NCJ Number
63167
Date Published
1976
Length
108 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT PRESENTS AN ANALYSIS OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VIOLENT AND HARDCORE (VHC) JUVENILE OFFENDER IN HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINN. IT SURVEYS CORRECTIONAL PRACTICES AND SUGGESTS POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENTS.
Abstract
THE TARGET POPULATION IS LIMITED TO YOUTH WHO RESIDE IN HENNEPIN COUNTY AND HAVE COMMITTED MAJOR VIOLENT CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS OR HAVE REPEATEDLY COMMITTED MAJOR PROPERTY CRIMES. INFORMATION AND SUPPORTING DATA WERE OBTAINED FROM A LITERATURE REVIEW, SITE VISITS, INTERVIEWS WITH STAFF AT COMMUNITY CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS AND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND A SURVEY OF JUVENILE RECORDS. A DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF VHC YOUTH IN HENNEPIN COUNTY SHOWS THAT MALES, MINORITIES, AND OLDER YOUTH (16 TO 18 YEARS) ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY REPRESENTED WHEN COMPARED WITH THE TOTAL JUVENILE DELINQUENT POPULATION. MOST VHC YOUTH (83 PERCENT) LIVE IN MINNEAPOLIS (COMPARED TO ONLY 56.5 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL JUVENILE DELINQUENT SAMPLE), MOST HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO COURT INTAKE FOUR OR MORE TIMES (A MUCH HIGHER RATE THAN FOR THE TOTAL SAMPLE), AND MOST ARE REPEAT MAJOR PROPERTY OFFENDERS. PROBATION, COMMITMENT TO THE HENNEPIN COUNTY HOME SCHOOL, OR COMMITMENT TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS WERE THE THREE MOST COMMON DISPOSITIONS. THE REPORT ANALYZES THE NEEDS AND AVAILABILITY OF PROGRAMS FOR VHC YOUTH AND DESCRIBES COURT CORRECTIONAL THEORIES AND PRACTICES. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT COMMITMENT TO A SECURE FACILITY BE AN ALTERNATIVE DISPOSITION FOR JUVENILES WHO POSE A SERIOUS THREAT TO THE COMMUNITY. A MODIFIED DETERMINATE DISPOSITION SHOULD BE USED FOR COMMITMENT TO A SECURE FACILITY, AND A VARIETY OF CORRECTIONAL TREATMENT PROGRAMS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE THERE. TABULAR DATA, REFERENCES, A GLOSSARY, AND APPENDIXES CONTAINING A SYNOPSIS OF CASE FILES AND THE COURT POSITION ON DETERMINATE SENTENCES ARE PROVIDED.