Effects of Status Offender Deinstitutionalization in Clark County (WA)

• NCJ Number: 74872
• Author(s): A L Schneider
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 54 pages
• Grant Number(s): 77-JN-99-0013
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Institute of Policy Analysis
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Prepared for the American Society of Criminology Annual Convention, November 5-8, 1980, San Francisco (CA)

Annotation

Selected results from an evaluation of the deinstitutionalization of status offenders (DSO) program of Clark County, Washington, are presented; the program's effect on reduction of detention of status offenders and on recidivism rates is discussed.

Abstract

The DSO project was funded by $50,000 from LEAA for 2 years; most funds were used for direct service delivery. The program was operated as part of the probation unit of the juvenile court, and began operating in 1975. DSO efforts included the hiring of two additional probation officers, implementation of crisis intervention, and development of a volunteer support group. The local evaluation was originally planned so that propositions concerning the effects of the project on clients could be tested with an experimental design involving random assignment of eligible status offenders into a DSO experimental group and a non-DSO control group. Because of problems with the random assignment procedure, a multiple-regression design rather than a straightforward comparison of the control and experimental groups was used. Data were obtained from computerized case information tapes provided by the Clark County court. Information covered the period 1972-77. Major dependent variables in the analysis were detention and recidivism. Data analysis indicated that the Clark County DSO project reduced the detention of status offenders both directly and indirectly. The decision to apply for a grant under the DSO initiative and the corresponding change in court policy dramatically reversed a trend toward an increasing proportion of detained status offenders. The detention rate was reduced from 90 percent before grant application to 72 percent during preprogram time. Further reduction occurred when the program actually began accepting clients. In addition, project activities reduced the recidivism rate of status offenders. Whether the reduction was attributable to the counseling and crisis intervention strategies or to the reduction of detention was difficult to ascertain. Footnotes, tables, graphs, and 48 references are included.