PREVENTING DELINQUENCY THROUGH DIVERSION - A FIRST YEAR REPORT

• NCJ Number: 35082
• Author(s): R BARON; F FEENEY
• Date Published: 1972
• Length: 58 pages
• Corporate Author: University of California, Davis; Sacramento Cty Probation Dept
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ANNUAL REPORT OF PROJECT DESIGNED TO ASSESS WHETHER SHORT TERM FAMILY CRISIS THERAPY ADMINISTERED BY SPECIALLY TRAINED PROBATION OFFICERS PROVIDES A BETTER METHOD OF HANDLING STATUS OFFENDERS THAN COURT PROCESSING.

Abstract

THE PROJECT IS EVALUATED ACCORDING TO DATA AVAILABLE FROM THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF OPERATION ON NUMBER OF REFERRALS, NUMBER OF PETITIONS, AND PERCENTAGE OF CASES PROCESSED THROUGH TRADITIONAL CHANNELS DURING A THREE MONTH PRE-PROJECT PERIOD AND BY CONTROL AND PROJECT GROUPS DURING THE NINE MONTH PERIOD. THE RECIDIVIST RATES FOR THESE GROUPS DURING A SEVEN MONTH FOLLOW-UP STUDY WERE COMPARED. DATA CONCERNING OVERNIGHT DETENTION INDICATES THAT PROJECT YOUTHS INITIALLY REQUIRE OVERNIGHT DETENTION IN LESS THAN 10 PERCENT OF THE CASES WHILE THE FIGURE FOR CONTROL CASES IS OVER 60 PERCENT. THE REPORT CONCLUDES THAT BASED ON THE PROJECT'S SUCCESS IN DIVERTING CASES OUT OF JUVENILE COURT, IN REDUCING DETENTION AND RECIDIVISM, AND TAKING INTO ACCOUNT OTHER FACTORS RELEVANT TO THE DIVERSION PROCESS, AVAILABLE COST INFORMATION INDICATES THAT DIVERSION IS LESS EXPENSIVE THAN THE MORE TRADITIONAL PROCEDURES. SACRAMENTO COUNTY