NCJ Number
63003
Date Published
1978
Length
21 pages
Annotation
ECKERD WILDERNESS CAMPS (EWC), ESTABLISHED TO REHABILITATE FLORIDA'S EMOTIONALLY TROUBLED JUVENILE OFFENDERS USING LEARNING BY EXPERIENCE, DO NOT PRODUCE LOW RECIDIVISM RATES.
Abstract
LOCATED IN 4 LOCALES IN FLORIDA, EWC SERVICES 105 CHILDREN PER YEAR BETWEEN THE AGES OF 8 AND 14. REMOTE FROM POPULATION SITES, THE CAMPS ARE COMPOSED OF SMALL GROUPS OF CHILDREN AND COUNSELORS WHO BUILD AND MAINTAIN THEIR OWN CAMPSITES. ACTIVITY CENTERS ON SELF-EVALUATION, CAMP MAINTENANCE, AND PLANNING TRIPS. DATA FOR THIS 1978 EVALUATION OF EWC COMES FROM A DATA FILE ON THE COMMITTED YOUTH, AFTERCARE RECORDS, AND YOUTH SERVICES FILES CHECKED FOR RECIDIVISM RATES UP TO 18 MONTHS AFTER CLIENT RELEASE FROM EWC. YOUTHS COMMITTED TO EWC WERE 85 PERCENT MALE, AND AVERAGED 13.5 YEARS; 20 PERCENT WERE BLACK; 4.5 PERCENT WERE FIRST COMMITMENTS. WHILE MOST YOUTHS DID NOT ATTEND GROUP COUNSELING AFTER RELEASE FROM EWC, 59 PERCENT HAD 3 OR MORE CONTACTS WITH INDIVIDUAL THERAPISTS. CONTACTS DROPPED SHARPLY 9 MONTHS AFTER RELEASE. ALSO, 45 PERCENT OF PARENTS OF CHILDREN RELEASED FROM EWC HAD 3 OR MORE COUNSELOR CONTACTS. RECIDIVISM AMONG YOUTHS RELEASED FROM EWC IS 60 PERCENT FOR MALES, 63 PERCENT FOR FEMALES, AND THE GREATEST NUMBER OF EWC COMMITMENTS IN 1978 WERE OF YOUTH COMMITING FELONIES AGAINST PROPERTY. THE EVALUATION FOUND THAT EWC COMMITMENTS ARE TOO LONG, AFTERCARE TOO MEAGER, AND CRITERIA FOR ADMITTING YOUTHS IN NEED OF CLARIFICATION. TABLES AND FOOTNOTES, AND AN APPENDIX ARE INCLUDED. (PAP)