NCJ Number
191974
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 49 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2001 Pages: 122-124
Date Published
October 2001
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article presents an overview and brief evaluation of the South Carolina community-based Youth Mentoring Program with special focus on a program component called Camp Turning Point, a summer therapeutic-intervention camp for juveniles.
Abstract
This article describes the community-based Youth Mentoring Program established in Cheraw, South Carolina in an attempt to reduce the number of incarcerated juveniles. Juveniles were paired with mentors who monitored the juveniles' personal and academic development for 6 months to a year. Participation in the program consisted of attending 1 week of Camp Turning Point, going to school and maintaining a C average, attending church and weekly meetings with mentor a group, and the completion of 40 hours of community service or part-time work. The program component, Camp Turning Point was designed as an intervention to teach the young men (ages 13-16). In addition to typical camp activities, such as swimming, and fishing those attending Camp Turning Point learned about working as a team in a rope course and with horses. In addition, they were responsible for cooking their own food and cleaning. Classes were provided on domestic violence, sexual abuse, first aid, and venereal disease. By its third year (2000), Camp Turning Point's success rate remained close to 90 percent. Community-based programs are viewed as successful programs with the philosophy that juvenile offenders are a community problem requiring a community solution.