NCJ Number
16480
Date Published
1974
Length
46 pages
Annotation
ASSESSMENT OF THE EMPLOYMENT ADVOCACY TEAMS COMPOSED OF A PAROLE OFFICER, EX-OFFENDER, JOB DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST AND VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SPECIALIST DEVELOPED TO AID JUVENILE PAROLEES WITH EMPLOYMENT-RELATED PROBLEMS.
Abstract
THE ADVOCACY TEAMS SET UP IN THREE TEXAS CITIES - DALLAS, FORT WORTH, AND SAN ANTONIO - WERE DESIGNED TO AUGMENT THE SKILLS AND RESOURCES OF THE TEXAS YOUTH COUNCIL PAROLE OFFICERS AND THE TEXAS REHABILITATION COMMISSION VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SPECIALISTS. THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT WAS TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM IN YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS BY MONITORING THE PAROLEE'S PROGRESS, ALLEVIATING SOME HANDICAPPING CONDITIONS, SECURING COOPERATION OF EMPLOYERS, PROVIDING SUPPORT AND MOTIVATION, AND DEVELOPING COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND RESOURCES. JUVENILES WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO PROJECT AND CONTROL GROUPS. DATA FORMS WERE COMPLETED ON EACH EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL PAROLEE. ON-SITE VISITS TO THE THREE AREA OFFICES, AND INTERVIEWS WITH STAFF AND COMMUNITY WERE ALSO CONDUCTED. THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT WAS MEASURED BY THE REDUCTION IN RECIDIVISM. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE PROJECT CONTRIBUTED TO SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCING THE RECIDIVISM RATES OF PAROLEES ASSIGNED TO THE PROJECT, THAT THE PROJECT WAS GENERALLY ABLE TO TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF CONTACT THE JUVENILE HAS WITH HELPING AGENCIES, AND THAT THE PROJECT HAD MADE A CONTRIBUTION BY ARRANGING FOR VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND DEVELOPING JOB OPPORTUNITIES. RECOMMENDATIONS AND A SAMPLE DATA FORM ARE ALSO INCLUDED.