NCJ Number
131539
Date Published
1987
Length
25 pages
Annotation
Under a grant from the British government and in accordance with the Criminal Justice Act 1982, a private organization, Community Service Volunteers, worked with juvenile justice and social service agencies to establish community-based alternatives to institutionalization for youth starting in 1983.
Abstract
CSV Kent initiated nine programs, each of which had paid staff, local volunteers, and community service volunteers. The staff of each program organized meetings and a conference to persuade local magistrates, lawyers, and others to support the programs. Referrals to the programs usually come from probation officers and social workers, and each program is matched to the individual youth's needs. The programs all provide social and life skills training as well as group or individual counseling. Many programs also emphasize restitution through community service. Tutoring, other alternative education programs, outdoor skills, and training in the use of leisure time are also program components. Data from the first 109 offenders taking part in the program showed that although recidivism was relatively frequent, it involved less serious offenses. The program's success will probably receive national publicity and be used elsewhere. Figures and tables