NCJ Number
136979
Date Published
1991
Length
17 pages
Annotation
The Clark County, Washington Special Intervention Program (SIP) was developed in response to the increasing incidence of serious crimes being committed by juveniles and the lack of any funding specifically dedicated to reducing juvenile recidivism.
Abstract
The program targets youth who, based on age and lack of serious criminal history, are identified as minor or first offenders, but who are at risk to reoffend. The purpose of SIP is to deter program participants from continued criminal activity by establishing effective community-based support systems that will serve youth after court-ordered supervision expires. This goal will be accomplished by implementing the following objectives: develop an individual service plan for each youth; provide participants with access to a comprehensive array of services to meet their physical, emotional, social, and educational needs; encourage youth to accept responsibility for their behavior; ensure that participants have an effective support system in place prior to exiting the program; and monitor participant progress after program exit. The SIP is youth-centered, with the needs of youth and their families dictating the type and mix of services provided. Youth referred to the SIP must meet the following criteria: be under 17 years of age; have status as a minor or first offender; have status as a divertee or truant; be a middle offender under 14 years of age whose criminal history includes no more than one felony offense; present no evidence of serious psychiatric, behavioral, or emotional pathology for which residential treatment or other highly specialized intervention is required; express no suicidal ideation; and be resident in Clark County, Washington. Referral procedures of SIP are described along with the roles of the case manager, probation counselor, and juvenile services associate.