NCJ Number
85104
Date Published
1980
Length
110 pages
Annotation
A study comparing the services of a community-based diagnostic center for juveniles adjudicated as delinquent, dependent or incorrigible with a centralized Washington State diagnostic facility (Cascadia) concluded that the community-based services are a viable alternative.
Abstract
Three counties were chosen to institute community-based diagnostic centers and three other counties were selected as controls. The control counties continued to send their juveniles to Cascadia for diagnosis. Outcome measures included rate of diagnosis and institutionalization, use of community resources, length of stay in the institution, management problems while institutionalized, recidivism, and costs. While the experimental counties diagnosed juveniles at nearly twice the rate as the control counties, they placed juveniles in State institutions at about the same rate as their control counterparts. Three hypotheses were evaluated: that juveniles from experimental counties would use more community services than juveniles from control counties, that juveniles from the experimental counties would have a lower recidivism rate than juveniles from the control counties, and that community diagnosis would cost the State less than diagnosis at a centralized facility. The first hypothesis was partially confirmed, the second was wholly confirmed, and the third was possibly confirmed but could not be accurately measured. Figures, tables, footnotes, one reference, the survey and instrument, and study data are provided. (Author abstract modified)