NCJ Number
68882
Date Published
1976
Length
28 pages
Annotation
AN INFORMAL ADJUSTMENT PROCESS FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS ENABLES THE OFFENDER TO AVOID A COURT RECORD AND REDUCES BOTH THE VOLUME AND THE WAITING TIME OF YOUTH IN THE FORMAL JUVENILE COURT SETTING.
Abstract
THE JUVENILE COURT ACT MANDATES THAT, SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS, THE PROBATION OR CHILD WELFARE OFFICER MAY INFORMALLY ADJUST JUVENILE COURT CASES BEFORE A PETITION IS FILED WHEN IT APPEARS TO BE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE YOUTH AND THE COURT. THIS STUDY COMPARES PROBATION AND INFORMAL SUPERVISION AS TO THEIR IMPACT ON YOUTH OFFENDERS. BOTH YOUTH ON PROBATION AND YOUTH UNDER INFORMAL SUPERVISION (NO SAMPLE SIZE GIVEN) WERE SURVEYED CONCERNING THEIR SELF-IMAGE, THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS THEIR PROBATION OFFICERS OR SUPERVISORS, AND THEIR ASSESSMENTS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE PROGRAMS. PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND PARENTS WERE ALSO SURVEYED. HOWEVER, THE PROBATION OFFICERS WERE VIEWED AS BEING UNDERSTANDING, FLEXIBLE, AND WILLING TO LET PROBATIONERS PARTICIPATE IN DECISIONMAKING. OVER 27 PERCENT OF THE PROBATIONERS SUGGESTED THAT THE CASEWORKER SPEND MORE TIME WITH EITHER THE FAMILY OR THE PROBATIONER. YOUTH ON INFORMAL SUPERVISION RANKED THEIR PERSONAL GROWTH SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN YOUTH ON PROBATION; IN FACT, ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF THESE YOUTH VIEWED INFORMAL SUPERVISION AS A SECOND CHANCE. PARENTS OF BOTH GROUPS EXPRESSED STRONG POSITIVE FEELINGS ABOUT THE PROGRAMS, RECOGNIZING THEM AS MUCH-NEEDED OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE. PROFESSIONALS GAVE LOWER EVALUATIONS TO YOUTH ON PROBATION THAN TO YOUTH ON INFORMAL SUPERVISION. THE STUDY CITES THE NEED FOR CLOSER COORDINATION AMONG THE YOUTH SERVICES OFFICE, JUVENILE COURT, THE SCHOOLS, AND THE COMMUNITY. SURVEY INSTRUMENTS ARE APPENDED.