NCJ Number
46733
Date Published
1978
Length
62 pages
Annotation
FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE PRESENTED REGARDING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO REDUCE BURGLARY RECIDIVISM AMONG JUVENILES AFTER 1 YEAR OF OPERATION.
Abstract
THE SNOHOMISH PROJECT EVALUATED IS A COUNTYWIDE WORK PROGRAM FOR COURT-SUPERVISED MALE YOUTH, AGE 14 OR OLDER. WHO HAVE COMMITTED THE OFFENSE OF BURGLARY. FIFTEEN YOUTHS ARE HANDLED AT ANY ONE TIME, WITH THE WORK ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO HELP THE COMMUNITY BEING CONDUCTED ON WEEKENDS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR AND DURING THE NORMAL WORK WEEK IN THE SUMMER MONTHS. THE EVALUATION ASSESSED THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHED THE FOLLOWING STATED GRANT OBJECTIVES: DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROJECT IN TERMS OF REDUCED BURGLARY RECIDIVISM AMONG CLIENTS; EXAMINE THE DETERRENT QUALITIES OF THE PROGRAM; ANALYZE COST/BENEFIT EFFECTIVENESS; MEASURE THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM ON THE OVERALL COUNTYWIDE JUVENILE JUSTICE ENVIRONMENT; AND JUDGE THE DEGREE OF EFFICIENT UTILIZATION OF AVAILABLE FACILITIES FOR THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM. DATA ON NONPROJECT BURGLARY OFFENDERS FOR 1975, 1976, AND 1977 WERE COLLECTED, AND RECIDIVISM RATES WERE CALCULATED BASED ON THE SAME CRITERIA AS THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP. THE PROJECT GROUP EXHIBITED REDUCED RECIDIVISM FOR BURGLARY, EXCEEDING THE 10 PERCENT TARGET BY APPROXIMATELY 6 TIMES, AGAINST A 3-YEAR AVERAGE OF COMPARISON GROUPS. OTHER EVALUATION MEASURES PROVED FAVORABLE TO THE PROJECT, BASED UPON DATA FROM PROJECT FILES AND APPROPRIATE INTERVIEWS; HOWEVER, THE NUMBER OF YOUTHS PROCESSED FELL SHORT OF THE GOAL BY ALMOST 30 PERCENT. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE OFFERED IN THE AREAS OF SERVICE DELIVERY, PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION, AND COST EFFECTIVENESS. STATISTICAL TABLES ARE INCLUDED, AND THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN PROJECT FORMS AND DOCUMENTATION, AN EVALUATION PLAN SUMMARY CHART, AND INFORMATION ON THE OVERALL COUNTY BURGLARY RATE AND REFERRALS TO JUVENILE COURT.