NCJ Number
46765
Date Published
1976
Length
19 pages
Annotation
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRONX COURT RELATED UNIT (CRU), A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HYGIENE (DMH) AND THE DIVISION FOR YOUTH (DFY), FOR VIOLENT DELINQUENTS IS REVIEWED.
Abstract
ISSUES FACED DURING PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT ARE EMPHASIZED. PRIOR TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CRU PROGRAM IN NEW YORK STATE, A CLASS OF JUVENILES PRESENTING WITH SO-CALLED SOCIOPATHOLOGIES, WERE IN GENERAL BEING SENT TO STATE TRAINING SCHOOLS AND WERE NOT RECEIVING URGENTLY NEEDED PSYCHIATRIC AND SUPPORT SERVICES. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THIS SERVICE GAP LED TO A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE DMH AND THE DFY. AT THE TIME NEITHER AGENCY WAS ABLE TO OFFER A FACILITY WHICH WAS BOTH SECURE AND CAPABLE OF THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION. INITIALLY A COTTAGE WAS SET ASIDE ON THE GROUNDS OF THE STATE TRAINING SCHOOL FOR THE TREATMENT OF FIVE SEVERELY ACTING-OUT AND SERIOUSLY DISTURBED ADJUDICATED DELINQUENTS. AS A RESULT OF POOR PLANNING, LACK OF INTERAGENCY COOPERATION AND COMMUNICATION, AND A LEGAL ACTION ON DUE-PROCESS AND EQUAL-PROTECTION GROUNDS BROUGHT BY THE MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION SERVICE, THE INITIAL PROJECT WAS SHORT LIVED. SERIOUS STUDY WAS THEN UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE MEANS FOR PROVIDING COLLABORATIVE, HIGH-QUALITY, AND LEGAL TREATMENT SERVICES FOR THIS CLASS OF YOUTHS. THE SECOND ATTEMPT AT A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT CALLED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INPATIENT DIAGNOSTIC AND EVALUATION UNIT AND AN INPATIENT LONG-TERM TREATMENT UNIT. PLANNING PROBLEMS FACED BY THE PROJECT INCLUDED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF LEGAL AND DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM, DETERMINATION OF GEOGRAPHIC PREFERENCES, AND OBTAINING THE CONSIDERABLE FUNDS NECESSARY FOR PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION. NEW IMPETUS WAS GIVEN TO THE PROGRAM HOWEVER BY A NUMBER OF EXTREMELY BRUTAL HOMICIDES BY JUVENILES AND INCREASING MEDIA ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEMS OF JUVENILE VIOLENCE. FUNDING WAS EVENTUALLY FORTHCOMING, PROPOSAL REVISIONS WERE UNDERTAKEN TO MEET OBJECTIONS, AND BUDGETARY AND PERSONNEL DIFFICULTIES WERE RESOLVED. IT WAS FINALLY DECIDED THAT THE PROGRAM WOULD ADMIT ONLY ADJUDICATED MALE DELINQUENTS WHO EXHIBITED BOTH VIOLENT AND MENTALLY DISORDERED BEHAVIORS, AND THAT PRIORITY WOULD BE GIVEN TO SUCH YOUTHS IN THE BRONX. THE PROGRAM FINALLY OPENED IN FEBRUARY OF 1976. ADDITIONAL ISSUES WHICH HAVE BEEN FACED BY THE CRU DURING ITS OPERATION HAVE INCLUDED THE ADVISABILITY OF A PROGRAM FOR A VERY SPECIFIC TYPE OF CHILD AS OPPOSED TO PROGRAMS OF A MORE HETEROGENEOUS NATURE, THE PREDICTABILITY OF FUTURE VIOLENCE AND THE DEFINITION OF WHAT CONSTITUTES A PATTERN OF VIOLENT BEHAVIOR, THE PREDICTION OF REHABILITATIVE POTENTIAL AND THE APPROPRIATE TREATMENT APPROACH, AND THE USE/ABUSE OF MEDICATION. A PROGRAM SIMILAR TO THE BRONX PROJECT HAS BEN INITIATED ON WARD'S ISLAND AND SEVERAL OTHER PROGRAMS ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGE. THE IMPORTANCE OF COORDINATION, COLLABORATION, AND MUTUAL CONCERN AMONG CHILD-CARING AGENCIES IS REITERATED. INCLUDED ARE 15 REFERENCES. (JAP)