DIFFICULTIES IN EVALUATING COMMUNITY SITED DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAMS - THE BPLAY PROJECT

• NCJ Number: 54727
• Author(s): J S BIS
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 14 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PAPER PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE EVALUATION, WASHINGTON, DC, FEBRUARY 22-24, 1977

Annotation

THE BEHAVIORAL PROGRAMS IN LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTH (BPLAY) PROJECT, A 3-YEAR DELINQUENCY PROGRAM INITIATED IN 1971, IS EVALUATED AS IT WAS IMPLEMENTED IN ONE TARGET COMMUNITY THROUGH SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMS.

Abstract

AS A PREVENTIVE DELINQUENCY PROGRAM, THE BPLAY PROJECT WAS DESIGNED PRIMARILY TO TEST THE EFFICACY OF BEHAVIORALLY MANAGED LEISURE TIME ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN MINIMIZING JUVENILE PROBLEM BEHAVIOR AND REDIRECTING ADOLESCENT ENERGIES INTO SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE AND PERSONALLY REWARDING ACTIVITIES. THE RESEARCH ARENA FOR THE PROJECT WAS AN URBAN-SUBURBAN AREA ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE WASHINGTON, D.C., METROPOLITAN AREA. COOPERATING WITH THE PROJECT WERE A COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM, A POLICE DEPARTMENT, A CIVIC ASSOCIATION, AND LOCAL MERCHANTS. MAJOR OBJECTIVES WERE TO DESIGN, IMPLEMENT, AND EXPERIMENTALLY TEST TWO PROGRAMS FOR THE PREVENTION OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY (INSCHOOL AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS). THE INSCHOOL PROGRAM WAS INTENDED TO PRESENT TO ALL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS A CLASSROOM COURSE ON INSTRUCTION AS PART OF THEIR REGULAR CURRICULUM. THE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS POSSIBLE, THROUGH FREQUENT AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER VACATION CONTACT, TO PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT WOULD ATTRACT PROBLEM STUDENTS, SUSTAIN THEIR ATTENDANCE AND ACTIVE PARTICIPATION, AND REDIRECT THEIR GENERAL BEHAVIOR PATTERNS INTO CHANNELS THAT WOULD BE SOCIALLY MORE ACCEPTABLE AND CONSTRUCTIVE IN DEVELOPING INDIVIDUAL RESOURCES. DETAILED INFORMATION WAS COLLECTED ABOUT DELINQUENT AND PREDELINQUENT BEHAVIOR OF YOUTH WITHIN THE PROJECT'S TARGET AREA. POLICE FILES, A JUVENILE SERVICES OFFICE, AND SCHOOLS WERE SOURCES OF DATA. IN ADDITION TO OBJECTIVE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUTHFUL PROBLEM BEHAVIOR FURNISHED BY THESE SOURCES, A FULL-TIME ANTHROPOLOGIST WAS EMPLOYED TO INVESTIGATE AND ANALYZE THE COMMUNITY. ANOTHER ETHNOGRAPHER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY HIRED AND WORKED PRIMARILY IN SCHOOLS TO LEGITIMIZE HIS PRESENCE WITH YOUTH AND INCREASE STUDENT CONTACTS. THREE RECOMMENDATIONS RESULTED FROM THE EVALUATION OF THE BPLAY PROJECT: (1) DATA FROM SOURCES OTHER THAN COMMUNITY AGENCIES SHOULD BE UTILIZED TO DETERMINE THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF A COMMUNITY-BASED DELINQUENCY PROGRAM; (2) COMMUNITY ATTEMPTS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY ADOLESCENTS OFTEN ARE GOVERNED BY EXPEDIENT POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS WITHOUT CAREFUL ASSESSMENTS OF THE LONG-RANGE CONSEQUENCES OF PLANNED ACTION, AND THE AVAILABILITY OF PROCEDURES FOR THE SYSTEMATIC ACQUISITION OF ACCURATE LOCAL PROBLEMS DATA CAN ASSIST IN THE COMMUNITY DECISIONMAKING PROCESS; AND (3) ETHNOGRAPHIC EFFORTS ARE MOST VALUABLE WHEN THEY ARE INSTITUTED WITHIN THE PREPROGRAM TIME PERIOD. (DEP)