NCJ Number
59233
Journal
Juvenile Justice Volume: 28 Issue: 3 Dated: (AUGUST 1977) Pages: 15-24
Date Published
1977
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THIS SYSTEMS APPROACH TO DELINQUENCY PREVENTION IDENTIFIES THOSE FORCES AND FACTORS WHICH MAINTAIN THE DELINQUENT SUBCULTURE AND APPLIES SPECIFIC INTERVENTION TECHNIQUES.
Abstract
MOST JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAMS EITHER EMPHASIZE THE CAUSES OF DELINQUENCY AND THE ELIMINATION OF SUCH CAUSES, OR THEY REQUIRE THE IMPROVEMENT AND COORDINATION OF EXISTING SERVICES. BOTH THE CAUSATION MODEL AND THE SERVICES MODEL HAVE SHOWN ONLY LIMITED STATISTICALLY SUBSTANTIATED SUCCESS, BECAUSE THE MODELS FULFIL VALID NEEDS FOR OFFENDERS AND SOCIETY, BUT THEY DO NOT ACTUALLY PREVENT DELINQUENCY. THE SYSTEMS APPROACH, HOWEVER, DOES FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROGRAM DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR A GIVEN DELINQUENCY PROBLEM AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRIORITIES AND TIMETABLES FOR INTERVENTION SUBPROGRAMS. IT MAKES POSSIBLE THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE DIFFERENT DELIQUENT SUBCULTURES AS TO THEIR READINESS AND APPROACHABILITY FROM THE PREVENTION ASPECT AND THE SYSTEMATIC ACCUMULATION OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE SPECIFIC PREVENTION METHODS. UNDER THE SYSTEMS CONCEPT A PREDELINQUENT YOUTH GROUP WOULD BE LOCATED IN A SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC AREA, AND THE INTERACTIONS OF ITS MEMBERS WOULD BE ANALYZED. THE EVENTUAL GOAL OF THE ANALYSIS IS THE PREDICTION OF THE EFFECT OF VARIOUS FORMS OF INTERVENTION. SUCH ANALYSIS REQUIRES THE USE OF CONCEPTS SUCH AS THE TERRITORIAL BASE, SOCIALIZATION PROCESS, NORMS, INTERSYSTEMIC LINKAGES, AND BORDER MAINTENANCE. DIRECT CONTACT WITH YOUTH GROUPS MAY BE MADE BY THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF WORKER THROUGH A STREET CORNER WORK APPROACH. COORDINATION OF THE EFFORTS OF THE GROUP WORKER AND THE CASE WORKER AIDS IN THE PREVENTION OF FURTHER DELINQUENT INVOLVEMENT BY THE JUVENILES. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK).