NCJ Number
51772
Date Published
1978
Length
186 pages
Annotation
THIS PROGRAM'S MAJOR GOAL WAS TO PROVIDE SPECIALIZED OUT OF HOME PLACEMENT TO A SUBSET OF PROBLEM JUVENILES ON PROBATION FROM THE MULTNOMAH COUNTY, ORE., JUVENILE COURT AND TO PROVIDE TRAINING FOR THE FOSTER PARENTS.
Abstract
THIS PROJECT WAS PART OF A LARGER CASE MANAGEMENT PROJECT FUNDED UNDER A LEAA GRANT AS PART OF THE PORTLAND, ORE., HIGH IMPACT ANTICRIME PROGRAM. THE SPECIALIZED OUT OF HOME CARE PROJECT FOCUSED ON CAREFUL MATCHING OF HIGHLY TROUBLED JUVENILE OFFENDERS WITH FOSTER PARENTS EQUIPPED TO HANDLE THEIR PROBLEMS. PROJECT WORKERS STOOD READY TO HELP WITH PROBLEMS. CLIENT PROFILES FOUND THAT JUVENILES IN THE PROGRAM PREVIOUSLY HAD EXHAUSTED RESOURCES FOUND IN THE HOME, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY. THE PROJECT EXCEEDED ITS SHORT TERM GOAL OF PLACING 150 REFERRALS IN SPECIALIZED OUT OF HOME CARE. IT ALSO ROUTED 37 JUVENILES INTO REGULAR FOSTER CARE. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE SPECIALIZED FOSTER HOME PARENTS HAD LESS PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUNDS THAN THE PROJECT STAFF HAD HOPED FOR. THESE PARENTS ATTENDED TRAINING SESSIONS SELECTIVELY, ALTHOUGH THOSE WHO CAME RATED THE SESSIONS HIGHLY. THE JUVENILES SHOWED AN OVERALL DECREASE IN PROBLEM BEHAVIORS AND HIGHER MOTIVATION TO CHANGE BEHAVIORS. THE CAREFUL MATCHING, RESULTING IN A STABLE FOSTER SITUATION, AND THE ACTIVE ROLE PLAYED BY THE FOSTER PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE IMPROVEMENTS. EXTENSIVE TABLES PRESENT EVALUATION DATA. SCREENING PROCEDURES AND TRAINING METHODS FOR FOSTER PARENTS ARE EXPLAINED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN QUESTIONNAIRES USED FOR PLACEMENT AND EVALUATION, AND MATHEMATICAL TESTS USED FOR RELATED VARIABLES. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED IN FOOTNOTES.