NCJ Number
32756
Date Published
Unknown
Length
114 pages
Annotation
AN EVALUATION, BASED ON INTERVIEWS AND JESNESS SCALE AND RECIDIVISM DATA, OF YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES UPHELD, INC., INTENSIVE PROBATION PROGRAM, A COMMUNITY BASED CORRECTIONS PROGRAM ESTABLISHED IN 1971 IN WORCESTER, MA.
Abstract
OFFENDERS ARE DIRECTED TO THE PROGRAM BY THE COURT. THEY ATTEND ONE TWELVE WEEK PROGRAM ON A DAILY BASIS, AFTER SCHOOL, FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER TWELVE WEEKS ON A WEEKLY BASIS, AND A FINAL TWELVE WEEKS WHICH INCLUDE A TERMINATION INTERVIEW AND EVALUATION. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES COUNSELING, FAMILY THERAPY, MEDICAL CARE, GROUP 'RAPS', EDUCATION-VOCATION ASSISTANCE, AND RECREATION. DATA INDICATE THAT THE LIKELIHOOD OF RECIDIVISM IS ABOUT EQUAL FOR PROGRAM AND REGULAR PROBATION YOUTH, ALTHOUGH EIGHTY PERCENT OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WERE EFFECTIVELY TREATED WHILE CONTINUING TO LIVE AT HOME AND ATTEND THEIR OWN SCHOOLS. ANTISOCIAL PASSIVE AND ANTISOCIAL AGGRESSIVE OFFENDERS WERE FOUND TO BE MOST DIFFICULT TO TREAT. PARTICIPANTS TENDED TO VIEW THE PROGRAM IN POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE TERMS. THE REPORT CONCLUDES, HOWEVER, THAT THERE CONTINUES TO BE A NEED FOR INTENSIVE, SECURE TREATMENT FACILITIES FOR A SMALL NUMBER OF OFFENDERS WHO REMAIN BEYOND THE REACH OF COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS PROGRAMS.