NCJ Number
43356
Date Published
1977
Length
73 pages
Annotation
EVALUATION OF A PROGRAM TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, PLACE, AND SUPERVISE VOLUNTEERS WHO WORK WITH JUVENILE OFFENDERS TO DIVERT THOSE WHO CAN SAFELY BE DIVERTED FROM THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND TO SUPPLEMENT PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL.
Abstract
DATA FROM THE 1975-1976 AND 1976-1977 EVALUATION PERIODS SHOW THAT THE PENNSYLVANIA YOUTH ADVOCATE TRAINING PROJECT HAS CONSISTENTLY TRAINED MORE THAN THE TARGET NUMBER OF 45 ADVOCATES PER YEAR. THE FIRST YEAR, 50 PERSONS WERE TRAINED, DURING THE SECOND YEAR, 57. AT PRESENT, 55 ADVOCATES ARE FUNCTIONING SUCCESSFULLY IN ONE-TO-ONE RELATIONSHIPS AT THE PHILADELPHIA YOUTH STUDY CENTER, AT GROUP HOMES, AND AT THE REGENT STREET RECEPTION CENTER (AN ALTERNATIVE DETENTION FACILITY) BY PROVIDING EMERGENCY SERVICES, AND BY WORKING WITH PROBATION OFFICERS, COURTS, LAWYERS, ETC. AN ADDITIONAL 12 PERSONS FUNCTIONED AS ADVOCATES BUT ARE UNAVAILABLE DUE TO JOB CHANGES OR PERSONAL REASONS. IMPROVEMENTS BETWEEN THE 1975-1976 AND 1976-1977 CONTRACT YEARS HAVE INCLUDED: CLOSER MATCHING OF ADVOCATE AND CLIENT ACCORDING TO INTERESTS AND TEMPERAMENT; QUICKER ASSIGNMENTS FOR VOLUNTEERS TO AVOID LOSS OF ENTHUSIASM; CLOSER MONITORING OF LOGS AND PROGRESS REPORTS TO SPOT POTENTIAL PROBLEMS; AND PREPARED LETTERS TO MAKE POSSIBLE IMMEDIATE RESPONSES TO INQUIRIES RECEIVED AS A RESULT OF PUBLICITY. THE GROUP HAS ALSO COMPILED A COMMUNITY RESOURCES DIRECTORY WHICH IS CONTINUALLY UPDATED AND EXPANDED; MANY AGENCIES HAVE ALREADY REQUESTED COPIES OF THIS DIRECTORY. INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH COURT PERSONNEL, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND OFFENDERS THEMSELVES TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM. THE OFFENDERS GAVE THE ADVOCATES HIGH RANKINGS AND REPORTED A POSITIVE CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES. THE SOCIAL WORKERS AND COURT PERSONNEL COMMENDED BOTH THE INITIAL TRAINING AND THE FOLLOWUP TRAINING AND FELT THE PROGRAM HAD FREED THEM TO CONCENTRATE ON MORE DIFFICULT CASES. THE VOLUNTEERS THEMSELVES FELT THE INITIAL COURSE WAS USEFUL BUT THAT THE FOLLOWUP TRAINING HELD PERIODICALLY WAS BY FAR THE MORE VALUABLE. TRAINING WEEKENDS WERE HELD FOR ADVOCATES AND OFFENDERS, APPENDIXES OUTLINE THE TRAINING PROGRAM, PRESENT DETAILS OF VARIOUS EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRES, GIVE RESULTS OF OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONNAIRES GIVEN TO 10 OFFENDERS WHO HAD SPENT A YEAR IN A ONE-TO-ONE RELATIONSHIP WITH AN ADVOCATE, AND RESULTS OF AN OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONNAIRE GIVEN TO SCHOOL AND COURT PERSONNEL DEALING WITH THESE SAME 10 YOUNGSTERS. COMMENTS WERE GENERALLY VERY POSITIVE.