FAMILY CRISIS INTERVENTION APPROACH TO DIVERSION FROM THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM

• NCJ Number: 59234
• Journal: Juvenile Justice Volume: 28 Issue: 3 Dated: (AUGUST 1977) Pages: 43-51
• Author(s): T C WADE; T L MORTON; J E LIND; N R FERRIS
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM DESIGNED TO DIVERT FIRST-TIME ADOLESCENT OFFENDERS FROM COURT INVOLVEMENT IS DESCRIBED AND EVALUATED IN THIS REPORT.

Abstract

THE INTENSIVE INTERVENTION PROJECT (IIP) DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM FUNDED BY THE STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT PLANNING AGENCY IN HONOLULU, HAWAII, PROVIDES EFFECTIVE DIVERSION OF THOSE ADOLESCENTS FROM THE COURT SYSTEM WHO ARE REFERRED FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR BEHAVIOR SUCH AS RUNNING AWAY, BEING INCORRIGIBLE, NEEDING SUPERVISION, AND VIOLATING A LAW FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL. IN ADDITION, A FURTHER BENEFIT OF THE FAMILY FOCUS OF TREATMENT IS APPARENT IN THE REDUCTION IN RATES OF COURT CONTACTS BY SIBLINGS. A MODIFIED VERSION OF GOAL ATTAINMENT SCALING (GAS) WAS USED TO PROVIDE A MEANS OF MEASURING THE ATTAINMENT OF TREATMENT GOALS BASED ON THE NEEDS OF INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES. BECAUSE THE IIP SERVED PEOPLE WITH FAIRLY HOMOGENOUS PROBLEMS, GAS COULD BE USED TO DOCUMENT THE GOALS TYPICALLY PURSUED BY COUNSELORS AND TO ANALYZE THEIR ATTAINMENT. INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH EACH FAMILY MEMBER TO OBTAIN THEIR OPINIONS CONCERNING THE PROGRAM AND THEIR SATISFACTION WITH TREATMENT AND OUTCOME. IT WAS FOUND THAT RULE OR CONTRACTURAL GOALS WERE MORE OFTEN MET THAN GOALS DIRECTED TOWARDS IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS OR RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE FAMILY. A RELATED FINDING WAS THAT MEMBERS OF FAMILIES WHO HAD NO FURTHER CONTACTS WITH THE COURT RATED THE USEFULNESS OF CONTACTS MUCH HIGHER THAN MEMBERS OF FAMILIES WHO DID HAVE REPEATED COURT CONTACTS. THESE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT TEACHING FAMILIES TO NEGOTIATE DIFFERENCES THROUGH CONTRACTING MAY BE A VERY IMPORTANT TREATMENT COMPONENT. ANOTHER FINDING WAS THAT GOALS FOCUSING ON CHANGES IN PEER INVOLVEMENT MAY ALSO BE A VITAL PROGRAM ELEMENT. IT IS STATED THAT TO PROVIDE A BASIS FOR REPLICATION, A WEALTH OF DESCRIPTIVE DATA IS NECESSARY, AND THE GAS PROVIDES A CONVENIENT TECHNIQUE FOR GATHERING SUCH INFORMATION. IN ADDITION TO BEING A USEFUL EVALUATION TOOL, GAS ALSO APPEARS TO HOLD PROMISE AS A CENTRAL EVALUATION MEASURE AROUND WHICH OTHER MEASURES CAN BE DEVISED TO MEET THE IDIOSYNCRATIC NEEDS OF PARTICULAR PROGRAMS. REFERENCE NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (MJW)