NCJ Number
15670
Date Published
1974
Length
76 pages
Annotation
AN EXAMINATION OF THE OVERALL EFFECTS OF THE SIX COMMUNITY-BASED GROUP HOMES, EVALUATION RESULTS FOR EACH HOME, AND SAMPLE FORMS AND LETTERS USED IN EVALUATION.
Abstract
THE GOAL OF THE EVALUATION WAS TO DETERMINE THE BENEFITS TO THE DELINQUENT AND PRE-DELINQUENT YOUTHS, THE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITIES, AND THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF GROUP HOMES. MEASURES USED TO EVALUATE BENEFITS TO YOUTHS WERE NUMBER OF POLICE AND COURT CONTACTS, ANY YOUTH INSTITUTIONALIZATION AFTER LEAVING THE HOME, SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, AND SCHOOL GRADES. IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES WAS MEASURED BY SURVEY, AND THE YOUTHS' ATTITUDES WERE ALSO SURVEYED. RESULTS WERE OBTAINED BY COMPARING BEHAVIOR OF YOUTHS FOR ONE YEAR PRIOR TO ENTERING THE GROUP HOMES TO BEHAVIOR FOR ONE YEAR AFTER LEAVING THE HOMES. A SAMPLE OF 42 YOUTHS WAS USED. THE RESULTS SHOWED FEWER POLICE AND COURT CONTACTS, INCREASES IN SCHOOL GRADES, AND A DECREASE IN SCHOOL ATTENDANCE FOR YOUTHS AFTER RELEASE FROM GROUP HOMES. SATISFACTION WITH THE GROUP HOMES' EFFECTIVENESS, PERFORMANCE AND FAIRNESS WAS INDICATED IN QUESTIONNAIRES SENT TO COMMUNITY AGENCIES, PARENTS, AND THE YOUTHS INVOLVED. A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF THE COST OF GROUP HOME TREATMENT INDICATED A FAVORABLE COMPARISON WITH COST OF INSTITUTIONAL TREATMENT.