ST LOUIS - TEAM COUNSELING HARD CORE DELINQUENTS PROJECT EVALUATION REPORT, JULY 1975

• NCJ Number: 36529
• Author(s): A R SMITH; J T MANNS; K J SMITH
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 41 pages
• Grant Number(s): 72-DF-07-0009
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: St Louis Metropolitan Police Dept
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM WAS TO PROVIDE COUNSELING TOGETHER WITH A RECREATION PROGRAM FOR 'HARDCORE' DELINQUENTS AND THEIR ASSOCIATES IN AN ATTEMPT TO PRODUCE CHANGES IN THEIR BEHAVIOR AND ATTITUDES.

Abstract

'HARD CORE' WAS DEFINED AS FOUR OR MORE APPREHENSIONS FOR MALES AND AT LEAST ONE APPREHENSION FOR FEMALES. THE PROGRAM GOAL WAS TO PREVENT 60 PERCENT OF ITS PARTICIPANTS FROM BEING REARRESTED OR RECEIVING A FIELD INTERVIEW REPORT. THE EVALUATION METHODOLOGY EMPLOYED INVOLVED A PRE-POST DESIGN. RECORDS ON 608 CURRENT AND TERMINATED PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WERE EXAMINED. DATA WAS GATHERED ON YOUTHS BEFORE DATE OF ENROLLMENT, DURING ENROLLMENT, AND SUBSEQUENT TO TERMINATION. APPREHENSION, TRUANCIES, AND CURFEW VIOLATIONS WERE TABULATED. JESNESS INVENTORY TEST SCORES WERE ANALYZED FOR INDICATIONS OF ATTITUDE CHANGE. IN ADDITION, SOME DESCRIPTION IS GIVEN TO THE TYPE AND INTENSITY OF SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE YOUTHS. STUDY FINDINGS REVEALED THAT THE TEAM COUNSELING PROGRAM WAS SERVICING ESSENTIALLY A MALE CLIENTELE AND WAS ATTRACTING DELINQUENT, THOUGH NOT NECESSARILY 'HARD CORE' DELINQUENT YOUTH. A TOTAL OF 58.2 PERCENT OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS MET THE PROGRAM GOAL OF NO REARRESTS OR FILED INTERVIEW REPORTS. HOWEVER, ONLY 38.4 PERCENT SHOWED AN IMPROVEMENT IN ATTITUDE. RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDING LIMITING PROGRAM ENROLLMENT ONLY TO 'HARD CORE' DELINQUENTS AND THEIR PEERS, REQUIRING THAT A SET MINIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME BE ALLOCATED TO COUNSELING, MORE CLEARLY DEFINING 'SUCCESSFUL' PROGRAM TERMINATION, AND RE-EXAMINATION OF THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE JESNESS INVENTORY TEST AS A MEASURE OF YOUTH ATTITUDES. AN APRIL 25, 1975 PROGRAM STATUS REPORT IS APPENDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)