STRATEGIES TO PREVENT DELINQUENCY AND ENHANCE POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

• NCJ Number: 69311
• Author(s): A P CARDARELLI
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 56 pages
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: POLICY PAPER PREPARED FOR THE OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION

Annotation

THIS PAPER REVIEWS STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN THE UNITED STATES, WITH EMPHASIS ON APPROACHES INVOLVING SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND AIMING TO EXPAND LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITIES AND PROVIDE LEGITIMATE IDENTITIES.

Abstract

ALTHOUGH DELINQUENCY CAN BE VIEWED FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE INDIVIDUAL, OF SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS, OR OF SOCIAL INTERACTION, THIS PAPER CHOSE THE INSTITUTIONAL APPROACH, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE APPROACH ADVOCATED BY THE 1979 PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION. EFFORTS TO PREVENT DELINQUENCY THROUGH A FOCUS ON SOCIALIZING INSTITUTIONS DATE FROM THE ESTABLISHMENT IN 1934 OF THE CHICAGO AREA PROJECT, WHICH WAS TO BECOME THE PROTOTYPE FOR COMMUNITY PREVENTION PROGRAMS DURING THE NEXT 30 YEARS. THIS EFFORT HAD LITTLE EFFECT, HOWEVER. MORE RECENT EFFORTS HAVE FOCUSED ON DEVELOPMENT OF MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH AND EMPHASIS ON THE SCHOOL AS A MAJOR INSTITUTION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF POSITIVE SELF-IDENTITIES. ALTHOUGH EVALUATIONS OF DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN POORLY CONCEIVED AND EXECUTED, A CONSENSUS EXISTS AMONG THE NATIONAL EVALUATION PROJECT STAFF THAT THE MOST PROMISING PROGRAMS FOR DELINQUENCY PREVENTION IN URBAN AREAS USE SOME FORM OF ADVOCACY OR OPPORTUNITIES OR ARE INSTRUCTIONAL IN NATURE. CHARACTERISTICS OF EACH OF THESE CLUSTERS OF STRATEGIES ARE DESCRIBED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT POLICYMAKERS MUST CONSIDER THE FAILURES OF PAST PROGRAMS AND MUST FOCUS ON DEVELOPING NEW AND EXPERIMENTAL STRATEGIES TO PREVENT DELINQUENCY. PROGRAMS MUST RECOGNIZE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CONSTRAINTS AND MUST BE INTEGRATED INTO COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES. LINKAGES BETWEEN THE SCHOOL, THE WORLD OF WORK, AND THE FAMILY NEED TO BE STRENGTHENED AND ENCOURAGED. EFFORTS SHOULD BE TARGETED TOWARD THOSE ADOLESCENTS MOST IN NEED OF SERVICES AND OPPORTUNITIES. FINALLY, DELINQUENCY PREVENTION EFFORTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TOWARD THE LARGE URBAN AREAS WITH HIGH RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT. ONE CHART, CHAPTER REFERENCE NOTES, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY LISTING 27 REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.