FEDERAL ANTICRIME FUNDS FOR JUVENILE DELIQUENCY PREVENTION (FROM CHILDREN OF ISHMAEL - CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON JUVENILE JUSTICE, 1978, BY BARRY KRISBERG AND JAMES AUSTIN - SEE NCJ-47012)

• NCJ Number: 47020
• Author(s): J LEONARD; T J MADDEN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 24 pages
• Corporate Author: Mayfield Publishing Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE TASK FORCE ON COMMUNITY CRIME PREVENTION, WASHINGTON, D.C.

Annotation

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ISSUE OF SETTING PARAMETERS FOR LEAA-FUNDED JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROJECTS IS TRACED, AND GUIDELINES FOR SUCH PARAMETERS ARE PROPOSED FOR ADOPTION BY LEAA.

Abstract

LACK OF CLARITY OR GENERAL AGREEMENT ABOUT THE CAUSES OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND THE NATURE OF PROGRAMS CONSIDERED TO HAVE DELINQUENCY PREVENTION AS AN OBJECTIVE HAS PRESENTED PROBLEMS FOR LEAA IN DETERMINING THE LEGITIMACY OF FUNDING PROGRAMS PURPORTING TO HAVE JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PREVENTION AS THEIR GOAL. THE BLOCK GRANT APPROACH TO FUNDING IS DESCRIBED. AN ANALYSIS OF ALL ENABLING LEGISLATION EMPOWERING LEAA TO DISPENSE DELINQUENCY PREVENTION FUNDS IS REPORTED, AND A LACK OF SPECIFICITY ABOUT PARAMETERS IS INDICATED. THE NEED FOR LEAA TO DETERMINE GUIDELINES HAS BEEN SPURRED BY CRITICISM FROM STATE PLANNING AGENCIES THAT RESTRICTIONS FOR DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAMS ARE TOO NARROW, WHILE MANY IN CONGRESS ARGUE THAT SOME LEAA-FUNDED PROJECTS HAVE HAD A TENUOUS RELATIONSHIP TO DELINQUENCY PREVENTION. THE CONTEXT FOR A DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUE IS SET BY A DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF THE ART IN THE SUBJECT OF CRIME PREVENTION. THREE TYPES OF PREVENTION APPROACHES ARE IDENTIFIED: PUNITIVE, CORRECTIVE, AND MECHANICAL. IT IS NOTED THAT LEAA-FUNDED DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN MOSTLY ORIENTED TOWARD CORRECTIVE AND MECHANICAL PREVENTION EFFORTS. CORRECTIVE PREVENTION IS THE MOST ELUSIVE AND PROBLEMATIC, INVOLVING THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND ECONOMIC FACTORS. SUCH A BROAD SPECTRUM OF DELINQUENCY FACTORS CAN TAKE PREVENTION EFFORTS BEYOND THE PALE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. GUIDELINES ARE THEREFORE PROPOSED WHICH DEFINE THE CORRECTIVE PREVENTION FOCUS OF LEAA-FUNDED PROJECTS. STANDARDS ARE SET FOR THREE TYPES OF DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAMS: THOSE CONDUCTED EXCLUSIVELY WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM DEALING WITH YOUTH WHO CONTACT THE SYSTEM; DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAMS OUTSIDE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM; AND INNOVATIVE DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAMMING. CRIME-SPECIFIC GUIDELINES ARE BASICALLY PROPOSED, WHEREBY DATA, PROBLEM ANALYSIS, AND PROGRAM PROPOSED MUST BE SHOWN TO IMPACT UPON SPECIFIC CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, SUCH THAT EVALUATION MEASURES WILL BE ABLE TO SHOW THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM IN REDUCED JUVENILE CRIME. EXTENSIVE EXPLANATORY NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)