NCJ Number
26340
Journal
Corrections Magazine Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1974) Pages: 49-52
Date Published
1974
Length
4 pages
Annotation
REPORT ON A THIRTEEN-YEAR CALIFORNIA PROJECT BEGUN IN 1961 WHICH OFFERED INTENSIVE COMMUNITY SUPERVISION AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO INSTITUTIONALIZATION FOR YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS.
Abstract
THIS PROJECT WAS DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS. IN PART ONE, WHICH LASTED FROM 1961 TO 1969, MORE THAN 1000 YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS COMMITTED BY THE COURTS TO THE YOUTH AUTHORITY WERE DIVIDED INTO GROUPS OF CONTROLS AND EXPERIMENTALS. THE CONTROLS WENT THROUGH THE REGULAR YOUTH AUTHORITY PROGRAM - EIGHT TO TEN MONTHS IN AN INSTITUTION AND ONE TO THREE YEARS ON PAROLE. THE EXPERIMENTALS WERE TESTED FOR SIX WEEKS AND THEN SENT HOME ON PAROLE UNDER INTENSIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT PROGRAM (CTP) SUPERVISION. PART TWO OF THE PROJECT, WHICH STARTED IN 1969 AND ENDS IN OCTOBER 1974, INVOLVED DIVIDING SEVERAL HUNDRED YOUNGSTERS COMMITTED TO THE YOUTH AUTHORITY INTO TWO GROUPS - THOSE WHO COULD BE SUPERVISED IN THE COMMUNITY AND THOSE CONSIDERED TOO DANGEROUS OR UNMANAGEABLE FOR COMMUNITY SUPERVISION. YOUNGSTERS WERE THEN SELECTED RANDOMLY FOR PLACEMENT IN A SPECIAL CTP-OPERATED DORMITORY OR IN THE COMMUNITY UNDER INTENSIVE SUPERVISION. ALL EXPERIMENTALS WERE DIAGNOSED AND CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO THE 'I' (INTERPERSONAL MATURITY) LEVEL SYSTEM AND WAS SIGNIFICANT IN THE INTERPRETATION OF CTP RESULTS. ANALYSIS OF PART ONE DATA ON RE-ARRESTS, CONVICTIONS, PAROLE REVOATIONS, AND RECOMMITMENTS SUPPORTED THE CTP HYPOTHESIS THAT 75 PER CENT OF THE YOUNGSTERS NEED NEVER HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE YOUTH AUTHORITY. PRELIMINARY RESULTS FROM PART TWO SHOWED THAT HARD-TO-HANDLE YOUNGSTERS DID MUCH BETTER ON PAROLE IF THEY WERE FIRST CONFINED FOR A FEW MONTHS IN THE CTP DORMITORY. DIFFERING VIEW POINTS OF THE RELIABILITY OF THE I-LEVEL SYSTEM, AND THEREFORE THE RESULTS OF THE CTP PROGRAM, ARE CONSIDERED.