NCJ Number
147560
Journal
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Dated: (January 1967) Pages: 166-182
Date Published
1967
Length
17 pages
Annotation
Cost-effectiveness methods were used to evaluate Group Guidance, a detached case worker technique used in Los Angeles in the 1960's to cope with delinquent gangs.
Abstract
The study included 100 core members of three comparable gangs. One gang received full Group Guidance services, another gang received partial services, and the third gang received no services. Gang member records were examined for correctional actions and services occurring over a 6-year period which was divided evenly into "before treatment" and "after treatment" phases. The total period roughly covered the lives of gang members between 14 and 20 years of age. Using an auditor's estimate of the costs of actions and services, a career correctional cost was computed for each boy over the 6-year followup. Cost data disclosed a relationship between service by detached workers and differentials in mean correctional career costs. The application of Group Guidance techniques was associated with reduced mean correctional costs from before to after and reduced mean costs from no treatment to full treatment. For the fully-serviced gang, the reduction in correctional costs in 1 year was several times the cost of treatment. For the untreated gang, correctional costs rose from before to after. 4 tables