NCJ Number
61714
Date Published
1978
Length
131 pages
Annotation
THIS RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES PROJECT WAS INITIATED IN MICHIGAN IN 1977 AS A RESPONSE TO THE STATE'S NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ABOUT PLACEMENT RESOURCES FOR DELINQUENT CHILDREN AND YOUTH.
Abstract
THE PURPOSE OF THE MICHIGAN FACILITIES POPULATION PROJECTION STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE RESIDENTIAL CARE BED SPACE NEEDS, PRINCIPALLY FOR DELINQUENT WARDS. PLACEMENT DATA WERE OBTAINED FROM THE CHILD CARE PLACEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES (DSS) AND FROM COURT CASELOADS. (1) THE STUDY FOUND THAT COMBINED CASELOADS FOR THE DSS AND COURTS ARE PROJECTED TO DECLINE FROM 1977 TO 1990 BY ABOUT 14 PERCENT, (2) THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE PRESSURE FOR INSTITUTIONAL PLACEMENT MAY BE THE SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN THE TRUANCY RATE, FROM ALMOST 4 YOUTH IN 10 IN 1973 TO 1 YOUTH IN 10 IN 1978, (3) VARIABLES INFLUENTIAL IN DETERMINING FUTURE INSTITUTIONAL BED NEEDS ARE INTAKE RATE, PAROLE REVOCATION RATE, AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY, TRUANCY RATE, AND INTERACTIONS AMONG THESE VARIABLES, (4) A HEAVY DEMAND ON INSTITUTIONS HAS A SECONDARY IMPACT ON THE NEED FOR COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL CARE BEDS, AND (5) IT APPEARS THAT THE DSS FAMILY FOSTER CARE CASELOAD WILL CONTINUE TO RISE SLIGHTLY, BECOME STABLE, AND THEN DECLINE. A COMPARATIVE OUTCOME STUDY EXAMINED A SAMPLE OF 960 DELINQUENT YOUTH RELEASED FROM DSS PLACMENTS OVER A 3-YEAR PERIOD. PLACEMENTS RANGED FROM HIGHLY STRUCTURED INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS TO MINIMALLY STRUCTURED GROUP HOMES OR OWN HOME SITUATIONS. VARIABLES UNDER ANALYSIS WERE CLIENT AGE, SEX, RACE, AGE AT PROGRAM ENTRY, LEVEL OF AGGRESSIVENESS, PLACEMENT TYPE, AND OUTCOME 3 MONTHS AND 12 MONTHS AFTER RELEASE (RECIDIVISM). AGE AT PROGRAM ENTRY INTERACTED WITH PLACEMENT OR STRUCTURE OF PLACEMENT AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE PREDICTION POSTRELEASE SUCCESS. AGGRESSIVE-INJURIOUS YOUTH OR SERIOUS FELONS TENDED TO BE TREATED WITH RELATIVELY UNIFORM SUCCESS ACROSS PLACEMENTS. WITHIN PLACEMENTS, SERIOUS FELONS ACHIEVED DIFFERENT SUCCESS RATES. IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED, AND RECOMMENDATIONS PERTINENT TO THE PROVISION OF RESIDENTIAL SERVICES FOR DELINQUENT CHILDREN AND YOUTH ARE OFFERED. SUPPORTING DATA AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION AND A CORRELATIONAL MATRIX OF CLIENT, PLACEMENT, AND OUTCOME VARIABLES. (DEP)