NCJ Number
13998
Date Published
Unknown
Length
32 pages
Annotation
A DESCRIPTIVE AND INFERENTIAL STATISTICAL ANALYSIS DESIGNED TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES (DYS) YOUTHS REMAIN LAW ABIDING, AND WHAT VARIABLES WERE ASSOCIATED WITH SUBSEQUENT RECIDIVISM.
Abstract
THE GENERAL PROCEDURE WAS FIRST, TO DETERMINE WHO THE SUCCESSES AND FAILURES WERE AND SECONDLY, TO LEARN THE WAYS THE RESULTING TWO GROUPS DIFFERED IN TERMS OF FACTORS PRESUMABLY RELATED TO SUCCESS OR FAILURE. RECOMMITMENT TO A JUVENILE INSTITUTION, PLACEMENT ON ADULT PROBATION, OR COMMITMENT TO AN ADULT INSTITUTION WERE CRITERIA USED TO JUDGE SUCCESS OR FAILURE. A SAMPLE OF 246 DYS YOUTHS RELEASED TO AFTERCARE SUPERVISION DURING FISCAL YEAR 1968 TO 1969 WAS USED, AND WAS STUDIED FOR A FOLLOW-UP PERIOD OF THREE YEARS. VARIABLES OF CRIMINAL HISTORY AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS WERE INVESTIGATED. THE STUDY REVEALED THAT 48 PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE WERE EVENTUALLY RECOMMITTED. THE VARIABLES OF RACE, SEX, TYPE OF OFFENSE, AND NUMBER OF PRIOR COMMITMENTS WERE FOUND TO BE STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT. GENERALLY, HIGHER RECIDIVISM PERCENTAGES WERE ASSOCIATED WITH BLACKS, MALES, YOUNGER YOUTHS, PROPERTY AND PERSON OFFENDERS, AND THOSE WITH PRIOR COMMITMENTS, LONGER TIME SERVED AND URBAN BACKGROUNDS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)