NCJ Number
76557
Date Published
1980
Length
32 pages
Annotation
Prepared for county governments, this guide describes community-based alternatives to incarceration for juvenile offenders, including volunteer services, mediation, group homes, alternatives education, and restitution.
Abstract
Following a summary of advantages offered by alternatives to formal court adjudication, the booklet discusses decisions made by youth workers at the intake process. Options available to the intake officer are outlined, and interagency cooperation is emphasized as essential to the development of alternative programs. The use of volunteers in court diversion and school delinquency programs is recommended, and funding sources for this approach are detailed. The section on nonresidential programs addresses informal probation or treating juvenile cases without a formal petition, family crisis counseling, and mediation and arbitration. The following residential programs are also covered: wilderness programs, foster care, and group homes, which have increased in response to dissatisfaction with foster home placements. The review of community facilities emphasizes the effectiveness of vocational counseling in preventing misconduct and rehabilitating delinquents and then considers educational programs directed at changing students' behavior by altering their attitudes, skills, or emotional adjustment. Examples of this method include remedial education, work assignments, behavior contracts, in-school suspension, extended day programs, and tutorials. Restitution and youth service bureaus are examined, as are the problems facing juvenile justice agencies in rural areas. Youth advocacy is also defined, and suggestions for successful advocacy are offered.