Recidivism in the Juvenile Diversion Project of the Young Volunteers in Action Program

• NCJ Number: 102325
• Author(s): R G Wiebush
• Date Published: 1985
• Length: 32 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Young Volunteers in Action, a community service program for youthful offenders in Columbus, Ohio, did not reduce the number of recidivists or the seriousness of subsequent offenses but was effective with females and blacks and delayed the youths' subsequent involvements with the law.

Abstract

The program provided a sentencing alternative to the juvenile court for minor offenders. Study data came from a 6-month followup of the arrest records of 60 youths referred to the program during its first year, July 1983 to July 1984. Comparison data came from a matched group of juvenile offenders who did not take part in the program. Almost half the youths in each group were rearrested within 1 year. A small number of youths in each group were responsible for a disproportionate number of arrests. The lowest recidivism rates were for females in the volunteer program. Black males in the program had a recidivism rate of 33 percent, compared to 50 percent for black males not in the program. Youths aged 16 and 17 were slightly more successful than those aged 14 and 15. Data tables and appendix tables.