Abstract
This article describes a classroom-based educational and treatment program for adults under probation supervision for shoplifting offenses in Nueces County, Texas. Case file review and face-to-face interviews indicate that most of the shoplifters are poor, uneducated single mothers with negative attitudes who live in destructive environments. They reported stealing for their own consumption or for people they care about. A sixteen-hour program was designed based on two assumptions: (1) these people may be motivated to steal to improve the quality of their lives and of those they care for; and (2) people do have some control over their lives and would be motivated to improve the quality of their lives in constructive ways if they felt they could. The program is designed to initiate productive self-improvement and to reduce recidivism among participants. This paper describes shoplifters on probation in the area and introduces the antishop-lifting program.