NCJ Number
63007
Date Published
1979
Length
26 pages
Annotation
THE STUDY EXAMINES THE IMPACT OF A LEGISLATED COMMUNITY CONTROL PROGRAM FOR JUVENILES EMPHASIZING COMMUNITY SERVICE AND RESTITUTION.
Abstract
THE COMMUNITY CONTROL CONCEPT ALTERS THE TRADITIONAL ROLE OF THE PROBATION CASEWORKER AND CALLS FOR EMPHASIS ON PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND RELATING DISCIPLINE TO THE JUVENILE'S ABILITY TO FULFILL CONTRACTS. THE 1978 LEGISLATION ALSO MANDATES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ADVISORY COUNCILS TO INFORM THE COURT ABOUT AVAILABLE DIVERSION PROGRAMS AND DISPOSITIONAL ALTERNATIVES. BY MID-1979 THESE COUNCILS HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED IN HALF OF FLORIDA'S JUDICIAL DISTRICTS. THE REPORT EXAMINED DATA ON THE ASSIGNMENT OF JUVENILES TO COMMUNITY WORK PROGRAMS FOR THE FIRST 7 MONTHS FOLLOWING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LEGISLATION AND COMPARED THE RESULTS TO PROBATION CASELOAD STATISTICS. ALTHOUGH COMMUNITY WORK PROGRAM ASSIGNMENTS EXPERIENCED A LARGE INCREASE, A RELATIVELY LOW PERCENTAGE HAD COMPLETED THEIR WORK OBLIGATIONS. DATA ON RESTITUTION INDICATED THAT WHILE THE NUMBER OF JUVENILES PAYING RESTITUTION HAD INCREASED, THE PROGRAM STILL INVOLVED LESS THAN 5 PERCENT OF JUVENILES UNDER SUPERVISION. AN UNDERLYING ASSUMPTION OF THE COMMUNITY CONTROL CONCEPT WAS THAT SHORT-TERM SANCTIONS WOULD RESULT IN DECREASED CASELOADS AND THUS GIVE COUNSELORS MORE TIME TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED SERVICES FOR CLIENTS. WHILE CASELOADS DID DECLINE AFTER THE LEGISLATION, STATISTICS INDICATE DECREASED CONTACTS BETWEEN COUNSELORS AND CLIENTS. SUGGESTIONS FOR REDUCING CASELOADS AND SHIFTING TO COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS ARE GIVEN. TABLES ARE PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THE TEXT. (MJM)