NCJ Number
154194
Journal
Studies on Crime and Crime Prevention Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: (1995) Pages: 61-85
Date Published
1995
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This article presents findings of a 3-year longitudinal evaluation study of a violence, delinquency, and substance abuse prevention program conducted at the South Baltimore (Maryland) Youth Center.
Abstract
The program aimed to provide a safe haven for at-risk youth, empower youth in decisionmaking, provide job training, provide mentors, employ a case management approach to meet the various needs of the youth, provide academic tutoring, facilitate community involvement in youth development activities, and develop collaboration with other community agencies. In this evaluation, data on the effects of the program on participants were gathered through a questionnaire focused on family relationships, peer relations, substance abuse, delinquency, other forms of antisocial behavior, and self-esteem. Data were also collected through unstructured interviews and observational data. The results showed that the Youth Center program had a positive impact on participants' psychosocial development and reduced several socially undesirable behaviors. The findings also indicate that the magnitude of these effects increased with time. On the negative side, results showed that case management was a harmful approach to take with these youths and that efforts to develop collaboration with other agencies was ineffective. The results also confirm the efficacy of the Youth Center model and its approach of not differentiating between different types of antisocial behavior. 5 tables, 3 notes, and 33 references