NCJ Number
26575
Date Published
1974
Length
118 pages
Annotation
THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THE YOUTH DIVERSION PROJECT (YDP) IS TO DIVERT AS MANY YOUTHS AS POSSIBLE FROM THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM TO PREVENT THEM FROM BEING LABELLED DELINQUENT AND ASSOCIATED WITH DELINQUENTS.
Abstract
MORE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ARE TO DIVERT 825 JUVENILES PER YEAR; TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND FOLLOW-UP TO PREVENT ITS CLIENTS FROM BECOMING INVOLVED WITH THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AT A LATER DATE; AND, TO REDUCE THE RATE OF FIRST OFFENDERS WHO SUBSEQUENTLY BECOME INVOLVED WITH THE COURT SYSTEM. IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THESE OBJECTIVES, THE PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO: PROMOTE POSITIVE PROGRAMS TO CORRECT DELINQUENCY-CAUSING CONDITIONS, IDENTIFY AND MOBILIZE COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO SOLVE YOUTH PROBLEMS; AND PROVIDE IMMEDIATE SHORT-TERM COUNSELING SERVICES IN FAMILY CRISIS SITUATIONS. THE EVALUATION UTILIZED CLIENT INTAKE FORMS, REFERRAL ACTION RECORDS, CLIENT CASE HISTORIES, COMMUNITY QUESTIONNAIRES AND INTERVIEWS WITH ALL YDP STAFFERS. EACH OF THE SIX PROJECT YOUTH SERVICES CENTERS SUBMITTED DATA AND WAS EVALUATED SEPERATELY ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ITS PROCESSES AND ORGANIZATION, THEN THEY WERE COMPARED TO EACH OTHER.