NCJ Number
176705
Journal
Crime and Justice International Volume: 14 Issue: 20 Dated: September 1998 Pages: 11-13
Date Published
September 1998
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article traces the establishment and development of the Delinquency Control Institute (DCI), whose primary activity is the provision of training programs for police juvenile professionals and youth workers.
Abstract
During the past 40 years, the DCI, located at the University of Southern California, has participated in the development and analysis of juvenile delinquency causal and treatment theories, as well as the design and establishment of agencies dedicated to combatting juvenile delinquency, in addition to its primary training role. DCI was conceived in the early 1940s by a group of concerned members of the juvenile system in Los Angeles, who recognized the need for an intensive education and training program for those persons working first-hand with delinquent youth. DCI graduated its first class in 1946 and has since graduated 80 classes. Its graduates, consisting mostly of law enforcement officers, represent all 50 States and more than 45 nations. During the past few years, DCI has undertaken a systematic analysis of the needs of the juvenile justice professional, as perceived by those working in the system, as well as those working in peripheral agencies, so as to identify the primary knowledge, skill, behavior, and value factors necessary for an effective learning experience. The process produced four areas of concentration: subjects necessary for understanding the juvenile justice system, the social and psychological context of juvenile delinquency, the analytical tools necessary for understanding the existence and dynamics of juvenile delinquency and related problems, and individual and institutional capabilities for dealing with juveniles.