NCJ Number
60297
Date Published
1979
Length
146 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT ASSESSES THE IMPACT OF 10 PROJECTS FUNDED IN 1975 BY THE JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ACT (JJDP) ON THE DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION OF STATUS OFFENDERS IN OHIO.
Abstract
THE JJDP GRANTS WERE AWARDED BY OHIO'S OFFICE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES (OCJS) IN 1976 FOR A 1-YEAR OPERATING PERIOD BEGINNING JULY 1977. INDIVIDUAL EVALUATIONS OF THE 10 PROJECTS COMPLETED BY OCJS FROM QUESTIONNAIRES AND SITE VISITS ARE PRESENTED FOR THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: OPEN DOORS FOR YOUTH, STATUS OFFENDER DIVERSION PROJECT, GIRLS RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT, RUNAWAY AND CRISIS CENTER, FOSTER FAMILY TRAINING, STATUS OFFENDER FOSTER CARE, PROJECT INTERCEPT, APARTMENT LIVING PLUS, FOSTER HOME NETWORK, AND SHELTER CARE FOR RUNAWAYS. THEN, THE IMPACT OF THE JJDP EXPENDITURES ON THE TARGET POPULATION IN THE 10 PROJECT AREAS IS EXAMINED BY COMPARING THE NUMBERS OF YOUTHS SERVED, STAFF TIME SPENT WORKING WITH CLIENTS, COST PER YOUTH, PERCENTAGE OF YOUTHS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING PROGRAMS, PROPORTION OF PROJECT GOALS ACHIEVED, SERVICE LAG, YOUTH RECIDIVISM, AND NUMBERS OF YOUTHS WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN INSTITUTIONALIZED IF THE PROGRAMS HAD NOT EXISTED. SHELTER CARE FOR RUNAWAYS DID NOT BECOME OPERATIONAL, BUT THE REMAINING 9 PROJECTS SERVED 379 YOUTHS FOR AN AVERAGE COST OF $748 PER CLIENT. A TOTAL OF 272 JUVENILES SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE PROGRAMS, WITH PROJECT INTERCEPT HAVING THE HIGHEST COMPLETION RATE OF 96 PERCENT. DATA FROM 7 PROJECTS SHOWED THAT 12 OUT OF 200 YOUTHS HAD RECIDIVATED. ANALYSIS OF REPORTS FROM 8 PROJECTS INDICATED THAT AN AVERAGE OF 61.7 PERCENT OF THEIR CLIENTS HAD BEEN DIVERTED FROM INSTITUTIONS. THE EVALUATION STAFF CONCLUDED THAT THE DIVERSION PROGRAMS WERE MORE COST EFFICIENT AND PROBABLY MORE EFFECTIVE THAN INCARCERATION. SOME PROJECTS, HOWEVER, EXPERIENCED LONG DELAYS IN IMPLEMENTING THEIR PLANS AND WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE COMPLETE OR RELEVANT DATA NEEDED FOR THE EVALUATION. THE FINAL SECTION OF THE REPORT CONTAINS INDIVIDUAL INTERPRETATIVE SUMMARIES FOR 24 JJDP PROJECTS FUNDED WITH 1976, 1977, AND 1978 MONIES. MATRIXES DEVISED BY THE EVALUATION STAFF TO ILLUSTRATE THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE PROJECTS UTILIZED COMMON OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES ARE APPENDED.