Re-Running a Failed Program: The Use of Sanctions to Solve Family Problems (From Police and the Homeless: Creating a Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Social Service Agencies in the Development of Effective Policies and Programs, P 150-167, 1997, Martin L. Forst, ed. - See NCJ-167769)

• NCJ Number: 167778
• Author(s): J H Finck; D M Hughes
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 18 pages
• Sale Source: Charles C. Thomas
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter discusses attempts to deal with runaway and homeless teens.

Abstract

There is no system as such for dealing with runaway and homeless youth; rather there is a collection of shelter and service models that respond to local conditions and funding availability. However, the incentives of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act of 1974 and research findings have led to some common themes. They include: (1) voluntary admissions policy; (2) non-secure shelters; (3) perception of the youths as victims or dysfunctional; (4) low priority on law enforcement; (5) the importance of community resources; (6) professionally trained staff; and (7) continual resource issues. A special category of runaway and homeless youths is pregnant and parenting teens, who have different service and counseling needs because of their familial responsibilities. In the last decade there has been mounting public concern with crime and violence, particularly youth violence, and rising cynicism about the effectiveness of social services. Many have linked the two and have clearly expressed their preference for sanctions rather than services, for simple and quick solutions, despite research findings and empirical evidence that they have little or no effect on youth violence and may, in fact, exacerbate the problem. Notes