NCJ Number
91716
Date Published
1981
Length
44 pages
Annotation
Telephone interviews and selective visits were used in this survey of day centers operating in England and Wales in August 1980; they served clients of the probation and aftercare service, whether the centers were operated by this agency or voluntary agencies.
Abstract
The centers were classified according to the type of clients served and their stated aims, and they were rated according to degree of structure, degree of formality, and scale of resources. Center aims were categorized as alternative to custody, alternative to traditional probation methods, employment services, education services, socialization, and containment. Detailed case studies are provided of facilities which serve various client groups to highlight some of the operational problems specific to each. The remainder of the report discusses the implications of the findings. Differences between the statutory centers (run by the probation and aftercare service) and those run by voluntary agencies are outlined. There appear to be two distinct types of day centers: those which focus on reforming offenders and those which aim to maintain the disadvantaged in the community by providing care and support. The report concludes that day centers can provide an alternative to prison, perhaps through statutory orders, when a structured and formal program is available. Maps, tables, six references, and a listing of Home Office research reports are provided.