NCJ Number
77992
Date Published
1977
Length
60 pages
Annotation
This report describes and evaluates status offender diversion projects funded between 1975 and 1977 with Federal and State grants administered by the Delaware Governor's Commission on Criminal Justice.
Abstract
A target of the commission's 1976 comprehensive plan was the diversion of selected youth from the juvenile justice system through short-term shelters in lieu of detention and group homes. To accomplish these objectives, an emergency shelter and short-term residential care facility called 801 House was established in Dover, the Mary E Herring Home for Girls was funded to provide a home for 8 delinquent girls for up to 1 year. Grants were also awarded to the Division of Services to Children and Youth to develop emergency shelters for status offenders in New Castle and Sussex Counties, but by March 1977 neither facility had opened. An agreement was signed with Mary House Association, Inc. in January 1977 to operate a shelter in New Castle County, scheduled to open in July 1977. Attempts to establish a group home for 8 to 10 emotionally disturbed or disruptive youth from New Castle County was unsuccessful because a suitable facility could not be located, but this project has been shifted to another county. Following a brief description of each project, an evaluation of their impact and costs emphasizes that only 124 clients out of a targeted 972 were served and that costs were high. Problems encountered in developing the diversion program included the definition of the term community-based, lack of interest in programs for juvenile criminal offenders, and failure to monitor improvements to privately owned buildings financed with State funds. Recommendations concerning the program's future activities address underutilization, inappropriate funding practices, and implementation difficulties. The appendixes contain detailed reports and evaluation of the individual projects. The diversion program's overall budget is provided.