DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSE TO THE DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION OF STATUS OFFENDERS - STRATEGY PAPER

• NCJ Number: 60141
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 45 pages
• Corporate Author: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT BUREAU COMPILED AND ANALYZED DATA ON SERVICES FOR JUVENILES, PROGRAM COSTS, AND PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY STATES IN COMPLYING WITH LEGISLATION MANDATING THE DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION OF STATUS OFFENDERS.

Abstract

THE JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ACT OF 1974 SPECIFIED THAT ITS FUNDS BE CHANNELED INTO PROGRAMS TO DEINSTITUTIONALIZE JUVENILES CONVICTED OF OFFENSES THAT WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED CRIMINAL IF COMMITTED BY AN ADULT. BECAUSE THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT BUREAU (YDB) FELT THAT THIS LAW WOULD HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON HEW PROGRAMS AND CREATE PROBLEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL STATES, IT INITIATED A RESEARCH PROJECT. INFORMATION WAS GATHERED BY THREE METHODS: REVIEW OF STATES' JUVENILE JUSTICE PLANS CONDUCTED BY YDB STAFF, THE CREATION OF THE INTRA-DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON DEINSTITUTIONALIZED YOUTH (ICDY), AND CASE STUDIES CONDUCTED IN 10 SELECTED STATES. PROVISIONS AND AMENDMENTS OF THE LEGISLATION WERE STATED AND GUIDELINES GIVEN FOR DEFINITIONS OF KEY TERMS, SUCH AS SHELTER FACILITY. CASE STUDIES WERE CONDUCTED IN A NUMBER OF STATES ON EXISTING SERVICES AVAILABLE TO STATUS OFFENDERS, GAPS IN THESE SERVICES AS PERCEIVED BY INVOLVED PERSONNEL, AND COSTS OF DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION. THE DETENTION RATE OF STATUS OFFENDERS, WHOSE NUMBER IS CONSERVATIVELY ESTIMATED AT 150,000, APPEARED TO BE DECLINING IN ALL STATES. BASED ON DATA FROM THE CASE STUDIES, PRIORITY WAS GIVEN TO ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL ALTERNATIVES, COUNSELING SERVICES, AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. THE YDB RECOMMENDED THAT NO NEW PROGRAMS FOR DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION BE INITIATED, THAT MORE SHORT-TO-MODERATE-TERM SHELTER FACILITIES BE PROVIDED, AND THAT EXISTING PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES BE STRENGTHENED AND COORDINATED. THE REPORT ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT ITS FINDINGS, PARTICULARLY THE STATE CASE STUDIES, BE DISSEMINATED TO KEY PERSONS IN JUVENILE JUSTICE AND SOCIAL SERVICE PLANNING POSITIONS. APPENDIX A CONTAINS DATA FROM STATES' ANNUAL JUVENILE JUSTICE PLANS AND THE CASE STUDIES. APPENDIX B LISTS MEMBERS OF THE ICDY. (MJM)