NCJ Number
133006
Date Published
1991
Length
31 pages
Annotation
The Boys Clubs of America report on their demonstration program initiated as part of their proposal, "Reaching At-Risk Youth in Public Housing." The proposal resulted from a literature review that revealed a lack of systematic youth development programs implemented in public housing and a great potential for Boys Clubs to have a positive effect on the youth problems in those settings.
Abstract
An evaluative study found that public housing sites with Boys and Girls Clubs, when compared to other public housing areas, experienced significantly less juvenile crime and drug activity including crack use. The Boys Clubs developed a manual for housing authorities to establish units in public housing. In addition, a training syllabus was developed and 26 members of Boys and Girls Clubs field staff were trained to work with housing authorities in developing Club units. Six sites nationwide were initially selected for the first Clubs, serving 1,900 boys and girls and 199 adults. Each club offered activities in social recreation, citizenship and leadership, cultural enrichment, personal and educational development, health and physical education, and outdoor and environmental education. Boys and Girls Clubs have also cooperated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to develop drug prevention activities among high risk youth. Today, over 52,000 boys and girls participate in the 130 Clubs established in public housing. 3 appendixes