NCJ Number
57274
Date Published
1979
Length
37 pages
Annotation
THE INITIAL PHASES OF A PROJECT TO PREPARE WISCONSIN JUDGES, INTAKE WORKERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND CORRECTIONS STAFF TO IMPLEMENT CHANGES IN THE STATE'S CHILDREN'S CODE ARE EVALUATED.
Abstract
IN MAY 1978, WISCONSIN ENACTED A LAW CREATING CHANGES IN THE INTAKE, ADJUDICATION, AND DISPOSITION PROCESSES OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. FIVE GRANTS WERE AWARDED BY THE WISCONSIN COUNCIL ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE TO DEVELOP CURRICULUM AND CONDUCT TRAINING SESSIONS ON THE NEW LAW. THE FIRST PHASES OF THAT PROJECT--CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING OF INSTRUCTORS WHO WILL IMPLEMENT THE CURRICULUM IN EACH OF THE OCCUPATIONAL AREAS NOTED ABOVE--WERE EVALUATED. AT THE TIME OF THE EVALUATION, CURRICULUM MATERIALS HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND EIGHT TRAINING SESSIONS FOR INSTRUCTORS HAD BEEN HELD, SIX IN THE SUBSTANTIVE CONTENT OF THE CODE REVISIONS AND TWO IN TRAINING METHODOLOGY. DATA GATHERED FROM 184 TRAINING SESSION PARTICIPANTS INDICATED THAT THE SESSIONS WERE WELL RECEIVED. MOST PARTICIPANTS FELT THE NEW LAW WOULD BE WORKABLE. THEY PERCEIVED INTAKE, RESOURCE PROVISION, PROCEDURE, AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGE AS LIKELY PROBLEM AREAS. CORRECTIONS REPRESENTATIVES TENDED TO BE LESS ENTHUSIASTIC THAN OTHERS ABOUT BOTH THE CODE REVISIONS AND THE TRAINING SESSIONS. OVER HALF OF THE TRAINEES REQUESTED ADDITIONAL TRAINING OR INFORMATION. FURTHER TRAINING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTAKE INSTRUCTORS WAS RECOMMENDED, TOGETHER WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN OFFICE STAFFED BY AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM PREPARED TO LEND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THOSE CHARGED WITH IMPLEMENTING THE REVISED CODE. A LIST OF CURRICULUM MATERIALS, A COPY OF THE EVALUATION INSTRUMENT, AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, TABULAR DATA, AND OTHER SUPPORTING MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)