CLASSIFICATION AND SENTENCING GUIDELINES FOR JUVENILES (FROM READINGS IN POLICY ANALYSIS, 1978 - SEE NCJ-55834)

• NCJ Number: 55840
• Author(s): W NETHERLAND
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: American Justice Institute
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A STUDY WHICH DEVELOPED A CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR JUVENILES TO USE AS THE FOUNDATION FOR A STANDARIZED LENGTH-OF-STAY POLICY FOR WASHINGTON STATE.

Abstract

A LACK OF CONSISTENCY IN RELEASE POLICIES OF THE BUREAU OF JUVENILE REHABILITATION (BJR) IN WASHINGTON HAD LED TO CONCERN OUTSIDE BJR ABOUT DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS. PARTIALLY IN RESPONSE TO THIS CONCERN, NEW LEGISLATION--THE JUVENILE JUSTICE ACT--DIRECTED THE BJR TOWARD A DETERMINATE SENTENCING PATTERN, BUT GAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEVELOPING THIS SENTENCING STRUCTURE TO THE BJR. TWO OVERLAPPING EFFORTS WERE DEVELOPED BY BJR--THE DESIGN OF A FACTUAL-BASED CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM TO BE USED AS THE FOUNDATION FOR A STANDARDIZED LENGTH-OF-STAY POLICY, WHICH IN TURN PROVIDED THE GROUNDWORK FOR DEVISING A SENTENCING STRUCTURE. CRITERIA FOR THE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM WERE AS FOLLOWS: (1) THE DEVELOPMENT OF DECISION-RELEVANT INFORMATION WITHOUT REDUNDANCY, (2) THE PROVISION OF ACCURATE INFORMATION, (3) THE PROVISION OF OBJECTIVE DATA, (4) REFLECTION OF THE COMMUNITY'S PERCEPTION REGARDING THE SERIOUSNESS OF VARIOUS DELINQUENT BEHAVIORS, (5) PROVISION OF INFORMATION WHICH INDICATES PROGRAM NEEDS FOR GROUPS OF YOUTH, (6) IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIFIC PROBLEM GROUPS FOR WHICH NEW PROGRAMS MUST BE DEVELOPED, (7) MAINTENANCE OF THE CAPABILITY OF DIVERSION AT THE POINT OF ENTRY, AND (8) ESTABLISHMENT OF INITIAL PLACEMENT WITH THE LEVEL OF SECURITY NEEDS. THE DEVELOPED CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM WAS DIVIDED INTO THREE SEGMENTS--OFFENSE INFORMATION, INDIVIDUAL INFORMATION, AND PROGRAM INFORMATION. TO INCORPORATE THE NEW SENTENCING INTO THE CLASSIFICATION SCHEME, RESEARCHERS EXPANDED THE NUMBER OF OFFENSE CATEGORIES TO NINE, AND ARRANGED THEM ALONG A CONTINUUM OF DEGREE OF DANGER. A YOUTH'S AGE AND CURRENT OFFENSE ESTABLISHED A BASE POINT NUMBER WHICH WAS MULTIPLIED BY POINTS RECEIVED FOR CRIMINAL HISTORY. THE RESULTING POINTS ESTABLISH WHAT THE STANDARD DISPOSITION WILL BE FOR THAT PARTICULAR YOUTH. A MAJOR OUTCOME OF THE PROCESS HAS BEEN THE CREATION OF AN INFORMATION NETWORK AMONG THE VARIETY OF ACTORS INVOLVED IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.