BUILDING BRIDGES, INC - AN EVALUATION OF A WORK THERAPY PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR JUVENILE PROBATIONERS

• NCJ Number: 53245
• Author(s): C M MANN; M D PRATT
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 23 pages
• Corporate Author: Montgomery Cty Juvenile Court
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

BUILDING BRIDGES, INC., A WORK THERAPY PROGRAM FOR THE HARDCORE JUVENILE OFFENDER, WHICH HAS BEEN IN OPERATION SINCE 1974 BY THE PROBATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT OF THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY (OHIO) JUVENILE COURT, IS EVALUATED.

Abstract

BUILDING BRIDGES IS VIEWED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT DEVICE FOR THE HARDCORE JUVENILE OFFENDER WHO HAS NOT RESPONDED TO TRADITIONAL TREATMENT (I.E., PROBATION SERVICES). JUVENILES IN THE PROGRAM DO HEAVY HOUSECLEANING, OUTSIDE WORK, AND RECREATIONAL TYPE WORK FOR GROUPS OF ELDERLY OR DISABLED PEOPLE. PAY TO THE JUVENILES IS BASED ON THEIR INCREASED APPEARANCE, DEPENDABILITY, AND PERFORMANCE. AN OFFENDER'S AVERAGE STAY IN THE PROGRAM IS 9 MONTHS LONG. THE GOAL OF THIS EVALUATION IS TO COMPARE THE RESULTS OBTAINED BY BUILDING BRIDGES WITH THOSE OBTAINED BY TRADITIONAL PROBATION SERVICES. THE STUDY PERIOD WAS BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1976 AND JUNE 30, 1976, A TIME WHEN THERE WERE 25 JUVENILES PARTICIPATING IN THE TREATMENT PROGRAM. A CONTROL GROUP OF 40 JUVENILES WITH SIMILAR DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS WAS RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM YOUTHS ON PROBATION. THE 'BEFORE' AND 'AFTER' BEHAVIOR OF THE TREATMENT AND THE CONTROL GROUPS WERE EXAMINED TO STUDY TWO PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS: (1) IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MEDIAN NUMBER OF DELINQUENT CHARGES PRIOR TO THE YOUTH'S ENTERING BUILDING BRIDGES AND THE MEDIAN NUMBER OF CHARGES AFTER EXPOSURE TO BUILDING BRIDGES; AND (2) IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MEDIAN DELINQUENT CHARGES FOR THE CONTROL GROUP AFTER BEING PLACED ON OFFICIAL PROBATION AND THE MEDIAN DELINQUENT CHARGES FOR THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP? IT WAS FOUND THAT THE MEDIAN NUMBER OF CHARGES PRIOR TO ENTERING THE PROGRAM WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN AFTER INVOLVEMENT IN BUILDING BRIDGES. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT THE MEDIAN NUMBER OF POSTCOURT CONTACTS FOR THE CONTROL GROUP WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THAT FOR THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT WORK THERAPY SITUATIONS, EXEMPLIFIED BY BUILDING BRIDGES, INC., ARE EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVES TO PROBATION. TABLES AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.