MASSACHUSETTS - EVALUATION OF PURCHASE OF SERVICES FOR YOUTH IN TROUBLE, MAY-JUNE 1973

• NCJ Number: 16696
• Author(s): P Mcgerigle; C Shaeffer; L Hassol
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 42 pages
• Grant Number(s): 73-ED-01-0017
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; Massachusetts Dept of Youth Services
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CONTRACT SERVICES FOR YOUTH WAS JUDGED BY RECIDIVISM AND BY A 'GLOBAL' MEASURE OF THE YOUTH'S IMPROVEMENT.

Abstract

SERVICES WERE JUDGED EFFECTIVE IF THEY PLAYED A ROLE (EVEN A PARTIAL ROLE) IN A POSITIVE CASE OUTCOME. THEY WERE DEEMED 'PALLIATIVE' IF THEY HAD ONLY A TEMPORARY EFFECT. THE TERM 'INEFFECTIVE' WAS RESERVED FOR THOSE CASES IN WHICH AN INVESTMENT DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE EVEN A TEMPORARY EFFECT. IT WAS FOUND THAT 32 PERCENT OF SERVICES TO GIRLS AND 39 PERCENT OF SERVICES TO BOYS WERE EFFECTIVE. THE REMAINDER WERE EITHER PALLIATIVE, INEFFECTIVE, OR NOT CLASSIFIED.