NCJ Number
37019
Journal
CRIME PREVENTION REVIEW Volume: 1 Issue: 4 Dated: (JULY 1974) Pages: 1-8
Date Published
1974
Length
8 pages
Annotation
EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANT DUTY OF POLICE IN PREVENTING CRIMES, THIS ARTICLE BRIEFLY DESCRIBES TWO LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO PREVENT JUVENILE DELINQUENCY.
Abstract
THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS ADOPTED THE PHILOSOPHY THAT IT MUST WORK TO KEEP NON-DELINQUENT JUVENILES AWAY FROM CRIME AND TO CURRENT POTENTIALLY DELINQUENT YOUTHS BEFORE THEIR DEVIANT BEHAVIOR PATTERNS BECOME IRREVERSIBLE. IN KEEPING WITH THIS PHILOSOPHY, TWO JUVENILE CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKEN. THE FIRST PROGRAM FOCUSES ON THE NON-DELINQUENT YOUTH. 'STUDENT AND THE LAW', AS THIS PROGRAM WAS CALLED, INVOLVES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN 'OFFICER-INSTRUCTOR' IN LOCAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS. THIS FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICER IS ALSO A FULL-TIME FACULTY MEMBER, GIVING INSTRUCTION TO STUDENTS ON THE COURTS, THE LAW, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE PROGRAM ATTEMPTS TO FOSTER POSITIVE, LAW ABIDING ATTITUDES IN STUDENTS BY SUCH METHODS AS CLASS INSTRUCTION AND PROVISION OF A POLICE 'RIDE-ALONG' PROGRAM. THE SECOND PROGRAM IS AIMED AT YOUTHS WHO ARE 'QUASI-DELINQUENT'. THIS 'JUVENILE DIVERSION/PURCHASE OF SERVICES' PROGRAM PROVIDES POLICE DIVERSION TO NONSTIGMATIZING COMMUNITY TREATMENT RESOURCES TO THE 'QUASI-DELINQUENT' YOUTHS COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE POLICE. THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN DECREASING OFFENSES IN THE POPULATION IT SERVES. TO ENSURE THE ABILITY OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO ABSORB THESE REFERRALS, THE POLICE PURCHASE SERVICES FROM COMMUNITY AGENCIES.