NCJ Number
81746
Date Published
1980
Length
208 pages
Annotation
Findings and recommendations are presented from an evaluation of 15 privately operated group homes for juvenile offenders in Utah.
Abstract
The following operational issues were considered: (1) how the programs differ from one another; (2) evidence that some programs or institutions work more or less effectively than others; (3) how resources are allocated to various types of care, institutions, providers, delinquent populations, and regions of the State; and (4) how the court/vendor/institution/caseworker system is organized and controlled. The evaluation methodology consisted of a literature review, group home site visit and survey, corrections and court worker interviews, a survey on management issues, a cost analysis, a corrections systemwide appraisal, and group home history profiles. Two basic types of group homes were found: the house parent model, which provides counseling and social work in a homelike environment, and the residential treatment model, which operates with formal therapeutic models operated by professional staff. The residential treatment homes cost on an average about twice as much per child day as the parenting homes (about $60 vs. $30). Compared to residential treatment, parenting home placements tend to be younger, male only, and have more frequent preentry admitted and adjudicated referrals. Perhaps consistent with increased staff and the reduced free time available because of inhouse schools, children placed in residential treatment show more improvement in crime rates during residence than those in parenting homes. Postplacement crime rates also appear to be better for residential treatment homes, although this conclusion is tentative because of intervening variables. It was found that State agencies exercise little direct control and oversight over group homes. Recommendations are offered in the areas of procurement policies, contract administration, the strengthening and development of youth corrections management information, and an expansion of the caseworker role to that of case manager. Tabular data are provided, and details of methodology and findings are appended.