NCJ Number
36328
Date Published
1973
Length
16 pages
Annotation
EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT AND THE ENDURANCE OF TRAINING EFFECTS OVER A 30-MONTH PERIOD OF A 1971 SERIES OF PROGRAMS FOR MIDDLE MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IN THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF COMMUNITY ADVOCACY.
Abstract
DESIGNED TO COORDINATE THE EFFORTS OF VARIOUS SEGMENTS OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM, THIS REGIONAL INTERDISCIPLINARY TRAINING CONCEPT WAS FOUNDED ON THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT MOST AGENCIES ATTEMPTING TO HELP TROUBLED YOUTH DID SO IN ISOLATION AND HENCE FUNCTIONED IN A VACUUM. IN EACH OF THE FOUR TRAINING PROGRAMS HELD - ONE IN CHICOPEE (MA), TWO IN PARK CITY (UT), AND ONE IN OAKLAND (CA) - A REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH OF SEVERAL AGENCIES WORKING WITH TROBULED YOUTH WERE BROUGHT TOGETHER IN TEAMS ON NEUTRAL GROUNDS. TRAINING WAS ORIENTED TOWARD DEVELOPING 'INTER' RATHER THAN 'INTRA' AGENCY GOALS. THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE RESULTS OF AN AUGUST 1973 FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONNAIRE EVALUATION OF THE 138 TRAINEES REPRESENTING THE 23 TEAMS INVOLVED IN THE FOUR COMMUNITY ADVOCATE TEAM (CAT) PILOT PROJECTS. EACH OF THE 16 QUESTIONS ON THE EVALUATION IS GIVEN FOLLOWED BY THE CORRESPONDING RESPONSE STATISTICS AND ANY NECESSARY EXPLANATION. SURVEY DATA REVEALED THAT OVER 60 PERCENT OF TEAMS WERE STILL MEETING, THAT THE CAT CONCEPT WAS A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO DELINQUENCY PREVENTION AND DECREASE IN RECIDIVISM, AND THAT THE CONCEPT WORKS BEST WHEN THE JUDGE MEMBER GIVES ACTIVE SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE INTERAGENCY COOPERATION CREATED OR ENHANCED BY CAT TRAINING LEADS TO GREATER EFFICIENCY IN AGENCY WORK WITH TROBULED YOUTH, THEREBY RESULTING IN DECREASED RECIDIVISM RATES.