NCJ Number
171064
Date Published
1998
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The Cops Who Care program was developed as a pilot project by the National Black Police Association (NBPA) to test a program strategy that would address the growing needs of young adolescent males involved in the criminal justice system.
Abstract
The original intent of the program was to target adjudicated youth referred by the District of Columbia Superior Court. The goal was to reduce and prevent delinquency, crime, and violence among first-time offenders in the District of Columbia. The NBPA designed a model that incorporated comprehensive group counseling, job preparedness training, cultural enrichment, and mentoring activities. During the course of the program, several challenges required adjustments in the implementation plan. The most persistent challenge was a high no-show rate among program participants. It was quickly determined that unless program participation was mandated as part of the youth's court/sentence disposition, the program would have limited control over attendance. Although the program recruited and oriented 12 youths referred by the court, only 2 youths consistently participated in the program. Active parental involvement was evident in both instances. Referrals from group homes resulted in 15 additional youths being introduced to the program. Despite program difficulties and participant risk factors, most youths demonstrated a need for caring, nurturing adults to provide guidance and support. Some expressed an interest in learning more about selected black leaders, a desire to learn about computers, a desire for self-development, and a desire to articulate goal-setting activities. Lessons learned from the program experience are listed.