NCJ Number
9770
Date Published
1972
Length
341 pages
Annotation
DESCRIPTION AND EVALUATION OF AN EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM BEGUN IN 1961 AS A COMMUNITY ALTERNATIVE TO INCARCERATION FOR PERSISTENT JUVENILE OFFENDERS.
Abstract
THE EXPERIMENT TOOK PLACE IN UTAH COUNTY AND WAS INSPIRED BY THE JUDGE OF THE LOCAL JUVENILE COURT. BOYS ASSIGNED TO THE PROGRAM LIVED AT HOME AND SPENT ONLY A PART OF THE DAY AT THE PROGRAM CENTER. ONLY TWENTY DELINQUENTS WERE ASSIGNED TO THE PROGRAM AT ONE TIME AND WHEN ONE BOY WAS RELEASED, ANOTHER TOOK HIS PLACE. THE PROGRAM EMPLOYED GROUP INTERACTION AS ITS MAIN SOURCE OF INFORMATION RATHER THAN PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS AND DIAGNOSES. THE EXPERIMENT WAS STRUCTURED IN TWO PHASES. THE FIRST WAS AN ATTEMPT TO DEVELOP A SOCIAL SYSTEM BY INSTITUTING AN INTENSIVE GROUP PROGRAM OF WORK AND PEER GROUP DISCUSSIONS. THE SECOND PHASE HELPED A DELINQUENT BY SUPPORTING HIM AND FINDING EMPLOYMENT FOR HIM WITHIN THE COMMUNITY - ONCE HE HAD BEEN RELEASED FROM THE GROUP PROGRAM. THE URGENCY OF THE MEASUREMENT PROBLEM AND THE DIFFICULTY IN MEASURING EFFECTIVENESS UNTIL BETTER METHODS ARE DEVELOPED IS EMPHASIZED IN THE SECTION ON EVALUATION. IT IS NOTED THAT, ALTHOUGH MANY OF THE BOYS PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM DID RECIDIVATE, THE PROGRAM DID LOWER THE OVERALL VIOLATION RATES. THE QUESTION OF WHETHER ANY CORRECTIONAL PROGRAM CAN BE OF POSITIVE VALUE IS EXAMINED AND THE CONCLUSION IS REACHED THAT COMMUNITY EXPERIMENTATION IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN INSTITUTIONALIZATION. (SNI ABSTRACT)