NCJ Number
45993
Date Published
1977
Length
181 pages
Annotation
THE OBJECTIVES AND RESULTS OF A COMMUNITY-DESIGNED AND BASED PROJECT INTENDED TO REDUCE OFFENDER RECIDIVISM FOR YOUTHS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 12 AND 18 WITH RECORDS OF ARREST FOR HIGH IMPACT CRIMES ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT SERVICE (YES) APPROACHED THE PROBLEM OF YOUTHFUL OFFENDER RECIDIVISM THROUGH INTENSIVE COUNSELING, BOTH ON AN INITIAL AND FOLLOWUP BASIS. THE COUNSELING PROCESS ATTEMPTED TO IMPROVE OFFENDER SELF-IMAGE THROUGH PREVOCATIONAL TRAINING DESIGNED TO IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP INDIVIDUAL ABILITIES AND INTERESTS, AND THROUGH CAREFULLY SELECTED JOB PLACEMENT OR ON-THE-JOB TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES. ALTHOUGH YES HAD CONTRACTED TO REDUCE HIGH IMPACT REARREST BY 25 PERCENT, AN OVERALL REDUCTION OF 50 PERCENT WAS ACHIEVED. AUTHORITIES REFERRED 374 YOUTHS TO YES, AND ALTHOUGH YES HAD CONTRACTED TO PROVIDE A VARIETY OF SERVICES, INCLUDING PREVOCATIONAL TRAINING, COUNSELING, FOLLOWUP, AND EDUCATIONAL AID, TO 225 JUVENILES, 248 WERE ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM. OF THESE 248 YOUTHS, 147 COMPLETED PREVOCATIONAL TRAINING. YES SOUGHT TO PLACE 40 PERCENT OF ALL THE REFERRALS IN A JOB OR IN AN ON-THE-JOB TRAINING PROGRAM; OF THE 374 YOUTHS REFERRED INITIALLY, 47.6 PERCENT WERE PLACED, WHILE OF THE 248 YOUTHS ACTIVELY PARTICIPTING IN THE MORE EXTENSIVE PROGRAM OFFERINGS, 72 PERCENT WERE PLACED AT LEAST ONCE. A TOTAL OF 9,496 PLACEMENT CONTRACTS WERE MADE BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE YOUTHS; 8,531 OF THESE WERE DIRECT YOUTH CONTACTS. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES, METHODS AND PROCEDURES ARE DISCUSSED. THE HISTORY OF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD OF THE ORIGINAL WESTWOOD YES PROGRAM IS REVIEWED, AND THE BY-LAWS OF THE BOARD ARE PRESENTED. THE DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND RELATIONSHIPS OF THE BOARD, THE PROJECT DIRECTOR, THE FISCAL OFFICER, THE RESEARCH ASSISTANT, THE EDUCATION COORDINATOR, AND THE VARIOUS COUNSELORS ARE DISCUSSED. THE PROGRAM METHODOLOGY IS ALSO DETAILED, AND SAMPLE COUNSELING AIDS ARE PROVIDED. TABULAR DATA ON ARREST AND RECIDIVISM RATES, AND BREAKDOWNS OF SOCIOLOGICAL INFORMATION REGARDING PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS ARE PROVIDED. AN APPENDIX CONTAINING THE PREVOCATIONAL KIT DEVELOPED AS A PROGRAM OF INSTRUCTION IN PREPARATION FOR AIDING YOUTH IN OBTAINING AND MAINTAINING EMPLOYMENT AND COPIES OF ASSORTED CASE FILE FORMS IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--KLB)