NCJ Number
139295
Date Published
Unknown
Length
12 pages
Annotation
The Lehigh County (Pennsylvania) school system received a grant in 1990 to initiate a school-based probation service program designed to strengthen cooperation between the school district and probation department; facilitate school personnel education about the juvenile justice system; provide an alternative to schools for dealing with students exhibiting problem behaviors; act as liaison between families, probation officers, the police, and the school; and work on drug prevention.
Abstract
The program, currently consisting of two juvenile probation officers physically based in the district's middle school, aims to decrease disciplinary referrals to the school, decrease the number of days of detention and suspension, decrease the number of days of absenteeism, increase the number of positive school reports, and, in general, keep high risk youth in school. The school-based probation officers are active membes of the student assistance team who coordinate court-ordered drug and alcohol assessments and treatments, assist in-school interventions and aftercare programs, coordinate re-entry conferences for targeting students, and work to involve the family in the student's program. Statistics show that the program has succeeded in reducing detention, lateness, absenteeism, and the dropout rate, while simultaneously raising grades. The positive attitude changes among high risk students is another, intangible benefit of this program.