NCJ Number
84209
Date Published
1980
Length
155 pages
Annotation
This impact evaluation of five Dade County, Fla., juvenile delinquency prevention programs shows that although the programs provided many useful activities for clients, reduction in delinquency was not demonstrated and intervention in the lives of juveniles was expanded.
Abstract
The evaluation design consisted of (1) a random selection of 20 current clients from each program to be tested on their perception of their own self-dysfunction, delinquent behavior, the law, and the programs; (2) a survey of all program staff for documentation of their perceptions of the operation and impact of the programs; (3) an open-ended survey of the personnel of sponsoring and other agencies in the particular communities; (4) a search of files to determine recidivism after program termination; and (5) a test of the perceptions of clients involved in traditional juvenile probation programs. The programs provided adult role models, a place for youth to go and planned activities, an opportunity to develop job skills and earn money, and enhancement of the community network for general youth development. The programs, however, did not demonstrate reduction in delinquency among clients, and they tended to draw into the juvenile justice system some youth who had little need for intervention. The goals and objectives of all the programs should be rewritten to take into consideration the limited resources available, and forms for information on the clients should be revised to provide more information. The components of the youth development model recommended are adult supervision, a sense of usefulness and competence, client recruitment, recreational activities, and counseling. Tabular data, evaluation instruments, and a selected bibliography of 15 listings are provided.