NCJ Number
78117
Date Published
Unknown
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Developed at meetings of the Boys' Club of America Task Force in 1973, this paper discusses approaches to delinquency prevention and recommends ways by which Boys' Clubs can strengthen their efforts to divert youths from the juvenile justice system.
Abstract
Public officials have agreed that the juvenile Justice system has not done an effective job of treating and rehabilitating offenders. A national strategy proposed by the Office of Youth Development emphasized that prevention programs should help youths feel that they are competent, useful, belong to a group, and command attention from others. The urgency of finding alternatives to the juvenile justice system places a great responsibility on community agencies, but Boys' Clubs with their open door policies and low dues are in a key position to provide leadership for these activities. Services and programs which need updating include individual counseling, small group experiences, support for one-parent families, and helping youths adjust to school and work. Each club should aggressively reach out to those who are not readily attracted to organized programs by such means as street work, outpost operations, improved transportation, and innovative recruitment techniques. Youths need more opportunities to plan and make decisions affecting them through involvement in self-governing groups, house councils, peer tutoring, and community projects targeted at juveniles. Boys' Clubs should speak out against those things in the community which are detrimental to youth development and use their influence to promote beneficial services. Many clubs have successfully worked with boys referred from schools and law enforcement agencies and even operated group homes. Clubs should more fully use community resources by making appropriate referrals for services needed by members. Boards of directors and staff must be willing to raise funds and commit resources to an expanded prevention program. Furthermore, all clubs should look realistically at modern society and address the dysfunctional systems which influence urban ecology, housing, education, health, and employment. A close partnership between the public and private sectors is needed to mobilize the necessary funding to support increased prevention efforts. A membership list of the Task Force is appended.