NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF CASE DISPOSITION AND CLASSIFICATION IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM: INCONSISTENT LABELING, VOLUME 3--RESULTS OF A SURVEY

• NCJ Number: 65152
• Author(s): T E BLOCK; F R CAMPBELL; C P SMITH
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 240 pages
• Grant Number(s): 77NI-99-0009; 77-JN-99-0003
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: American Justice Institute
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPORTS OF THE NATIONAL JUVENILE JUSTICE ASSESSMENT CENTERS

Annotation

BASED ON A SURVEY OF SEVEN JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEMS, THIS REPORT OUTLINES THE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE CASE DISPOSITION AND CLASSIFICATION TO PROVIDE POLICYMAKERS, PLANNERS, AND PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS WITH NEEDED DATA.

Abstract

THE SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE WHICH FACTORS COULD AFFECT STAFF DECISIONS IN LABELING JUVENILES AS DEPENDENT/NEGLECTED, ABUSED/VICTIMIZED, INCORRIGIBLE/STATUS OFFENDERS, OR DELINQUENT/YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS. IT WAS ALSO INITIATED TO IDENTIFY THE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE OFFICIALS IN SELECTING DIFFERENT CASE DISPOSITIONS. ANALYSES DEALT WITH THE OFFICIALS' ASSESSMENT OF THE EXISTENCE AND ADEQUACY OF WRITTEN POLICY MANUALS IN THE JURISDICTIONS SURVEYED, EFFECT OF ACCEPTED NORMS OR INFORMAL CUSTOMS IN A DEPARTMENT ON CASE PROCESSING DECISIONS, RELATIONSHIPS OF EMPLOYMENT AND DEMOGRAPHIC DECISIONMAKER CHARACTERISTICS TO CLASSIFICATION OR CASE PROCESSING DECISIONS, AND OFFICIALS' VIEWS ABOUT THE SERIOUSNESS OF EIGHT SELECTED JUVENILE INCIDENTS. SEVERAL SURVEY QUESTIONS WERE ALSO DESIGNED TO HELP DETERMINE IF CASE SERVICE NEEDS MIGHT BE A FACTOR IN CLASSIFICATION OR DISPOSITION DECISIONS. TO HELP DETERMINE WHICH FACTORS COULD INFLUENCE THE CLASSIFICATION LABEL THAT IS ASSIGNED TO A JUVENILE CASE RESEARCHERS EXAMINED THE IMPORTANCE OF 17 CASE-RELATED VARIABLES. FINALLY, THE SURVEY ATTEMPTED TO DEVELOP ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN THE AREA OF REVISED CLASSIFICATION DECISIONS. IT ALSO IDENTIFIED SEVEN AREAS IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM WHERE ADDITIONAL RESEARCH COULD BE CONDUCTED: POLICY DEVELOPMENT, ORGANIZATIONAL AND AGENCY RELATIONSHIPS, CRITICAL CASE PROCESSING FUNCTIONS, PERSONNEL PRACTICES, INCREASED DIVERSION, AVAILABILITY OF SUITABLE PLACEMENT PROGRAMS, AND UNIT SPECIALIZATION AND TRAINING. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS OF THE SURVEY ARE REPORTED, REFLECTING OBSERVABLE DIFFERENCES AND TRENDS WITHOUT DISCERNING STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE OR CAUSAL RELATIONSHIPS. TABULAR DATA, CHARTS, AND DIAGRAMS ARE INCLUDED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES, CASE DECISION SURVEY METHODOLOGY, AND A LIST OF SURVEY PARTICIPANTS.