NCJ Number
50962
Journal
Criminal Justice Review Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (FALL 1977) Pages: 23-33
Date Published
1978
Length
11 pages
Annotation
A STUDY WHICH USED SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT TO EXAMINE EFFECTS OF A CHANGE IN JUVENILE INTAKE PROCEDURES NOT ONLY ON THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT BUT ALSO ON THE POLICE IS REPORTED.
Abstract
THE CHANGE WAS THE INTRODUCTION BY A METROPOLITAN COUNTY JUVENILE COURT AND PROBATION AGENCY OF A CITATION PROCEDURE FOR MAKING JUVENILE MISDEMEANOR ARREST AND AN ARBITRATION SESSION FOR CARRYING OUT THE INITIAL SCREENING OF CASES. THE CITATIONS, WHICH RESEMBLED TRAFFIC TICKETS, WERE ISSUED FOR MINOR COMPLAINTS AND MISDEMEANORS AND INDICATED THE DATE OF THE HEARING. THE HEARING TOOK THE FORM OF AN ARBITRATION SESSION TO ARRANGE FOR RESTITUTION OR OTHER APPROPRIATE ACTION. PRIOR TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CITATION PROCEDURE THERE WAS A 6-WEEK DELAY BETWEEN APPREHENSION OF THE JUVENILE AND FIRST CONTACT WITH AN INTAKE WORKER. OF THESE CASES 74.8 PERCENT WERE CLOSED WITH A WARNING. THE ARREST PROCESS WAS CUMBERSOME AND TIME CONSUMING. THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT'S EVALUATION OF THE NEW PROCEDURES FOUND THAT THEY DECREASED THE TIME BETWEEN APPREHENSION AND INTAKE HEARING FROM AN AVERAGE OF 45 DAYS TO 10 DAYS AND INVOLVED ABOUT 37.5 PERCENT OF YOUTHS IN SOME TYPE OF RESTITUTION OR COUNSELING PROGRAM (COMPARED TO 4 PERCENT PREVIOUSLY). THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT, HOWEVER, FOUND THAT THE PROGRAM ALSO HAD PROFOUND IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICE. TIME AND PAPERWORK PER ARREST SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED, FREEING POLICE FOR MORE PATROL WORK. THE POLICE ALSO DEVELOPED A TENDENCY TO ISSUE THE CITATIONS RATHER THAN TO MAKE FORMAL ARREST, THUS, THE NUMBER OF JUVENILES HANDLED ACTUALLY INCREASED. IMPLICATIONS OF THESE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED. THE SECOND PART OF THE PAPER DIAGRAMS POSSIBLE IMPACTS OF CHANGES IN ONE SECTION OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ON ANOTHER. SEVERAL SUCH IMPACTS FOUND BY OTHER STUDIES ARE LISTED. IMPACT ASSESSMENT IS RECOMMENDED AS PART OF PROGRAM EVALUATION. REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (GLR)