NCJ Number
16957
Journal
PROBATION AND PAROLE Issue: 6 Dated: (FALL 1974) Pages: 7-14
Date Published
1974
Length
8 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF A SURVEY IN WHICH YOUTHS WERE ASKED TO EVALUATE THEIR COUNSELORS ON THE FAIRNESS WITH WHICH THEY EXERCISED AUTHORITY, THEIR WILLINGNESS AND EFFECTIVENESS IN HELPING WITH PROBLEMS, AND THEIR FRIENDLY SUPPORT.
Abstract
THIS STUDY FOCUSED ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CORRECTIONAL COUNSELORS AT THE KENNEDY YOUTH CENTER (KYC) IN MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE OBTAINED FROM 199 YOUTHS, REPRESENTING 88 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL KYC POPULATION. THE QUESTIONNAIRE CONTAINED A PERSONAL DATA INVENTORY AND 29 ITEMS WHICH CENTERED ON THE COUNSELOR-STUDENT RELATIONSHIP IN MATTERS OF CONTROL, PROBLEM COUNSELING, AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT. THE AVAILABLE RESPONSES TO EACH QUESTION WERE MARKED NUMERICALLY, WITH A HIGH SCORE INDICATING POSITIVE RESPONSE AND A LOW SCORE DEMONSTRATING NEGATIVE RESPONSES. THE POSSIBLE RANGE OF COMPOSITE SCORES FOR THE EVALUATION WAS FROM 116 TO 29. THE MEDIAN TOTAL SCORE FOR THE RESPONDENTS WAS 72 AND THE MEAN SCORE 73, INDICATING THAT MOST OF THE STUDENTS CONSIDERED THEIR COUNSELORS TO BE EFFECTIVE IN SOME AREAS OR ON SOME OCCASIONS. AN ANALYSIS OF HIGH AND LOW EFFECTIVENESS ASSESSMENT SCORES BY RACE INDICATED THAT HIGH SCORES WERE MORE FREQUENT AMONG WHITES. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THIS MAY BE DUE TO THE VERY LOW NUMBER OF BLACK COUNSELORS AS COMPARED TO BLACK JUVENILES.