NCJ Number
31910
Date Published
1975
Length
488 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT DESCRIBES AND EVALUATES A VOLUNTEER IN A PROBATION PROGRAM SUPERVISED BY THE PROBATE AND JUVENILE COURT IN ROYAL OAK (OAKLAND COUNTY), MICHIGAN.
Abstract
IN THIS PROGRAM, JUVENILE PROBATIONERS, 12 TO 17 YEARS OF AGE, ARE REFERRED TO CITIZENS WHO SERVE AS VOLUNTEER PROBATION OFFICERS (VPO'S), SCHOLASTIC TUTORS, OR GROUP COUNSELORS FOR YOUNGSTERS AND THEIR PARENTS. THE PROGRAM WAS EVALUATED ON THE BASIS OF ITS IMPACT ON REDUCING THE RECIDIVISM RATES OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS, AS MEASURED BY SELF-REPORTED DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR, AND CONTACTS WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE RESEARCH DESIGN FOCUSED ON BOTH PROGRAM OUTCOME AND THE PROCESSES BY WHICH THESE OUTCOMES WERE ACHIEVED. THE STUDY WAS BASED ON COMPREHENSIVE DATA GATHERED DURING A SIX-MONTH PERIOD FROM COURT RECORDS AND REPEATED INTERVIEWS WITH VOLUNTEER WORKERS, 94 PROBATIONERS AND THEIR PARENTS, AND A RANDOMLY SELECTED CONTROL GROUP OF DELINQUENT YOUNGSTERS WHO DID NOT RECEIVE VOLUNTEER SERVICE. RESEARCHERS CONCLUDED THAT THIS VOLUNTEER PROGRAM WAS NOT EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING THE SELF-REPORTED DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR OF ITS CLIENTS, THEIR RATES OF POLICE CONTACT, OR THE DEGREE TO WHICH THEY BECOME MORE DEEPLY ENMESHED IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. IN FACT, EACH OF THE THREE KINDS OF VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS SEEMED TO TEMPORARILY INCREASE DELINQUENCY BY ONE OR ANOTHER CRITERION. A FOLLOWUP STUDY SIX MONTHS AFTER THE YOUNGSTERS' PROBATIONARY PERIOD ENDED SHOWED THAT, IN THE LONG RUN, PROBATIONERS WHO RECEIVED VOLUNTEER SERVICES WERE NEITHER MORE NOR LESS DELINQUENT THAN THOSE WHO DID NOT RECEIVE SUCH SERVICES. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT COURTS, INSTEAD OF CONDUCTING THEIR OWN VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS, REFER JUVENILE PROBATIONERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, WHICH THEY WOULD THEN MONITOR. AN EXTENSIVE APPENDIX CONTAINS ON ANALYSIS OF THE FOLLOWUP RESULTS, TABULAR DATA, TECHNICAL NOTES, AND SPECIMENS OF THE INTERVIEW SCHEDULES AND OTHER MEASURES USED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) (SNI ABSTRACT)