NCJ Number
49638
Journal
CRIME PREVENTION REVIEW Volume: 5 Issue: 4 Dated: (JULY 1978) Pages: 35-45
Date Published
1978
Length
11 pages
Annotation
A PROGRAM USING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH SOME INDICATION OF PROBLEM BEHAVIOR TO ACT AS COMPANIONS AND COUNSELORS TO YOUNGER PROBLEM YOUTH IS DESCRIBED AND THE RESULTS OF AN EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION ARE REPORTED.
Abstract
THE PROGRAM FUNDED BY THE CALIFORNIA STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND OPERATED BY THE NORTH AREA COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER IN SACRAMENTO, CALIF., WAS DESIGNED TO COMPENSATE FOR STUDY FINDINGS INDICATING THAT PROBLEM YOUTH RARELY CONTACT PROFESSIONAL THERAPISTS IN THE COURSE OF CHILDHOOD OR YOUTH. THE PEER PROJECT, WHICH PAIRED HIGH SCHOOL PROBLEM YOUTH WITH YOUNGER YOUTH WITH PROBLEM BEHAVIOR, WAS DERIVED FROM SIMILAR PROGRAMS WHICH A REVIEW OF LITERATURE INDICATED TO BE REASONABLY SUCCESSFUL. THE PILOT PROJECT INVOLVED AN EXPERIMENTAL GROUP OF EIGHT COUNSELORS PAIRED WITH YOUNGER YOUTH WITH BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS, A COUNSELOR CONTROL GROUP OF SIX, AND A COUNSELEE CONTROL GROUP OF FOUR. COUNSELORS WERE SELECTED FROM A GROUP OF TENTH GRADERS INDICATED TO HAVE TRUANCY PATTERNS. FROM AN INITIAL GROUP OF 40, THE TOP 16 SCORERS ON THE GROUP ASSESSMENT OF INTERPERSONAL TRAITS WERE SELECTED FOR THE PROJECT, WITH 8 RANDOMLY SELECTED AS COUNSELORS AND THE OTHER 8 AS CONTROLS. THE TRAINING PROGRAM LASTED FOR 2 WEEKS AT 2 HOURS PER DAY, 4 DAYS PER WEEK. GROUP SUPPORT AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRUST WERE THE PRIMARY FOCI OF THE TRAINING. COUNSELEES WERE SELECTED FROM REFERRALS GIVEN BY SOCIAL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. BEFORE AND AFTER THE PILOT PROJECT, THE COUNSELEES WERE ASSESSED USING GOUGH'S ADJECTIVE CHECKLIST, AND THE COUNSELORS WERE ASSESSED THROUGH STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WHICH STRESSED RELATIONS WITH TEACHERS AND SCHOOL, ARRESTS AND CONTACTS WITH LEGAL AGENCIES, DRUG USAGE, OUTSIDE INTERESTS, AND DATING BEHAVIOR. PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING WAS PERFORMED IN ADDITION. FOUR OF THE EIGHT COUNSELORS STAYED IN THE PROJECT FOR THE ENTIRE 2.5-YEAR DURATION. ALL FOUR REMAINING IN THE PROJECT GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND WENT TO COLLEGE. TESTS INDICATED THE PRIMARY CHANGE IN THESE COUNSELORS WAS IN THEIR CONFIDENCE ABOUT THEIR ABILITY TO DETERMINE THEIR OWN DESTINIES. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PROJECT, OF THE SIX CONTROLS, TWO WERE IN PRISON AND ONE HAD JUST BEEN RELEASED. RESULTS FOR THE YOUNGER GROUPS WERE NOT DEFINITIVE, ALTHOUGH THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP SHOWED A SLIGHTLY MORE POSITIVE CHANGE THAN THE CONTROL GROUP. THE PROGRAM NOW SERVES APPROXIMATELY 60 YOUTH. (RCB)