NCJ Number
45996
Journal
CRIME PREVENTION REVIEW Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Dated: (JANUARY 1978) Pages: 26-33
Date Published
1978
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A PROGRAM FOR PARENTS ON THE EDUCATIONAL AND LEGAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF JUVENILES IN CALIFORNIA IS DESCRIBED.
Abstract
THE PROGRAM WAS SPONSORED BY THE PUPIL SERVICES DEPARTMENT OF THE SACRAMENTO (CALIF.) CITY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE CRIME PREVENTION UNIT OF THE CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. THE MAIN PURPOSES OF THE PROGRAM WERE TO EDUCATE PARENTS IN THE HOPES OF REDUCING SCHOOL VANDALISM AND OTHER JUVENILE CRIMES AND TO DEVELOP A REPLICABLE PROGRAM MODEL WHICH WOULD FACILITATE ONGOING COOPERATION AND INTERACTION AMONG PARENTS, PUPILS, THE SCHOOLS, AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM PERSONNEL. MAJOR CHANGES IN LAW PERTAINING TO THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF JUVENILES AND TO STUDENTS' RIGHTS REINFORCED THE NEED FOR SUCH A PROGRAM. A PRELIMINARY NEED ASSESSMENT SURVEY INDICATED THAT 75 PERCENT OF THE 140 RESPONDENTS WERE UNAWARE OF CHANGES IN THE LAWS, THE SCOPE OF JUVENILE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, EDUCATIONAL CONFIDENTIALITY RIGHTS, AND JUVENILE COURT PROCEDURES. AN INTERAGENCY ADVISORY PROGRAM PLANNING COMMITTEE MADE UP OF LEGAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT STAFF DETERMINED PROGRAM CONTENT AND SERVED AS CONSULTANTS/ADVISORS WITH PARENTS IN SMALL GROUP SESSIONS. THE BASIC FORMAT OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM INVOLVED GROUPS OF 10 TO 12 PARTICIPANT PARENTS UNDER PARENT MODERATORS WHO LED PARTICIPATIVE GROUP DISCUSSIONS. THE FIRST SEGMENT OF THE PROGRAM CENTERED ON ROLE EXPLORATION. ADVISORS ROTATED AMONG THE GROUPS PRESENTING VERBAL AND WRITTEN INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE EDUCATIONAL AND LEGAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF JUVENILES UNDER CALIFORNIA STATE LAW AND UNDER FEDERAL LAW, AND THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND INTERACTIONS OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE AND EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS. FINALLY, A FICTITIOUS CASE INVOLVING POSSIBLE COURSES OF ACTION BY POLICE, PROBATION, JUVENILE COURT, AND EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM WAS PRESENTED TO EACH GROUP FOR ANALYSIS, SOLUTION, AND RECOMMENDATION. A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRETEST AND POSTTEST SCORES ON A TEST OF ITEMS COVERED IN THE PROGRAM INDICATED AN OVERALL INCREASE OF APPROXIMATELY 20% IN THE NUMBER OF CORRECT RESPONSES. A FOLLOWUP SURVEY INDICATED THAT PARENTS FOUND THE PROGRAM INFORMATIVE AND USEFUL AND GAINED A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR CHILD'S PROBLEMS, AND WERE MORE INCLINED TO HAVE A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SCHOOLS AND THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. APPROXIMATELY 20 PERCENT OF THE PARENTS SURVEYED HAD PARTICIPATED IN FOLLOWUP TRAINING PROGRAMS, AND 38 PERCENT INDICATED PLANS TO CONDUCT OR PARTICIPATE IN SUCH A PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM HAS ALSO BEEN REPLICATED IN THE STOCKTON (CALIFORNIA) UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. (JAP)