SANTA CLARA COUNTY - DAY CARE TREATMENT CENTER FOR DELINQUENTS - 2D YEAR EVALUATION REPORT, AUGUST 1973

• NCJ Number: 16327
• Author(s): A C LAMPKIN; G G TAYLOR
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 95 pages
• Grant Number(s): 0563
• Corporate Author: American Justice Institute
• Sale Source: National Technical Information Service; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ASSESSMENT OF A CALIFORNIA PROJECT TO PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE TO 24-HOUR INSTITUTIONAL CARE THROUGH THE USE OF A DAY CENTER WHERE JUVENILE OFFENDERS RECEIVE COUNSELING AND EDUCATION WHILE STILL LIVING AT HOME.

Abstract

THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROGRAM WERE TO 1) ESTABLISH A DAY CARE CENTER AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO OUT-OF-HOME PLACEMENT, 2) DEVELOP COST-EFFECTIVENESS ESTIMATES, 3) INCREASE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, 4) IMPROVE ATTITUDES AND MOTIVATION TOWARD EDUCATION, 5) DECREASE TRUANCY, 6) DECREASE RECIDIVISM, 7) IMPROVE SELF CONCEPT, AND 8) IMPROVE BEHAVIORAL FUNCTIONING OF FAMILY SYSTEM. A SAMPLE OF 110 EXPERIMENTAL AND 71 CONTROL SUBJECTS WAS USED. MEASURES USED WERE THE CALIFORNIA ACHIEVEMENT TESTS, A YOUNGSTER BEHAVIOR INVENTORY, AN INTERVIEW WITH THE JUVENILE, THE TENNESSEE SELF CONCEPT SCALE, A FAMILY QUESTIONNAIRE AND A DAY CARE STAFF INTERVIEW. COST COMPARISONS WITH OTHER PLACEMENTS, AND EXAMINATION OF THE JUVENILE COURT RECORDS, SCHOOL ATTENDANCE RECORDS, AND PROBATION FILES WERE ALSO USED. RECIDIVISM AND SCHOOL ADJUSTMENT SHOWED NO IMPROVEMENT FOR THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP, WHILE ACHIEVEMENT TEST SCORES, SELF CONCEPT, AND FAMILY FUNCTIONING WERE REPORTED TO HAVE IMPROVED. SECOND YEAR DAY CARE CLIENTS HAD SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER BEHAVIOR AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE THAN FIRST YEAR PARTICIPANTS. COSTS OF THE PROGRAM COMPARED FAVORABLY WITH COSTS OF OTHER PLACEMENT. APPENDIXES INCLUDE THE PROJECT DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS, AN ADDENDUM TO THE SECOND YEAR EVALUATION, TABLES OF DATA, AND TENNESSEE SELF CONCEPT PROFILE AND SCORE SHEETS.