NCJ Number
81992
Date Published
1980
Length
45 pages
Annotation
The methodology, findings, and recommendations are summarized from an evaluation of the Illinois Status Offender Services Project (ISOS), a program designed to provide alternatives to institutionalization for status offenders who would otherwise have been referred to secure detention.
Abstract
The ISOS program consisted of community-based servies for a limited time, including crisis intervention, foster or shelter care, and general supervision or counseling. Clients were served in their homes as often as possible. The ISOS also included a service demonstration program for minors in need of supervision (MINS). This involved a network of services that included needs assessment, counseling, advocacy, group homes, alternative education, an independent living facility, specialized foster care, and homemaker service. The basic evaluation sample consisted of 1,515 cases from the Alternatives to Detention program and the Demonstration Services program and respective comparison groups. The evaluation considered client characteristics, services, program outcomes, changes in detention patterns, changes in local police arrest patterns, impact on community youth service systems, community resident views, and types of youth offender careers. The ISOS project substantially achieved its key service and detention reduction objectives in the development of its Alternatives to Detention program for preadjudicated status offenders. It is less clear that key service objectives were adequately formulated or implemented in the Service Demonstration program, primarily for MINS violators or adjudicated chronic status offenders. Evidence from self-reports shows that misbehavior, including status offense behavior, declined comparably for youths in both programs, at least from program entry until 1 year later. Based on the findings, six recommendations are offered.