SISKIYOU COUNTY (CA) JUVENILE DIVERSION PROJECT EVALUATION, PROJECT YEAR NOVEMBER 1972 - NOVEMBER 1973

• NCJ Number: 15696
• Author(s): J J SUMMERHAYS
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 22 pages
• Grant Number(s): CCCJ-1275
• Sponsoring Agency: California Council on Criminal Justice
• Corporate Author: Siskiyou Cty Probation Dept
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS EVALUATION OF THE DIVERSION PROGRAM FOR JUVENILE STATUS OFFENDERS CONTAINS A DISCUSSION OF THE PROGRAM AND ITS EXPECTED OUTCOMES, THE EVALUATION METHODOLOGY, AND RESULTS STATISTICS DEMONSTRATING PROGRAM SUCCESS.

Abstract

THE PROJECT EMPLOYS COUNSELING AND FAMILY THERAPY IN PLACE OF JUVENILE COURT REFERRAL FOR YOUTHS INVOLVED IN TRUANCY, RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME, AND OTHER VIOLATIONS OF THE WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE SECTION 601. BASELINE DATA WAS GATHERED FROM THE TOTAL NUMBER OF 601 CASES FOR THE YEAR 1971-1972 PRECEDING THE FIRST PROJECT YEAR. STATISTICAL COMPILATION AND COMPARISON, QUESTIONNAIRE, AND PERSONAL INTERVIEW METHODS WERE USED FOR EVALUATION PURPOSES. AN INCREASE OF 44 PERCENT IN CASES HANDLED WAS FOUND FOR THE FIRST PROGRAM YEAR. THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES IN WHICH DETENTION WAS UTILIZED, FROM 80 TO 52 PERCENT. LENGTH OF DETENTION DECREASED 44 PERCENT. THE NUMBER OF SUBSEQUENT REFERRALS AFTER INITIAL CONTACT AND COUNSELING WAS REDUCED, ESPECIALLY FOR MULTIPLE REFERRALS, WHICH DROPPED 65 PERCENT. IT WAS FOUND THAT MOST CASES WERE HANDLED WITHIN THE FAMILY AND THE NUMBER OF COURT ORDERED FOSTER HOMES PLACEMENTS WERE DRAMATICALLY REDUCED. EXTENSIVE TABLES OF RESULTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE APPENDIXES.