NCJ Number
123980
Date Published
1987
Length
156 pages
Annotation
This study attempts to replicate the results of Murray and Cox's study "Beyond Probation," where it was found that institutionalization in Illinois training schools resulted in large reductions in the rate of offending of serious juvenile offenders.
Abstract
This comparative study provides a literature review of juvenile delinquency research, a description of the research setting and methods, a discussion of how youths were assigned to differing forms of intervention by the juvenile court and Youth Corrections Agency in the second district of Salt Lake City, Utah; a description of the character of each intervention technique; an examination of recidivism outcome data of youths placed on probation compared to those placed in informal probation and other intervention groups; and a review of the recidivism results in light of further research needs and the policy implications for the court. The results of the study support the theory that responses to delinquency should consist more of innovative community based supervision of delinquents. Probation was found to be ineffective as a sanction, whereas commitment to corrections facilities followed by entrance into a community based program of supervision was found to decrease recidivism significantly. The study urges replication of its results and provides suggestions for altering methodology to improve the predictability and validity of such studies. 75 references. 1 appendix.