NCJ Number
48448
Date Published
1977
Length
12 pages
Annotation
THE MANAGEMENT OF JUVENILE-POLICE RELATIONS IN 82 UTAH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WITH 3 OR MORE FULL-TIME SWORN OFFICERS IS ANALYZED.
Abstract
THE SURVEY FOUND THAT SMALLER DEPARTMENTS WITH YOUTH BUREAUS (AT LEAST ONE FULL-TIME PEACE OFFICER SPECIALIZING IN JUVENILE OPERATIONS) HAD A SPECIFIC REASON -- USUALLY A LARGE NUMBER OF JUVENILE ARRESTS/PROBLEMS OR A LARGE JUVENILE POPULATION WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT'S JURISDICTION -- FOR ASSIGNING A JUVENILE SPECIALIST. THE MAJORITY OF AGENCIES HAD NO YOUTH BUREAU. THE DATA INDICATE THAT AGENCIES WITH FEWER THAN 10 FULL-TIME SWORN OFFICERS GENERALLY HAVE NO NEED FOR A JUVENILE SPECIALIST. PART-TIME JUVENILE OFFICERS WERE FOUND IN DEPARTMENTS OF ALL SIZES. THE PART-TIME JUVENILE OFFICER APPEARS TO BE A COMPROMISE BETWEEN A YOUTH BUREAU WITH A FULL-TIME SPECIALIST AND NO SPECIALIZATION. URBAN DISTRICTS TEND TO HAVE MORE YOUTH BUREAUS THAN RURAL DISTRICTS. THE AVAILABILITY OF FEDERAL GRANTS FOR YOUTH BUREAUS SEEMS TO COINCIDE WITH THE CREATION OF MOST OF THE BUREAUS. THE POSSIBILITY THAT YOUTH BUREAUS ARE BEING DEVELOPED NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE NEEDED BUT RATHER AS A MEANS OF USING FEDERAL MONEY IS RAISED. A TABULAR BREAKDOWN OF THE SPECIFIC JUVENILE-RELATED ACTIVITIES ENGAGED IN BY THE AGENCIES SURVEYED IS PROVIDED. PLANS FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS OF THE SURVEY DATA ARE NOTED. (LKM)