CLARK COUNTY (WA) - VOLUNTEERS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE - AN EVALUATION OF THE FIRST YEAR, OCTOBER 1975

• NCJ Number: 35100
• Author(s): P S ANDERSON
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 39 pages
• Corporate Author: Clark County Juvenile Court; Clark Cty District Court
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN ASSESSMENT OF A PROJECT OF THE CLARK COUNTY JUVENILE AND DISTRICT COURTS WHICH UTILIZED VOLUNTEERS TO PROVIDE COUNSELING, SUPERVISION, AND TRAINING SERVICES TO YOUTHS AND YOUNG ADULTS ON PROBATION OR IN DETENTION.

Abstract

PROGRAM PROCEDURES USED IN RECRUITING, SCREENING, TRAINING, AND SUPERVISING OF VOLUNTEER WORKERS ARE FIRST DESCRIBED. CHARACTERISTICS OF VOLUNTEERS AND CLIENTS ARE BRIEFLY REVIEWED. THE BASIC EVALUATION MODEL FOLLOWED IN THIS REPORT WAS TO REVIEW PROJECT ACHIEVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO STATED PROJECT OBJECTIVES. HOWEVER, SINCE THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES PRESENTED IN THE FIRST YEAR'S GRANT WERE NOT SPECIFICALLY ENUMERATED, IT WAS NECESSARY TO SPECIFY THE GENERALIZED OBJECTIVES TO THE POINT THAT MEASURES COULD BE OBTAINED. THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES DETERMINED FOR THIS REPORT WERE: TO DEVELOP THE OPERATING PROCEDURES OF THE PROGRAM, AND RECRUIT AND TRAIN VOLUNTEERS; TO INCREASE SERVICES TO YOUTH IN DETENTION AND YOUNG ADULTS AND YOUTHS ON PROBATION; TO PROVIDE AN INCREASE IN PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT FOR THE JUSTICE SYSTEM; TO CHANGE CLIENT BEHAVIOR AND REDUCE THEIR UNLAWFUL BEHAVIOR; AND TO PROVIDE COST SAVINGS TO THE GOVERNMENT. INDICATORS USED TO MEASURE OBJECTIVE ACHIEVEMENT INCLUDED STATISTICS ON VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT, NUMBERS OF VOLUNTEERS SERVING, NUMBER OF HOURS SPENT IN DIRECT SERVICE, RECIDIVISM RATES OF CLIENTS, THE COST SAVINGS GAINED THROUGH USE OF VOLUNTEERS, AND PERCEPTIONS OF VOLUNTEERS AND CLIENTS ON THE PROGRAM. THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE PROGRAM HAS MET ITS OBJECTIVES FOR THE FIRST YEAR. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT ARE INCLUDED.