NCJ Number
43723
Date Published
1976
Length
14 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT DETAILS EFFORTS MADE BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND JUNE 1976 TO EXPAND THE CLIENT BASE, SCREEN AND TRAIN VOLUNTEERS, AND IMPLEMENT OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS MADE IN AN EARLIER EVALUATION OF TEEN AID, INC.
Abstract
THE EARLIER EVALUATION OF THIS PENNSYLVANIA JUVENILE COURT PROJECT FOUND THAT COMPARISONS BETWEEN YOUNGER AND OLDER OFFENDERS AND VARIOUS TREATMENT COMBINATIONS COULD NOT BE MADE BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF GIRLS SERVED BY THE VOLUNTEER ONE-TO-ONE TREATMENT PROGRAM WERE OVER 18 AND HAD TERMINATED PROBATION. EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE THIS OLDER AGE GROUP FROM THE CLIENT POPULATION AND AND TO RECRUIT YOUNGER, FIRST-OFFENDER GIRLS BY HAVING A VOLUNTEER IN COURT EACH DAY, BRINGING THE PROGRAM TO THE ATTENTION OF JUDGES, AND INCREASING THE ROLE OF VOLUNTEERS IN THE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM ARE DISCUSSED. THE NUMBER OF GIRLS WHO HAD COMPLETED PROBATION WAS REDUCED FROM 52 TO 16 BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND JUNE 1976. THE NUMBER OF YOUNGER GIRLS WAS INCREASED FROM 46 TO 71. THE VOCATIONAL/JOB TRAINING AND PLACEMENT SERVICE USES 12 VOLUNTEERS; DURING THIS REPORT PERIOD, 53 GIRLS PARTICIPATED IN TRAINING AND 32 HAD BEEN PLACED IN FULL-TIME JOBS. A MAJOR PROBLEM IDENTIFIED IN THE PREVIOUS REPORT WAS STAFF TURNOVER AND THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF SOME VOLUNTEER ATTITUDES ON RECIDIVISM RATES. SUCCESSFUL VOLUNTEERS HELD ATTITUDES WHICH EMPHASIZED ACCEPTANCE OF GRATIFICATION OF BASIC NEEDS, INDIVIDUAL WORTH, PERSONAL LIBERTY, GROUP RESPONSIBILITY, INNOVATION AND WILLINGNESS TO CHANGE, SENSITIVITY TO PROBLEMS OF ADOLESCENCE, AND WILLINGNESS TO GIVE CONTRACEPTIVE INFORMATION. LESS SUCCESSFUL VOLUNTEERS PLACED LOWER IMPORTANCE ON THESE VALUES AND THEIR CLIENTS HAD HIGHER RECIDIVISM RATES. THREE TRAINING COURSES FOR VOLUNTEERS WERE HELD MARCH-MAY 1976, AND GREATER EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO SCREEN VOLUNTEERS. IT IS TOO EARLY TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF THESE EFFORTS, BUT SCORES ON THE SOCIAL ATTITUDES QUESTIONNAIRE SHOW LESS VARIATION THAN BEFORE, WITH THE MAJORITY CLUSTERED TOWARD THE CREATIVITY AND INDEPENDENCE END. (FOR EARLIER PROJECT EVALUATION REPORT, SEE NCJ-32639).