CLAY COUNTY YOUTH RESOURCE UNIT - EVALUATION REPORT

• NCJ Number: 61378
• Author(s): J T RIVERS
• Date Published: Unknown
• Length: 77 pages
• Corporate Author: Florida Northeast Regional Planning Council
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

BASED ON A SURVEY OF STUDENTS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND TEACHERS IN CLAY COUNTY, FLA., DURING THE 1977-78 SCHOOL YEAR, THIS REPORT EVALUATES THE YOUTH RESOURCE UNIT (YRU), A POLICE PROGRAM BASED IN THE SCHOOLS WHICH OFFERS COUNSELING TO PREDELINQUENTS AND CRIME PREVENTION EDUCATION.

Abstract

THE CLAY COUNTY YRU STARTED IN THE FALL OF 1975 WITH TWO YOUTH OFFICERS WHO HAD SPENT MOST OF THEIR TIME IN TWO HIGH SCHOOLS. BY THE THIRD YEAR, THE PROJECT GAINED A THIRD DEPUTY AND EXPANDED INTO SEVERAL MIDDLE AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. ACTIVITIES HAVE FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING RAPPORT WITH STUDENTS, PRESENTING INFORMATION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIME PREVENTION TO STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, COUNSELING PROBLEM YOUTH, AND DIVERTING YOUTH FROM THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. DATA SOURCES FOR THIS EVALUATION CONSISTED OF QUESTIONNAIRES COMPLETED BY 1,171 STUDENTS AND 171 FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATORS IN 9 SCHOOLS, OBSERVATIONS OF THE SENIOR YOUTH OFFICER, AND INTERVIEWS WITH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND THE COUNTY SHERIFF. THIS REPORT PRESENTS A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM'S ACTIVITIES AND THEN SUMMARIZES THE EVALUATION'S FINDINGS IN TERMS OF ACHIEVING THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM OBJECTIVES: IDENTIFYING AND SCREENING 150 HIGH RISK YOUTH, PROVIDING 5 INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING SESSIONS TO THESE STUDENTS, PROVIDING 10 CRIME PREVENTION FIELD TRIPS TO 500 YOUTH, AND OFFERING 150 CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CRIME PREVENTION. THE EVALUATION ALSO ASSESSED THE ATTITUDES OF STUDENTS AND FACULTY TOWARD THE YRU AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, AS WELL AS THE ATTITUDES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TOWARD JUVENILE DELINQUENCY. SURVEY RESPONSES INDICATE THAT ABOUT 65 PERCENT OF THE COUNTY'S SCHOOL STUDENTS WERE AWARE OF THE YRU AND 70 PERCENT EXPRESSED TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE YOUTH OFFICERS. ACCEPTANCE OF THE OFFICERS BY SCHOOL STAFFS WAS HIGH, AND 98 PERCENT FELT THAT THE YRU SHOULD BE CONTINUED. RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE THE PROGRAM ARE OUTLINED. MATERIALS USED IN THE EVALUATION ARE APPENDED, INCLUDING A BREAKDOWN OF STUDENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES BY SEX, SCHOOLS, AGE, RACE, AND GRADE; A BREAKDOWN OF FACULTY RESPONSES BY SCHOOL; DATA ON POLICE OFFICERS' RESPONSES; AND A COMPARISON OF THE CLAY COUNTY YRU WITH A NATIONAL MODEL FOR POLICE SCHOOL LIAISON PROGRAMS.