NCJ Number
140055
Journal
Juvenile and Family Court Journal Volume: 43 Issue: 3 Dated: (1992) Pages: 41-48
Date Published
1992
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article analyzes the impact on child sexual abuse interventions of two modifications of the litigation process, namely simultaneous juvenile and felony court hearings and the timing of felony hearing diversions. The three programs described here were examined in terms of several intervention outcomes: the likelihood of treatment, the recipient of treatment, and the type of treatment.
Abstract
In the Late Diversion Program, developed by social workers and the district attorney, child sexual abusers were tried at a traditional felony trial except that treatment and minimal punishment were provided if the defendant pled guilty at the arraignment. In the Early Diversion Program, the defendant attended a pretrial conference and, if determined treatable by the social worker and arresting officer, was diverted into a treatment program without being charged. The compromise position, the Mid-Term Diversion Program, allowed the treatable defendant to plead guilty at his initial court appearance and then be diverted from further prosecution into a preexisting treatment program. The plea was vacated upon successful completion of the program. When comparing outcomes for the three types of program, the author concluded that juvenile court hearings, in conjunction with some level of felony proceedings, have a positive affect on the delivery of services to the victims and their families. However, the impact of diverting offenders from the felony system was not entirely clear. The findings show that interprofessional cooperation is necessary for the successful implementation of this type of program and that programs which divert offenders earlier are preferable to those which divert later in the litigation process. 3 tables and 30 references