NCJ Number
38510
Date Published
1977
Length
130 pages
Annotation
THE URBANA-CHAMPAIGN ADOLESCENT DIVERSION PROJECT (ADP) COMBINED ACADEMIC RESEARCH AND UNIVERSITY-BASED SERVICE TO ANALYZE THE IMPACT OF DIVERSION AND COMMUNITY TREATMENT ON YOUNGSTERS IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW.
Abstract
IT HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AN EXEMPLARY PROJECT BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. ADP INVOLVES CHILDREN, PARENTS, PROFESSORS, GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS, POLICEMEN, TEACHERS, AND COMMUNITY SOCIAL WORKERS IN A COOPERATIVE EFFORT TO DIVERT YOUNGSTERS IN LEGAL JEOPARDY FROM THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. IMPLEMENTED IN 1972 BY THE COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY ACTION CENTER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, ADP WAS DESIGNED TO SERVE THREE EQUALLY IMPORTANT GOALS: TO PROVIDE JUVENILES WITH AN ALTERNATIVE TO FORMAL COURT PROCEEDINGS BY INTERVENING AT THE POINT OF POLICE CONTACT AND OFFERING COUNSELING AND SOCIAL ASSISTANCE; TO PROVIDE STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS WITH PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE IN SOCIAL INTERVENTION TECHNIQUES; AND TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE WAYS OF DELINQUENCY AND ITS TREATMENT. THIS MANUAL IS PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH THE PROJECT AS IT EXISTED DURING ITS THIRD YEAR OF OPERATION, 1974-75 -- THE PERIOD WHEN ADP TESTED ITS OPERATIONS THROUGH A PROGRAM OF RIGOROUS EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH. DURING THAT PERIOD, THE RESEARCH COMPONENT WAS INTENDED TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF THE PROJECT ON DIVERTED YOUNGSTERS USING A NON-TREATED CONTROL GROUP. JUVENILES WERE REFERRED BY THE POLICE TO ADP IN LIEU OF PETITION TO JUVENILE COURT. IF A YOUNGSTER AND HIS OR HER PARENTS AGREED TO PARTICIPATE, THE YOUNGSTER WAS RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO EITHER THE EXPERIMENTAL OR THE CONTROL GROUP. STUDENT VOLUNTEERS WERE THEN MATCHED WITH YOUNGSTERS IN THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP. MEMBERS OF THE CONTROL GROUP RECEIVED NO INTERVENTION SERVICES AND WERE RELEASED TO THE COMMUNITY. ONCE THE YOUNGSTER AND THE ASSIGNED VOLUNTEER HAD ESTABLISHED A RELATIONSHIP, THE VOLUNTEER ASSESSED THE NEEDS AND PROBLEMS OF THE CLIENT AND, WITH THE HELP OF PEERS AND A SUPERVISOR, DEVELOPED A PROGRAM USING ONE OR A COMBINATION OF TECHNIQUES KNOWN AS BEHAVIORAL AND CHILD ADVOCACY. THUS THREE GROUPS WERE STUDIED -- CHILDREN ASSIGNED TO BEHAVIORAL CONTRACTING, CHILDREN ASSIGNED TO CHILD ADVOCACY, AND CHILDREN WHO RECEIVED NO SERVICES. GROUP RESULTS WERE COMPARED IN TERMS OF POLICE CONTACTS, SERIOUSNESS OF CHARGES, PETITIONS TO COURT, SCHOOL GRADES AND ATTENDANCE, AND VARIOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS. COMPARATIVE DATA WAS GATHERED BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER EACH RESPECTIVE 18-WEEK INTERVENTION PERIOD. THE RESULTS DEMONSTRATED THAT THE PROJECT SUCCEEDED IN THREE IMPORTANT AREAS -- REDUCING THE NUMBER AND SEVERITY OF POLICE CONTACTS DURING AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION PERIOD; REDUCING THE NUMBER AND SEVERITY OF COURT PETITIONS FILED DURING AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION PERIOD; AND IMPROVING SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE SAMPLES OF THE PARTICIPATION CONTRACT, PRE-POST DATA, AND OTHER FORMS, A THREE-PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY, AND ONE- AND TWO-YEAR FOLLOW-UP INFORMATION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)