NCJ Number
53385
Date Published
1978
Length
25 pages
Annotation
A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO SCREEN JUVENILES IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE DETENTION AND INCREASE DIVERSION IS EVALUATED AFTER ITS FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION IN WISCONSIN.
Abstract
THE KENOSHA COUNTY (WIS.) JUVENILE COURT SERVICES UNIT, FUNDED BY THE WISCONSIN COUNCIL ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN FEBRUARY 1977, ESTABLISHED THE FOLLOWING BROAD GOALS: TO OPERATE 24-HOUR, 7-DAYS-A-WEEK DETENTION SCREENING; TO PROVIDE AN INTAKE SERVICE TO THE JUVENILE COURT; AND TO ESTABLISH AN ALTERNATIVE DISPOSITION FOR THE JUVENILE COURT. THE EVALUATION CONSISTED OF AN EXAMINATION OF THE DEGREE TO WHICH THESE GOALS AND SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT WERE ACHIEVED IN THE FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT 24-HOUR-PER-DAY DETENTION SCREENING IS BEING PROVIDED, AND THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES DEVELOPED ARE BEING CLOSELY FOLLOWED AND SHOULD RESULT IN THE EVENTUAL ACHIEVEMENT OF THE SPECIFIC DETENTION OBJECTIVES; E.G., TO ELIMINATE THE DETENTION OF 95 PERCENT OF STATUS OFFENDERS AND REDUCE OVERALL DETENTIONS BY 15 PERCENT. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT ALL OF THE DIVERSION OBJECTIVES ARE BEING ACHIEVED AND MAINTAINED, WHILE ADHERING TO THE SCREENING GUIDELINES DEVELOPED. MORE THAN 75 PERCENT OF THE STATUS OFFENDERS AND 20 PERCENT OF DELINQUENTS WERE BEING DIVERTED FROM FORMAL PROSECUTION. THE COURT SERVICES UNIT HAS ALSO ACHIEVED THE GOAL OF PROVIDING DISPOSITIONAL ALTERNATIVES TO THE COURT. IT HAS ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED 17 COMMUNITY WORK PROJECTS FOR THE JUDGE TO USE AS ALTERNATIVES TO TRADITIONAL JUVENILE COURT DISPOSITIONS. IT IS CONSIDERED DIFFICULT TO JUDGE ANY ADDITIONAL IMPACT OF THE PROJECT ON THE LOCAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. ALTHOUGH NO INTAKE UNIT EXISTED PRIOR TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COURT SERVICES UNIT, NO COMPARISON WAS MADE TO THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM BECAUSE THERE IS CONSIDERED TO BE INSUFFICIENT DATA TO DETERMINE EXACTLY HOW THE SYSTEM FUNCTIONED PREVIOUSLY. TABULAR DATA ON CASES PROCESSED ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)