NCJ Number
151509
Date Published
1992
Length
28 pages
Annotation
The Thomas O'Farrell Youth Center (TOYC) in Mariottsville, Maryland, has a 38-bed, secure residential program for youth committed to Maryland's Department of Juvenile Services; operated by the North American Family Institute, the program compares favorably with other community-based youth correctional programs across the United States in terms of recidivism.
Abstract
The TOYC serves young males up to 18 years of age. The typical youth has many prior court referrals, generally for property and drug offenses. The TOYC also accepts youths who have failed in less secure settings. In general, the TOYC avoids youth with severe mental health problems and those who cannot successfully function in a relatively open residential setting. Further, the TOYC is not specifically equipped to handle sex offenders or violent youths. The program works best with chronic and serious property offenders, especially urban youth actively involved in drug trafficking. The TOYC's mission is to provide a community of dignity and respect for all members; creating a positive social environment represents the core of all TOYC activities. The underlying philosophy of TOYC, based on a treatment theory known as the normative model, involves self-help and community support for individual growth and resocialization. The normative treatment approach implicitly recognizes the importance of norms (social rules and expectations) that bond individuals. Norms and components of TOYC programming are identified. The point system used to provide positive reinforcement for normative behavior and the TOYC's community aftercare program are described. Photographs