NCJ Number
85006
Date Published
1981
Length
122 pages
Annotation
The report evaluates California's Contra Costa County Probation Department's Serious 602 Offender Project, emphasizing the effect of intensive probation supervision and individualized treatment on designated offenders.
Abstract
The evaluation explored whether recidivism rates dropped significantly as a result of project efforts. The 3-year project was initiated in July, 1978. It targeted juveniles charged with specified serious offenses or who had evidenced a potential for violence. In general, the project met its policy objectives of providing intensive supervision and services to a randomly selected group of serious offenders. Active caseload size averaged 18.4 clients per deputy during the first 6 months of the third project year, and cases assigned to the project remained active an average of 8.4 months. Cases assigned to the experimental 602 group spent less time on probation overall than those assigned to the control group. The cost of intensive supervision was substantially higher. The project was effective in reducing recidivism by a large proportion of those juveniles receiving project services. In many instances the reductions exceeded 20 percent in comparison with the control group. In addition, experimental group clients improved their attendance and performance in school. Due to limited resources, the evaluation staff was unable to document improvement in social adjustment, such as reduction of intrafamilial conflict. The probation department should continue to focus resources on the violent juvenile offender. Tables illustrate study results.