NCJ Number
46296
Journal
REHABILITATION COUNSELING BULLETIN Volume: 19 Issue: 3 Dated: (MARCH 1976) Pages: 482-490
Date Published
1976
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THE EFFECTS OF DUAL TREATMENT -- COMMUNITY-BASED COUNSELING AND PROBATIONARY SUPERVISION -- ON THE SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, BEHAVIOR, AND SELF-CONCEPTS OF HABITUAL JUVENILE DELINQUENTS ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
PROJECT CREST (CLINICAL REGIONAL SUPPORT TEAMS -JUVENILE DELINQUENCY) IS A COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM WHICH WORKS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FLORIDA DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES (DYS) TO PROVIDE SPECIALIZED REHABILITATIVE SERVICES TO HABITUAL DELINQUENTS. THROUGH CREST, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA GRADUATE STUDENTS OFFER INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP THERAPY AND CONSULTATION WITH SCHOOLS AND OTHER AGENCIES. THEY ALSO CONDUCT INTELLIGENCE, APTITUDE, PERSONALITY, AND VOCATIONAL TESTING. THE PROJECT IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT IS DESIGNED TO AUGMENT, NOT REPLACE, THE REGULAR SERVICES OF THE DYS PROBATION WORKERS. EACH DELINQUENT RECEIVES TWO KINDS OF TREATMENT: ONE ASSOCIATED WITH LEGAL CONTROL OVER HIS LIFE; THE OTHER COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THIS DIRECT CONTROL. THE STUDY GROUP CONSISTED OF 30 YOUTHS DESCRIBED BY DYS AS 'MOST RESISTANT TO HELP.' FIFTEEN OF THESE RECEIVED CREST TREATMENT IN ADDITION TO THEIR USUAL DYS SUPERVISION. THE REMAINING 15 WERE ASSIGNED TO A CONTROL GROUP WHICH RECEIVED ONLY DYS SUPERVISION. A SECOND CONTROL GROUP WAS COMPOSED OF A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 26 NONDELINQUENT YOUTHS FROM 2 HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE REGION, 1 RURAL AND 1 URBAN. EACH JUVENILE IN THE TREATMENT GROUP RECEIVED INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK FOR NO LESS THAN 1 HOUR PER SESSION. EACH ATTENDED A MINIMUM OF 10 SESSIONS. CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR AND PERSONALITY WERE EVALUATED THROUGH PRETESTS AND POSTTESTS OF (1) OFFICIAL ACTS OF MISCONDUCT; (2) SCHOOL ATTENDANCE; (3) SCHOOL GRADES; (4) JESNESS BEHAVIOR CHECK LIST (SELF-REPORT FORM); AND (5) TENNESSEE SELF-CONCEPT SCALE. THE CREST GROUP SHOWED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE DELINQUENT CONTROL GROUP IN SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, THREE SUBSCALES OF THE BEHAVIOR CHECK LIST, AND THREE SUBSCALES OF THE SELF-CONCEPT SCALE. THE SCHOOL GRADES OF THE DELINQUENT CONTROL GROUP WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THOSE OF THE NONDELINQUENT CONTROL GROUP; THE GRADES OF THE CREST GROUP WERE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THOSE OF THE NONDELINQUENT GROUP. A PARTIAL GROUP OF CREST CLIENTS HAD A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN OFFICIAL ACTS OF MISCONDUCT DURING THE TREATMENT PERIOD COMPARED TO THE DELINQUENT CONTROL GROUP. THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY SUPPORT THE CONCEPT OF DUAL TREATMENT THROUGH EXTERNAL LIMITS (PROBATION) AND THROUGH A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH A PROFESSIONAL THERAPIST-IN-TRAINING (CREST). FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF SUCH A PROGRAM IS RECOMMENDED. SUPPORTING DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.