PENNSYLVANIA DELINQUENT YOUTH SERVICE SYSTEM - STUDY RESULTS OF SURVEY OF JUDGES - 2ND INTERIM REPORT, 1977

• NCJ Number: 52477
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 174 pages
• Corporate Author: Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Cmtte
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A SURVEY OF 120 COMMON PLEAS COURTS JUDGES (53 USABLE RESPONSES)--PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA'S JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM--IS DOCUMENTED.

Abstract

ALL OF THE JUDGES SURVEYED ARE INVOLVED WITH JUVENILES IN COURT-RELATED MATTERS. ABOUT ONE-HALF OF THE RESPONDENTS FEEL THAT PENNSYLVANIA'S JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM IS GENERALLY EFFECTIVE; ONE-HALF FEEL THE SYSTEM IS INEFFECTIVE AND NEEDS MAJOR CHANGE. MANY JUDGES SEE A NEED FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND PRIVATE SECTOR SERVICES FOR DELINQUENTS AND IN PREADJUDICATION DETENTION FACILITIES. THE MAJORITY OF JUDGES SAY THEY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION ON SERVICE ALTERNATIVES FOR DELINQUENTS, FEEL THAT SUCH SERVICES ARE NOT ADEQUATELY EVALUATED, AND RECOMMEND EXPANSION OF FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS FOR DELINQUENTS. ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE JUDGES THINK THAT COMMUNITIES ARE NOT RECEPTIVE TO COMMUNITY-BASED TREATMENT OF DELINQUENTS. NEARLY ALL RESPONDENTS SAY THAT COMMUNITY-BASED TREATMENT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR ALL TYPES OF OFFENDERS. THE JUDGES ARE EVENLY DIVIDED ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER DIRECT REFERRALS FROM POLICE TO SERVICE PROVIDERS SHOULD BE INCREASED. MANY JUDGES SEE A LACK OF COORDINATION AMONG AGENCIES SERVING DELINQUENTS, AS WELL AS LACK OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THE JUDICIARY TO PARTICIPATE IN SOCIAL SERVICE POLICYMAKING AFFECTING DELINQUENTS. THE MAJORITY OF RESPONDENTS DO NOT WANT DISPOSITIONAL GUIDELINES FOR THE JUVENILE COURTS; ARE SATISFIED WITH EXISTING DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES; THINK THAT PUNISHMENT SHOULD BE A RECOGNIZED PURPOSE OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM; FEEL THAT THE SYSTEM OFFERS ADEQUATE OPPORTUNITY FOR APPEALS; AND RECOGNIZE A DIFFERENCE IN THE TREATMENT NEEDS OF DELINQUENTS AND STATUS OFFENDERS. THE RESPONDENTS WERE RELUCTANT TO ANSWER A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT FACTORS ENTER INTO SERVICE PLACEMENT DECISIONS FOR YOUTHS BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURTS. IN THEIR 'EXTRA COMMENTS,' SEVERAL RESPONDENTS NOTED A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE JUDICIARY AND THE STATE WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND A NEED FOR MORE SERVICES AND PLACEMENT ALTERNATIVES FOR YOUTHS. A DETAILED (QUESTION-BY-QUESTION) PRESENTATION OF RESPONSES AND EXTENSIVE QUOTATIONS FROM RESPONDENTS' COMMENTS ACCOMPANY A SUMMARY OF SURVEY FINDINGS. ONE RESPONDENT'S POSITION PAPER ON THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM IS APPENDED. FOUR TABLES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)