NCJ Number
68346
Date Published
1977
Length
24 pages
Annotation
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN VOLUNTEERS AND PROBATIONERS IN A PROGRAM OPERATED BY THE SEDGWICK COUNTY, KANSAS, JUVENILE COURT WERE EXAMINED BY SURVEYING THE PARTICIPANTS, PARENTS, AND PROBATION OFFICERS.
Abstract
JUVENILES COULD BE REFERRED TO THE PEOPLE AND COURTS TOGETHER (PACT) PROGRAM AT SEVERAL POINTS DURING THEIR PROBATION BY CASEWORKERS AND JUDGES. THE PACT STAFF ASSIGNED EACH CHILD TO A SPECIFIC VOLUNTEER BASED ON CORRELATIONS BETWEEN NEEDS, SKILLS, AND TRAITS. QUESTIONNAIRES WHICH WERE MAILED TO PROBATIONERS, PARENTS, PROBATION OFFICERS, AND VOLUNTEERS REQUESTED DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION AND WERE ACCOMPANIED BY AN INSTRUMENT TO MEASURE THE STRENGTH OF VARIOUS RELATIONSHIPS. ANALYTICAL METHODS INCLUDED A SEMANTIC DIFFERENCE INSTRUMENT FOR RELATIONSHIPS AND THE STATISTICAL PACKAGE FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES. FINDINGS WERE BASED ON A TOTAL OF 58 RETURNS FROM A POSSIBLE 176: 10 PROBATIONERS, 6 PARENTS, 29 PROBATION OFFICERS, AND 13 VOLUNTEERS. DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILES ARE PRESENTED FOR ALL GROUPS, BUT THE AVERAGE VOLUNTEER WAS WHITE, MALE, AGE 29, MARRIED, AND HAD COMPLETED SOME COLLEGE. THE TYPICAL PROBATIONER WAS WHITE, AGE 14.5, AND FROM A LARGE FAMILY WHOSE MAJOR PROVIDER WORKED IN AN UNSKILLED OCCUPATION. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PROBATIONER AND VOLUNTEER WAS RATED AS VERY POSITIVE BY MOST PROBATIONERS, VOLUNTEERS, AND PROBATION OFFICERS, WHEREAS THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PARENTS AND VOLUNTEERS WERE VIEWED AS MORE SUBJECT TO STRESS AND CONFLICT. CHARTS ILLUSTRATE THESE RATINGS IN DETAIL. CHARACTERISTICS OF VOLUNTEERS ARE DESCRIBED.