NCJ Number
18480
Date Published
1973
Length
200 pages
Annotation
THE REACH OUT PROGRAM, PROVIDING PRIMARILY YOUTH COUNSELING AND YOUTH DRUG COUNSELING SERVICES, HAS PROVEN ITSELF AS AN ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE ALTERNATIVE TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND MEANS OF REDUCING RECIDIVISM.
Abstract
OUTREACH IS A COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM PROVIDING SERVICES IN THE GENERAL CATEGORIES OF COUNSELING (INDIVIDUAL, GROUP, FAMILY), YOUTH OUTREACH (ON HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE CAMPUSES), AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION ('RAP' SESSIONS, PUBLIC SPEAKERS, LEGAL INFORMATION). THE PROGRAM SERVES ITS CLIENTELE AT A LOWER AVERAGE COST PER CLIENT THAN AGENCIES OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, WHILE HAVING GREATER SUCCESS AT REDUCING RECIDIVISM AND REDUCING THE TOTAL DRUG USAGE OF ITS CLIENTELE. THIS REPORT REVIEWS, IN STATISTICS AND NARRATIVE, ALL OF THE OUTREACH SERVICES AND FINDS MOST OF THEM FAVORABLE; THOSE FOUND NOT FAVORABLE, EITHER FOR REASONS OF PROGRAM OR FINANCIAL FAILURE, ARE RECOMMENDED FOR IMPROVEMENT OR FOR TERMINATION. ALTHOUGH THE CITY AND COUNTY OFFICES, SERVICES AND SCHOOLS WERE FOUND TO BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED WITH REACH OUT, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE PROGRAM GIVE GREATER PUBLICITY TO ITS FULL RANGE OF SERVICES AND SEEK GREATER INVOLVEMENT BY THE COMMUNITY. NUMEROUS ITEMS SUCH AS REACH OUT'S NEWSLETTER, MONTHLY ACTIVITY REPORTS, ACTIVITY REPORT FORMS AND QUESTIONNAIRES, AND JUVENILE ARREST AND DRUG USE STATISTICS ARE APPENDED.