EXPLOSION IN POLICE DIVERSION PROGRAMS - EVALUATING THE STRUCTURAL DIMENSIONS OF A SOCIAL FAD (FROM JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM, 1976 BY MALCOLM W KLEIN - SEE NCJ-35005)

• NCJ Number: 35008
• Author(s): M W KLEIN; K S TEILMANN; J A STYLES; S B LINCOLN; S LABIN-ROSENSWEIG
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 19 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE AUTHORS EXAMINE SEVERAL STRUCTURAL DIMENSIONS OF POLICE DIVERSION PROGRAMS AND ISSUES IN POLICE DIVERSION IN ORDER TO HIGHLIGHT EVALUATIVE CRITERIA TO WHICH ATTENTION SHOULD BE PAID.

Abstract

AMONG THE ISSUES INVESTIGATED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE THE ENORMOUS GROWTH IN POLICE DIVERSION PROGRAMS IN RECENT YEARS, THE MULTIPLE AND CONFLICTING RATIONALES FOR SUPPORTING POLICE DIVERSION, AND THE WISESPREAD PLACEMENT OF JUVENILES INTO AN ALTERNATIVE SYSTEM (THE SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM) INSTEAD OF PROVIDING DIVERSION THROUGH SIMPLE RELEASE. OTHER ISSUES EXAMINED INCLUDE THE EXPANSION OF THE SERVICE SYSTEM TO ACCOMODATE INCREASED REFERRALS, POLICE CONTROL OF DIVERSION PROGRAMS, AND POLICE COMMITMENT TO DIVERSION PROGRAMS. IN EXAMINING THESE ISSUES, THE AUTHORS RAISE SEVERAL POINTS WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN EVALUATING THE DIVERSION MOVEMENT AND ITS CONSTITUENT PROGRAMS.