NCJ Number
45448
Date Published
1977
Length
187 pages
Annotation
AN EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM DESIGNED TO DIVERT PERSONS IN NEED OF SUPERVISION (PINS) CASES FROM THE JUVENILE COURT SYSTEM IN NASSAU COUNTY, N.Y., IS EVALUATED.
Abstract
EVERY OTHER PINS CASE RECEIVED BY THE FAMILY COURT INTAKE SECTION FROM AUGUST 1975 THROUGH JULY 1976 WAS STAFFED BY A SUPERVISOR, FIVE PROBATION OFFICERS, CASE AIDES, AND VOLUNTEERS. OTHER PINS CASES SERVED AS A CONTROL GROUP. THE OJI TREATMENT APPROACH EMPHASIZED TEAM WORK AND SYSTEMS CONCEPTS. OJI DIVERTED 57 PERCENT OF ITS PINS CASES FROM THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM, COMPARED TO 25 PERCENT FOR THE CONTROL GROUP. OJI CASE OUTCOMES WERE INFLUENCED BY THE NUMBER OF CASE CONTACTS AND BY THE USE OF CERTAIN TREATMENT STRATEGIES (LOCATING RESOURCES, WEEKLY CONFERENCES, MULTIMETHODS, SYSTEMS APPROACH, TEAM INTERVENTION, AND REFERRAL TO OUTSIDE AGENCIES). RECIDIVISM WAS MORE COMMON AMONG THE 13-AND-UNDER AGE GROUP, MALES, TRUANTS, AND YOUTHS WITH PRIOR CONTACTS WITH THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. OJI WAS MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE IN INFLUENCING SCHOOL ATTENDANCE BEHAVIOR. PROJECT CONTACTS WITH OUTSIDE SERVICE AGENCIES REVEALED SEVERAL PROBLEMS IN THE REFERRAL SYSTEM. THE ESTIMATED COST OF HANDLING AN OJI CASE WAS $3,313, COMPARED TO $3,398 FOR A CONTROL CASE. DETAILS OF OJI OPERATIONS, TREATMENT CONCEPTS, AND EVALUATION STRATEGY AND FINDINGS ARE PROVIDED, TOGETHER WITH RECOMMENDATIONS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY, SUPPORTING DATA, AND COPIES OF OJI FORMS ARE INCLUDED.