DELINQUENCY PREVENTION EXPERIMENT OF THE SEATTLE ATLANTIC STREET CENTER - A FINAL EVALUATION

• NCJ Number: 10391
• Journal: Social Service Review Volume: 46 Issue: 3 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1972) Pages: 323-346
• Author(s): W C BERLEMAN; J R SEABERG
• Date Published: 1972
• Length: 24 pages
• Grant Number(s): 1-R11-7H 882-85
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: University of Chicago Press
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN ACCOUNT OF THE CONCEPTUAL, METHODOLOGICAL, AND SERVICE COMPONENTS OF AN EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM TO MODERATE YOUTHFUL ACTING-OUT BEHAVIOR.

Abstract

CAREFULLY MATCHED EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL GROUPS COMPRISED OF CENTRAL-AREA SEATTLE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL BOYS WERE ASSESSED ON THE INDEXES OF THE FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY OF SCHOOL-DISCIPLINARY AND POLICE CONTACTS. INTENSIVE SOCIAL SERVICES LASTING FROM ONE TO TWO YEARS WERE GIVEN EXPERIMENTAL BOYS AND THEIR FAMILIES. AN EVALUATION OF SERVICE EFFECTIVENESS DURING THE SERVICE PERIOD AND EIGHTEEN MONTHS FOLLOWING SHOWED NO POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE INDEXES USED - THE UNTREATED CONTROL GROUP PERFORMED AS WELL OR BETTER THAN THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP. THIS DOCUMENT ELABORATES UPON THE OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF THE PROGRAM'S INEFFECTIVENESS. PARTICULAR ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO THE EXPERIMENT'S THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK, POPULATION SELECTION PROCEDURES, THE TYPES OF TREATMENT ADMINISTERED TO THE SUBJECTS, AND THE ASSESSMENT OF DATA. BECAUSE OF THE METICULOUS DOCUMENTATION, THE RESULTS OF THIS EXPERIMENT ARE REGARDED AS SIGNIFICANT.