DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION OF STATUS OFFENDERS IN EL DORADO COUNTY (CA) - AN EVALUATION - 1ST YEAR REPORT 1977

• NCJ Number: 61058
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 200 pages
• Grant Number(s): 76-JS-99-0011
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: California Regional Criminal Justice Planning Board
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

DATA WERE COLLECTED BY AN EVALUATION UNIT TO ASSESS LEAA FUND APPLICATION BY THE DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION OF STATUS OFFENDERS PROGRAM (DSO) IN EL DORADO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

Abstract

DSO IMPLEMENTATION AND IMPACT DATA WERE COLLECTED IN THE AREAS OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THE PROGRAM, PROJECT FACILITIES AND STAFF, PROGRAM CLIENTS, SERVICES, EFFECT OF SERVICES ON CLIENTS, AND DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION. COMMUNITY SUPPORT WAS ASSESSED THROUGH QUESTIONNAIRES AND INTERVIEWS. SCHOOLS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND WELFARE, MENTAL HEALTH, AND STREET AGENCIES WERE CONTACTED. THE TWO PROJECT SITES, TAHOE RUNAWAY YOUTH SERVICES AND PLACERVILLE RUNAWAY YOUTH SERVICES, WERE VISITED, AND STAFF MEMBERS WERE INTERVIEWED TO ASSESS PROJECT FACILITIES AND STAFF. DATA FROM PROJECT FILES AND 310 CLIENT FOLDERS WERE REVIEWED FOR CLIENT ANALYSIS. SERVICES CURRENTLY PROVIDED TO CLIENTS AND FAMILIES INCLUDE A 24-HOUR CRISIS LINE; INDIVIDUAL, GROUP, AND PEER COUNSELING; FOSTER PARENT RECRUITMENT; TRAINING; AND REFERRAL. THE LARGEST NUMBER OF REFERRALS CAME FROM THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT. RUNNING AWAY WAS THE MOST COMMON REASON FOR REFERRAL. A TOTAL OF 148 CASES WERE REFERRED FOR MEDICAL, FINANCIAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND EMPLOYMENT NEEDS AND FOR LONG-TERM COUNSELING. TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS TO ASSESS CLIENT AND FAMILY IMPACT WERE ATTEMPTED WITH MINIMAL RESULTS. RESPONDENTS TOTALED 10 CLIENTS AND 31 FAMILIES ONLY. DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION DATA ANALYSIS PROVIDED AMBIGUOUS RESULTS DUE TO THE SHARP INCREASE IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STATUS OFFENDERS DURING THE YEAR. OVERALL, THE DSO PROJECT WAS SUCCESSFUL IN MEETING ITS FIRST YEAR PROCESS PROGRAM GOALS AS SPECIFIED IN THE GRANT. HOWEVER, A MORE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION NETWORK SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED WITH LOCAL SYSTEM AND NONSYSTEM AGENCIES. A RECORDKEEPING SYSTEM WHICH SEPARATES ACTUAL FROM POTENTIAL OFFENDERS SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED. IN ADDITION, FEEDBACK SHOULD BE GIVEN TO LAW ENFORCEMENT REFERRAL AGENCIES REGARDING DISPOSITION SO THAT CASELOADS CAN BE DETERMINED ACCURATELY. TABULAR INFORMATION, FIGURES, AND APPENDIXES ARE INCLUDED. (LWM)