DELAWARE - FAMILY COURT VOLUNTEER SERVICES - REPORT AND ANALYSIS

• NCJ Number: 18509
• Author(s): S M BLINDMAN; J J FRITZ
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 48 pages
• Grant Number(s): 74-070; FA-82-73; FA-6-72
• Sponsoring Agency: Delaware Criminal Justice Planning Cmssn
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

PROGRESS REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ACTIVITIES OF A STATEWIDE VOLUNTEERS IN PROBATION (VIP) PROJECT DESIGNED TO AID THE DELAWARE STATE FAMILY COURT.

Abstract

IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE THE BURDEN OF THE OVERALL FAMILY COURT STAFF, SPEED THE CASEFLOW, AND ALLOW COUNSELING PROFESSIONALS TO DO MORE INTENSIVE WORK ON SPECIFIC CASES, THE PROJECT UTILIZED VOLUNTEERS IN FOUR CATEGORIES: CLERICAL, INTERVIEWER (PRE-ADJUDICATORY ONLY), COUNSELOR, SPECIAL PROJECTS (EG., CHILDREN'S ROOM SUPERVISOR, PAINTING COURT WAITING ROOMS). THIS REPORT PRESENTS DATA IN BOTH NARRATIVE AND TABULAR FORM COVERING THE RECRUITMENT, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT OF THE FIRST 277 VOLUNTEERS IN THE PROGRAM. IT ALSO DISCUSSES HOW THE VOLUNTEERS WERE INTEGRATED INTO THE STRUCTURE OF THE COURT, AS WELL AS THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROJECT AS MEASURABLE THUS FAR. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PROJECT INCLUDE STRICTER ACCOUNTING OF VOLUNTEERS' TIME, GREATER DOCUMENTATION ON THE CLIENTS THEY SERVE, GREATER EMPHASIS ON RECRUITMENT AND ASSIGNMENT OF VOLUNTEERS, AND TRAINING OF COURT STAFF IN THE UTLIZATION OF VOLUNTEERS. STAFF AND VOLUNTEER JOB DESCRIPTIONS, AND SAMPLE DATA COLLECTION FORMS ARE APPENDED.