NCJ Number
84389
Date Published
1979
Length
330 pages
Annotation
This research examined differences among 35 juvenile group home programs in Pennsylvania and New Jersey to ascertain how these affect the quality of services and client progress.
Abstract
Specifically, it examined to what extent such client characteristics as ego development, moral judgment, academic achievement, school attendance, talented nonacademic achievements, and group home behavior can be predicted from knowledge of group home variables such as length of time in the program, resident's original delinquency level, staff educational level and professional experience, and familiarity with adolescents. The most effective group home predictor variables were found to be staff attitudes, experience in working with adolescents, and youths' time in the program. Staff-reported critical incidents occurring during a resident's first year in the program revealed that a large portion of the youths had little or no contact with their families and had negative experiences upon contact. Youths' general adjustment in the programs was evidenced by the fact that positive behavioral trends outnumbered negative ones. Among the problems noted for programs were arson incidents, high staff turnover, and overtaxation of counselors and houseparents. Several programs were located in decaying 'residential' communities where a number of other community-based programs for delinquents, retardates, and ex-mental patients were in close proximity. This represents a bastardization of the community-based concept. Tabular data and over 70 references are given. Study materials are appended.