FIELD CITY GIRLS' CENTER - A COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM FOR DELINQUENT GIRLS

• NCJ Number: 49420
• Author(s): C C UPSHUR
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 386 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: HARVARD UNIVERSITY - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Annotation

THE PROBLEM OF DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS IS EXPLORED IN RELATION TO THE NEED FOR DEINSTITUTIONALIZED SERVICES FOR FEMALE DELINQUENTS IN THE FORM OF COMMUNITY-BASED RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS.

Abstract

A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF INSTITUTIONALIZATION IS PRESENTED, AS WELL AS A REVIEW OF AVAILABLE STUDIES OF DELINQUENT GIRLS. THE SCARCITY OF PUBLISHED RESEARCH ON DELINQUENT GIRLS IS NOTED. PARTICULAR EMPHASIS IS GIVEN TO THE PROCESS OF CLOSING LARGE TRAINING SCHOOLS FOR DELINQUENT YOUTH IN MASSACHUSETTS. A THEORY ABOUT DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS IS PROPOSED THAT CONSIDERS THE UNFULFILLING NATURE OF THE FEMALE ROLE AS AN IMPORTANT PRECIPITATING FACTOR. A COMMUNITY-BASED RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM FOR DELINQUENT GIRLS IN ONE MASSACHUSETTS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. PROGRAM ELEMENTS ARE FUNDING, ADMINISTRATION, SERVICES, AND POLICIES. SERVICES INCLUDE INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING AND ADVOCACY, FAMILY COUNSELING AND ADVOCACY, EDUCATION AND WORK, SEX EDUCATION AND WOMEN'S ROLE EDUCATION, RECREATION, COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND COLLECTIVE ADVOCACY. PROGRAM GOALS ARE TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM, TO RETURN CLIENTS TO THEIR FAMILIES WITHIN 4 TO 8 MONTHS, TO ESTABLISH A STABLE WORK OR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, AND TO CHANGE CLIENT ATTITUDES TOWARD THE FEMALE SEX ROLE. COLLECTIVE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM ARE COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ADVOCACY. DATA FROM THE PROGRAM'S FIRST OPERATING YEAR SHOW THAT RECIDIVISM WAS NOT REDUCED WHILE CLIENTS WERE IN THE CENTER BUT WAS CONSIDERABLY LOWER DURING A FOLLOWUP PERIOD. MOST CLIENTS WERE NOT RETURNED HOME. GENERAL IMPROVEMENT IN THE EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT OF CLIENTS AND STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN ATTITUDES TOWARD THE FEMALE SEX ROLE WERE OBSERVED. VIRTUALLY NO SUCCESS WAS ACHIEVED IN MEETING COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ADVOCACY GOALS. THE LIMITED SAMPLE SIZE (15 CLIENTS) AND THE SHORT PERIOD OF PROGRAM OPERATION PRECLUDE DEFINITIVE CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAM'S SUCCESS. SUPPORTING DATA AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE PROGRAM AND THE FORMS USED IN PROGRAM EVALUATION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)