NCJ Number
26724
Date Published
1975
Length
73 pages
Annotation
A COMPARISON OF RECIDIVISM RATES FOR JUVENILES UNDER THE OLD TRAINING SCHOOL SYSTEM OF THE 1960'S AND THE COMMUNITY-BASED SYSTEM OF THE 1970'S, WITH AN ANALYSIS OF INTERVIEW DATA COLLECTED FROM YOUTHS IN THE SYSTEM.
Abstract
TWO MEASURES OF RECIDIVISM WERE EMPLOYED, BASED ON OFFICIAL RECORDS: COURT APPEARANCES DURING A SIX AND 12 MONTH PERIOD AFTER RELEASE, AND ANY PROBATION OR RECOMMITMENT DISPOSITIONS WITHIN SIX OR TWELVE MONTHS AFTER RELEASE. COMPARISONS WERE DRAWN BETWEEN A SAMPLE OF YOUTH PAROLED FROM TRAINING SCHOOLS DURING FISCAL YEAR 1967-1968 WITH A COMPARABLE SAMPLE OF YOUTH RELEASED FROM REGIONAL PROGRAMS IN 1973 AND 1974. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN RECIDIVISM RATES WERE FOUND BETWEEN THE TWO SAMPLES. THE RATES WERE FOUND TO VARY CONSIDERABLY BETWEEN INSTITUTIONS, AND UNOFFICIAL RECIDIVISM FIGURES INDICATED THAT YOUTHS PLACED IN SECURE CARE FACILITIES HAD MUCH HIGHER RECIDIVISM RATES THAN YOUTH PLACED IN ALTERNATIVE, LESS CONTROLLED PROGRAMS. THE LONGITUDINAL STUDY INVOLVED A SERIES OF FOUR INTERVIEWS WITH A COHORT OF YOUTH SERVICES YOUTH ENTERING THE DEPARTMENT IN 1973 AND 1974. YOUTHS WERE INTERVIEWED AT DETENTION, COMMITMENT, TERMINATION OF PROGRAM, AND AFTER RECOMMITMENT OR SIX MONTHS AFTER TERMINATION. AMONG THE MAJOR FINDINGS WERE: DETENTION PRIOR TO ADJUDICATION APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO SOCIAL CLASS AND AVAILABILITY OF FACILITIES; PROGRAM PLACEMENT IS AFFECTED BY THE YOUTH'S DETENTION HISTORY; AND RECIDIVISM IS RELATED TO YOUTHS' BACKGROUND, DETENTION, AND PROGRAM EXPERIENCE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)