NCJ Number
68351
Date Published
1977
Length
39 pages
Annotation
AN EVALUATION OF A COMMUNITY ARBITRATION PROGRAM IN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD., IDENTIFIED CHARACTERISTICS OF THE YOUTHS AND ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN THEIR REHABILITATION, AND FOUND THAT THE PROGRAM CAN BE REPLICATED.
Abstract
THE STUDY IDENTIFIED ORGANIZATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO WHICH THE MISDEMEANANT YOUTHS REFERRED AND QUALITIES OF REFERRED YOUTHS THAT WERE RELATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH-ORGANIZATION TIES. ADDITIONALLY, IDENTIFICATION OF THE TYPES OF COMMUNITY GROUPS AND AGENCIES THAT WORK BEST WITH MISDEMEANANTS WOULD DETERMINE WHETHER THE COMMUNITY ARBITRATION PROGRAM COULD BE READILY REPLICATED AS A MODEL FOR INTERVENTION. SIX COUNSELING ORGANIZATIONS AND SIX WORK PLACEMENT AGENCIES WERE SURVEYED BY INTERVIEWING THE AGENCY DIRECTOR AND ON STAFF MEMBER. THE SURVEY FOUND THAT NONCONVENTIONAL COUNSELING AGENCIES AND WORKSITES EMPHASIZING WORK ACTIVITIES RATHER THAN BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS OF CLIENTS IN A NONPUNITIVE ATMOSPHERE WERE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL. CLIENTS WERE DEFINED AS LIKELY CANDIDATES FOR REHABILITATION ONLY IF THEY WERE HIGHLY MOTIVATED, HAD PARENTAL SUPPORT, AND WERE COOPERATIVE. THE OVERALL CONCLUSION WAS THAT THE PROGRAM'S STRATEGY OF REFERRING NUISANCE OFFENDERS TO WORKSITES AS A FORM OF SOCIAL RESTITUTION, AND TO COUNSELING AGENCIES, IS REPLICABLE. CHARTS, TABLES, FOOTNOTES, AND 14 REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. AN APPENDIX GIVES EXCERPTS FROM TAPED INTERVIEWS WITH COUNSELING AND WORK PLACEMENT AGENCIES.