NCJ Number
36496
Date Published
1974
Length
39 pages
Annotation
THIS BOARD OF EDUCATION PROJECT OPERATED FIVE STOREFRONT CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHERE YOUTHS FOUND TRUANT FROM SCHOOL WERE BROUGHT BY THE POLICE FOR SCREENING FOR SERIOUS TRUANCY PROBLEMS, COUNSELING, AND REFERRAL.
Abstract
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM WERE TO REDUCE TRUANCY RECIDIVISM AND JUVENILE CONTACTS WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THIS REPORT CONSISTS OF PROGRAMMATIC AND FISCAL INFORMATION RELATIVE TO THE PROJECT'S CONTRACT COMPLIANCE WITH LEAA REQUIREMENTS, A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROJECT IN ACCOMPLISHING FUNDED OBJECTIVES, AND A DESCRIPTIVE AND EVALUATIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE DELIVERY OF SOCIAL SERVICES BY PROJECT STAFF. AN EXAMINATION OF OVER 800 ACTIVE PROJECT CASES FOR THE SPRING AND FALL OF 1973 (THE PROGRAM BEGAN IN DECEMBER 1972) REVEALED THAT IN TERMS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROJECT, ATTENDANCE DATA AND JUVENILE COURT REFERRAL INFORMATION INDICATED NO SUPPORT FOR A STATEMENT THAT TRUANCY AND SERIOUS COURT REFERRALS HAD DECREASED FOLLOWING PROGRAM CONTACT. IN ADDITION, ACTIVE CASE DESIGNATION CRITERIA WERE HELD TO BE AMBIGUOUS AND SERVICE DELIVERY UNDOCUMENTED. IT IS ALSO CONCLUDED THAT THE PREPONDERANT ROLE OF PROJECT STAFF APPEARED TO BE TO PHYSICALLY RETURN A YOUTH TO SCHOOL AND TO IMPRESS UPON THE YOUTH THAT IF HE IS TRUANT HE WILL BE PICKED-UP BY THE POLICE. TWENTY-ONE SPECIFIC CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MADE, INCLUDING THE NEED FOR IN-SERVICE TRAINING AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT, EXPLORATION OF OTHER TECHNIQUES FOR DEALING WITH THE TRUANT POPULATION, CONSUMER INPUT VIA A JUVENILE-PARENT ADVISORY BOARD, REALLOCATION OF STAFF AMONG THE CENTERS ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER AND KINDS OF CASES HANDLED, AND CLARIFICATION OF THE CRITERIA USED TO DEFINE A CASE AS ACTIVE. FOR THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR'S RESPONSE TO THIS EVALUATION, SEE NCJ-036530.