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DEINSTITUTIONALIZING STATUS OFFENDERS IN TEXAS

NCJ Number
68808
Date Published
1976
Length
136 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT EXAMINES THE STATUS OFFENDER PROBLEM IN TEXAS AND PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AIMED AT DIVERTING STATUS OFFENDERS FROM THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
Abstract
TO DETERMINE THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM, DATA WERE COLLECTED FROM CENSUS DATA, JUVENILE COURT STATISTICS, AND A SAMPLE OF 41 TEXAS COUNTIES. FROM THESE DATA, IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT 31,500 STATUS OFFENSES WERE RECORDED THROUGHOUT THE STATE IN 1975. THESE OFFENSES WERE COMMITTED BY AN ESTIMATED 21,000 JUVENILES. THE STATE'S GOAL IS TO DEINSTITUTIONALIZE STATUS OFFENDERS BY AUGUST 1977. DATA ON PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL ARE FRAGMENTED BECAUSE THERE IS NO CENTRAL INFORMATION SOURCE ON SERVICE TO JUVENILES AND NO SINGLE STATE AGENCY WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR JUVENILES. DATA TO EVALUATE DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION EFFORTS WERE COLLECTED THROUGH INTERVIEWS WITH STATE AGENCY STAFF MEMBERS AND A MAIL SURVEY OF COUNTY FACILITIES, SERVICES, AND PROGRAMS. RESULTS INDICATED THAT NINE STATE AGENCIES AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE HAVE PROGRAMS RELATED TO DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION OF STATUS OFFENDERS. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES, INCLUDING GROUP HALFWAY HOUSES AND GROUP HOMES; CRISIS SERVICES, INCLUDING A NATIONAL TELEPHONE NETWORK FOR RELAYING MESSAGES TO RUNAWAYS' FAMILIES, PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES, AND A STATEWIDE CHILD ABUSE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION PROGRAM; COUNSELING SERVICES, SUCH AS STATUS OFFENDER PROJECTS AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION AND TREATMENT PROJECTS; AND ALCOHOL AND DRUG TREATMENT SERVICES. OTHER SERVICES OFFERED ARE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS, VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG-USE PREVENTION, HEALTH SCREENING, LEGAL SERVICES, AND REFERRAL SERVICES. A TOTAL OF 740 COMMUNITY-BASED RESOURCES WERE IDENTIFIED AND LISTED IN THE TEXAS DIRECTORY OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR YOUTH. A DESCRIPTION OF THE TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM, DISCUSSION OF HANDLING OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS, TABLES, FIGURES, FOOTNOTES, AND APPENDIXES PRESENTING ADDITIONAL DATA AND LISTS OF SERVICES AND RESOURCES ARE INCLUDED.