NCJ Number
58376
Date Published
1978
Length
30 pages
Annotation
FUNCTIONS, OBJECTIVES, AND RESULTS OF THE FOSTER GROUP HOME PROGRAM FOR JUVENILES OF FAIRFAX, VA., ARE PRESENTED IN THIS EVALUATION REPORT.
Abstract
THE GROUP HOME PROGRAM, FUNDED BY LEAA SINCE JULY, 1975, ALLOWS THE COURT TO MAKE TEMPORARY OUT-OF-HOME PLACEMENTS IN A NONSECURE FACILITY AS A DISPOSITION FOR CASES AND TO CONTINUE SUPERVISION OF YOUTH. CRITERIA FOR PLACEMENT IN THE GROUP HOME INCLUDED A DEMONSTRATED NEED FOR YOUTHS TO BE PLACED OUTSIDE THEIR OWN HOMES TEMPORARILY; CURRENT ABSENCE OF DRUG, ALCOHOL, OR MENTAL PROBLEMS OF A SEVERE NATURE; AND EXISTENCE OF A PLAN RESOLVING ORIGINAL CONDITIONS WHICH NECESSITATED PLACEMENT. THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY IN A POSTDISPOSITIONAL HOME IS 117 DAYS, AND 29 DAYS IN PREDISPOSITIONAL HOMES. ALTHOUGH ACTUAL PLACEMENT IS COURT ORDERED, THE MAJORITY OF JUVENILES ARE CONSULTED PRIOR TO THAT DECISION AND AGREE TO PLACEMENT. DATA WERE COLLECTED FOR A TOTAL OF 6 GROUP HOMES (5 POSTDISPOSITIONAL AND 1 PREDISPOSITIONAL) FOR 50 JUVENILES SERVED FROM JULY 1975 TO OCTOBER 1977. MEASUREMENTS WERE MADE OF NUMBER OF OFFENSES COMMITTED PRIOR, DURING, AND AFTER GROUP HOME PLACEMENT; FAMILY SYSTEMS COUNSELING INVOLVEMENT; AND THE NUMBER AND AVAILABILITY OF GROUP HOMES DURING THE EVALUATION PERIOD. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE GROUP HOME PROGRAM PROVIDES THE COURT WITH AN EFFECTIVE COURT-SUPERVISED LONG-TERM NONSECURE PLACEMENT ALTERNATIVE FOR JUVENILE STATUS OFFENDERS, AS THE NUMBER AND FREQUENCY OF NEW OFFENSES COMMITTED BOTH DURING AND AFTER PLACEMENT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED; HOWEVER, REFERRALS TO THE FAMILY SYSTEMS PROGRAM SHOULD BE MADE ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS, IN CONTRAST TO THE CURRENT POLICY OF REFERRING ALL FAMILIES TO THE PROGRAM, AS THE OVERALL PARTICIPATION RATE WAS ONLY 24 PERCENT. TABULAR STATISTICAL DATA, AN APPENDIX, AND FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED.