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Effects of a Prisoner-operated Delinquency Deterrence Program: Mississippi's Project Aware

NCJ Number
137544
Journal
Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 17 Issue: 3/4 Dated: (1992) Pages: 89-99
Author(s)
D D Cook; C L Spirrison
Date Published
1992
Length
92 pages
Annotation
A sample of 176 adjudicated juvenile delinquent males were divided into a treatment group of 97 randomly assigned offenders, all of whom attended the Mississippi Department of Corrections Project Aware Program, and a control group of 79 subjects. Data were collected to evaluate the non-confrontational, prisoner-run juvenile deterrence program.
Abstract
The results showed that participation in the treatment program had no significant effect on unexcused school absences, recidivism, or the frequency and severity of subsequent offenses. But the major finding of this study was the significant reduction in school dropout rates of juvenile delinquents who attended the program and those who did not. This finding could have important implications for youth court officers, legislators, educators, and corrections officials when considering the development of prisoner-run delinquency deterrence programs. If they continue to reduce dropout rates, these programs would be very cost- effective. 2 tables and 11 references