NCJ Number
10540
Date Published
1973
Length
201 pages
Annotation
FOURTEEN ARGUMENTS SUPPORTING THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES DECISION TO CLOSE TRAINING SCHOOLS AND DEVELOP COMMUNITY-BASED ALTERNATIVES.
Abstract
'THE CLOSING DOWN OF INSTITUTIONS AND NEW STRATEGIES IN YOUTH SERVICES', A CONFERENCE SPONSORED JOINTLY BY THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES (DYS), FORDHAM UNIVERSITY'S INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH, AND BOSTON COLLEGE ARE THE SOURCE OF ARTICLES IN THIS BOOK. THESE ARTICLES HAVE PARTICULAR IMPACT BECAUSE THE CONFERENCE WAS HELD SIX MONTHS AFTER THE MASSACHUSETTS DYS MADE THE HISTORIC DECISION TO CLOSE ALL OF ITS TRAINING SCHOOLS AND TO DEVELOP COMMUNITY-BASED ALTERNATIVES FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED. THE PAPERS IN PART I GIVE THE GENERAL CONCEPTS AND RATIONALE BEHIND THE BELIEF THAT DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION MUST TAKE PLACE, DETAILING THE DISADVANTAGES OF THE INSTITUTIONAL SETTING AND SKETCHING THE BROAD OUTLINES OF ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS. THE PAPERS IN PART II ARE MORE SPECIFIC IN THEIR PRESENTATION OF THE ALTERNATIVES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. THEY DESCRIBE THE METHODS INVOLVED IN ACHIEVING SUCCESS AS INSTITUTIONS ARE CLOSED AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICE STRUCTURES TAKE THEIR PLACE. PART III IS STILL MORE SPECIFIC, PRESENTING ACTUAL CASE STUDIES AND SHOWING WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN INDIVIDUAL SITUATIONS TO IMPLEMENT ALTERNATIVES. PART IV DETAILS THE MASSACHUSETTS EXPERIENCE, IN THAT IT IS THE FIRST STATE TO CLOSE ALL OF ITS CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS, AND THUS REFLECTS THE CULMINATION OF ALL THE THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL FACTORS PRESENTED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) (SNI ABSTRACT)