NCJ Number
94086
Journal
Canadian Journal of Criminology Volume: 23 Issue: 3 Dated: (July 1981) Pages: 343-355
Date Published
1981
Length
13 pages
Annotation
A quasi-experimental evaluation of the Hamilton Attendance Center in Ontario, Canada -- a community-based alternative for at-risk boys on probation -- revealed that a determination of success varied according to probation officers' or boys' views, as well as to what measures were selected as indicative of success.
Abstract
The Hamilton Attendance Center was intended for boys perceived by their probation officers as not benefiting from regular probation services and therefore at-risk for training school commitment. Referred boys were required to spend each weekday evening at the Center for about 12 weeks. An evening's program consisted of an hour for unstructured activities, an hour for staff to work with boys on achieving individual goals, and a final hour of group activity. The typical participant was 14-years-old, white, from an intact but large family, and had been involved in the juvenile justice system for about 4 years. Formal evaluation began when the program had been operating a year and collected data over a 12-month period from 56 Center subjects and 85 comparison group boys on regular probation. The evaluation showed that successful completion of the program did not increase the probability of a boy's avoiding further conflict with the law. Recidivism rates for both groups were comparable. In addition, there were no differences regarding social functioning. Probation officers felt the program was beneficial for most boys, but the boys were more ambivalent. The Center can be considered a success if the assumption that the boys were headed for training school is accepted. Only four graduates of the Center were later committed to training school, compared with eight from the comparison group. Success measured by other factors, however, is a matter for conjecture. Tables, figures, and 11 references are included.