer was female. Because we discussed confidential information we had to share an office together the exception had to be made for this.

Guys wear shirt, girls wear bra- common courtesy.

Report all Stashes (drugs, stolen articles)- It was important that if a client still had drugs or any other stashes hidden in their home that it be reported so the parents go find them and get them out of the house prior to going home on 2nd Phase.

No cameras, tape recorders or radios in the building- Helps maintain confidentiality. Radios were thought to be a distraction.

No hanging out in the parking lot- loitering was thought to look bad.

No druggie friends or hangouts- it was thought a client would be tempted to do drugs again if one associated with druggie friends. Going to a druggie hang out was thought to be risky because a druggie friend could be there.

No going to sleep with the radio on- it was thought that messages from the radio could be subconsciously transmitted to the brain and cause conflict.

Pick up trash from around your seat- self explanatory

No getting out of your seat without permission-

No crew cuts- Straight, Inc. did not want to be perceived as a military type organization.

Go over Newcomer MI’s nightly- it was the responsibility of Oldcomers to read the Newcomers MI. By doing so, the Oldcomer knew exactly what the Newcomer wanted to work on. It also ensured that the Newcomer wasn’t writing something just to give the appearance of writing an MI. Also, Oldcomers could sometimes spot trouble by reading an MI if a Newcomer was thinking about leaving the program or if the didn’t think they had a problem.

There were other rules, not all of them could be retrieved for this book.

Open Meeting Rules

No passing anything during the Open Meeting
No eye games during Open Meeting
No writing of anything during Open Meeting
Stand up when your parents stand
No talking out to parents except to say, "I love you."
No slang or profanity during introductions
Honesty on introductions
Report all suspicious looking characters during Open Meeting
Open Meeting introductions must include: Name, age, drugs, how long on drugs, how long here, past, present, future
No camera’s, tape recorders, or radio’s in group during Open Meeting
No asking parents for wants and needs during Talk.
No faking out parents with privileges earned. Cannot tell parents they are on 3rd Phase when they really didn’t make it.
No asking 5th Phasers questions during Open Meeting
If you are an Oldcomer and have a sibling who earns Talk, you do not sit in on the Talks.

5th Phase Rules

Honesty
Empathy & Sensitivity
Practice the Principals of my program daily
Share my gift of awareness to the Group- teach and relate though example, assist clients with problems and help them find solutions.
Follow the Chain of Command
Sign in on days in at 8:30AM or 1:30PM Sundays- 5th Phasers had to sign into the building 15-30 minutes earlier than the rest of the clients. 5th Phasers were often responsible for watching over the other clients in the Intake Room. They blocked the door to prevent a client from copping out.
During your first week on 5th Phase you are expected to be in everyday- this is to allow a new 5th Phaser time to learn most of the responsibilities he/she has as a 5th Phaser. Only after this time period is successfully completed will they be allowed to have days off.
5th Phasers get 4 days off a week-
5th Phasers may talk behind backs in Group- in many cases this is the only way a 5t Phaser can keep up with the progress of other clients in the program.
Communicate through the OBS book- Another way for 5th Phasers to keep up on the progress of the clients. Major incidents, such as Cop-Outs, Refreshers, and Start Over’s are written in the OBS book.
Fifteen Minutes at the 5th Phase desk- 5th Phasers are limited to only 15 minutes to read the OBS book or write in the OBS book. This allowed for other 5 Phasers to do work at the desk.
5th Phasers may call lower Phasers w/out Staff Permission
Attend 5th Phase Raps weekly- These were often led by Junior or Senior Staff. Confrontations could be expected here.
5th Phasers and Parents attend "5th Phase Parent Rap" once a month- usually non-confrontive and led by Senior or Executive Staff.
Day off permanent permission with parents or Foster parents- so long as a 5th Phaser is with their parent or their assigned Foster Parent, a 5th Phaser could go anywhere with them without permission.
Permissions without parents- two or more 5th Phasers could go anywhere without parents.
Permission requests 24 hours in advance
5th Phase Mixed-Group Permission Rules
There will be a minimum of 5 people on each permission with an odd number or people and at least two of each sex- Prevented 5th Phasers from pairing up. (guy/girl)
Stay together in a group, no pairing off into couples or going off alone- see above
Mixed permissions can be held at home or Foster Home if a parent is present- self explanatory
Curfew for Mixed Permissions is 9:30PM on weeknights and 11:30PM on weekends- self explanatory
Do not associate with lower Phasers while on Mixed Group permission
No more than one Mixed group permission a week- this was thought to keep a 5th Phaser from becoming "interested" in another 5th Phaser making it more like a date than an outing.
Mixed Group permissions must have the signature of a parent or Foster Parent
A 5th Phaser must go on at least two Mixed Group permissions before 7th Stepping.
Any action not acceptable to Straight standards on Mixed Group permission could result in loss of permission privilege or other disciplinary action- holding hands, flirting, kissing or sexual contact etc.
Senior Staff must approve Mixed Group permissions at least 24 hours in advance.
Mixed Group permissions may only be checked out during or immediately following a 5th Phase rap.