NCJ Number
56013
Date Published
1976
Length
84 pages
Annotation
THEORIES AND RATIONALES UNDERLYING OFFENDER TREATMENT ARE REVIEWED CRITICALLY, AND A TENNESSEE PROJECT USING VOLUNTEER COUNSELORS TO ASSIST JUVENILE FIRST OFFENDERS IS EVALUATED.
Abstract
THE CRITICAL REVIEW TOUCHES ON MORAL VIEWS, PHYSIOLOGICAL THEORIES, THE MEDICAL MODEL, SELF-CONCEPT AND LABELING, DISPARITY THEORY, THE CONCEPT OF THE DEVIANT SUBCULTURE, LEARNING THEORY, BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION IN INSTITUTIONS, NONINSTITUTIONAL TREATMENT, AND RADICAL NONINTERVENTION (THE IDEA THAT THE CULTURE RATHER THAN THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS TREATMENT). IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT SUBSTANTIATION OF OFFENDER TREATMENT PROCEDURES HAS BEEN THEIR CONGRUENCE WITH VARIOUS THEORIES ABOUT THE ETIOLOGY OF DEVIANCE AND WITH RATIONALES DERIVED FROM THESE THEORIES. EVALUATIONS OF INSTITUTIONS HAVE SHOWN THEM TO BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE, PROMPTING A MOVEMENT TOWARD NONINSTITUTIONAL ALTERNATIVES. TO AVOID A REPETITION OF THE WHOLESALE IMPLEMENTATION OF INEFFECTIVE TREATMENT THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE IN INSTITUTIONS, EMPIRICAL EVALUATION OF NONINSTITUTIONAL ALTERNATIVES IS ESSENTIAL. ONE SUCH EVALUATION IS PRESENTED FOR PROJECT FIRST OFFENDER (PFO) IN KNOXVILLE, TENN. PFO USES TRAINED VOLUNTEERS TO COUNSEL FIRST-TIME JUVENILE PROBATIONERS. PROFESSIONALS ARE USED ONLY AS CONSULTANTS. A COMPARISON OF 14 PFO CLIENTS AND MATCHED CONTROLS FINDS NO DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE PFO TREATMENT MODE AND TRADITIONAL PROBATION IN TERMS OF RECIDIVISM, JOB HOLDING, ENROLLMENT IN SCHOOL, AND PROBLEM BEHAVIOR. THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED IN LIGHT OF SOME OF THE CONCEPTS CONSIDERED IN THE CRITICAL REVIEW. PROCESS EVALUATION FINDINGS ARE ALSO REPORTED. SUPPORTING DATA, A COPY OF THE STUDY INSTRUMENT, AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)