NCJ Number
27057
Date Published
1975
Length
19 pages
Annotation
THE MAJOR ACTIVITY OF THIS PROGRAM IS THE RECRUITMENT OF GANG AFFILIATED YOUTHS IN NORTH CENTRAL PHILADELPHIA INTO ITS INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING AND REFERRAL SERVICES (MAINLY EDUCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT).
Abstract
YOUTH ACADEMY STREETWORKERS RECRUIT YOUTHS FROM 14 'CORNERS' IN NORTH CENTRAL PHILADELPHIA AND FOLLOW-UP WITH HOME VISITS AND FIELDWORK AFTER THE YOUTHS ARE ENROLLED. A REFERRAL SYSTEM CONSISTING OF 25 SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES IS UTILIZED. THIS PROGRAM WAS EVALUATED ON THE BASIS OF SITE VISITS TO THE CENTER, A TELEPHONE SURVEY OF REFERRAL AGENCIES USED BY THE PROGRAM, AND TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS WITH A SAMPLE OF PROGRAM CLIENTS, AMONG OTHER THINGS. EVALUATORS CONCLUDED THAT THE PROGRAM HAD FULFILLED ITS ENROLLMENT OBJECTIVES, WITH 495 ACTIVE CLIENT FILES AND 243 CLIENTS RECEIVING SPECIFIC REFERRAL SERVICES. THE CONTACT RATE AND NUMBER OF REFERRALS ALSO SATISFIED THE PROGRAM GOALS OF MAINTAINING CORNER CONTACTS AND SERVING AS A COORDINATING AND REFERRING AGENCY FOR YOUTH SERVICES. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO STATISTICALLY RELIABLE EVIDENCE THAT POINTED TO THE PROGRAMS EFFECT IN PREVENTING AN/OR REDUCING CRIME AND RECIDIVISM. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT CLIENT FILES BE REVIEWED FOR PURPOSES OF IDENTIFYING INACTIVE FILES AND UPDATING ACTIVE ONES, THAT MEASURABLE INTERIM PROJECT GOALS BE ESTABLISHED; AND THAT RELIABLE, AREA-WIDE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY DATA BE DEVELOPED TO AID IN THE MEASUREMENT OF PROGRAM IMPACT. SEE ALSO NCJ-027056.