JUVENILE DELINQUENCY - ONE PSYCHOLOGIST'S PERSPECTIVES (FROM JUVENILE JUSTICE - THE HUMAN DIMENSION - HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROCEEDINGS, 1978, BY LADY BROWN AND JUNE BERRY SEE NCJ-50131)

• NCJ Number: 50136
• Author(s): W A RHODES
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: Junior League of Lubbock, Inc; Texas Cmtte for the Humanities and Public Policy; National Endowment for the Humanities
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A NONTRADITIONAL DELINQUENCY PROGRAM, THE COMMUNITY-BASED ADOLESCENT DIVERSION PROJECT OF CHAMPAIGN-URBANA ILL., IS DESCRIBED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS.

Abstract

THERE IS INCREASING EVIDENCE THAT ONE-TO-ONE COUNSELING AND THERAPY WITH JUVENILE DELINQUENTS HAS BEEN INEFFECTIVE AND THAT, FOR THE MAJORITY OF YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS, ENTRANCE INTO THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM MAY REINFORCE DEVIANT BEHAVIOR. THE COMMUNITY-BASED PROJECT IN ILLINOIS IS AN ALTERNATIVE INTERVENTION PROGRAM USING NONPROFESSIONALS AS DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDERS. INTERVENTION OCCURS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER A JUVENILE ENTERS THE SYSTEM. THE PROJECT EMPLOYS BOTH A CHILD ADVOCACY AND BEHAVIOR CONTRACTING METHOD. THE BEHAVIOR CONTRACTING METHOD INVOLVES NEGOTIATED CONTRACTS BETWEEN YOUTHS AND PARENTS IN WHICH SPECIFIC REWARDS ARE PROMISED FOR CERTAIN BEHAVIOR. THE ADVOCACY APPROACH EMPLOYS A NONPROFESSIONAL ADVOCATE WHO IDENTIFIES THE CHILD'S UNFULFILLED NEEDS AND ATTEMPTS TO FIND COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO MEET THESE NEEDS. RESULTS AFTER THREE YEARS OF OPERATION SHOW THAT YOUTHS IN THE PROGRAM HAD FEWER CONTACTS WITH POLICE BOTH WHILE IN THE PROGRAM AND AFTER COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM THAN DID MEMBERS OF A CONTROL GROUP. IN THE SCHOOL AREA, FOLLOWUP SHOWS THAT 71 PERCENT OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS REMAINED IN SCHOOL AS COMPARED TO ONLY 50 PERCENT OF THE CONTROL GROUP. (DAG)