NCJ Number
60093
Date Published
1978
Length
50 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT EVALUATES FLORIDA'S ASSOCIATED MARINE INSTITUTES (AMI), A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WHICH OPERATES SEVEN MARINE INSTITUTIONS PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL, COUNSELING, AND VOCATIONAL SERVICES TO DELINQUENT YOUTHS.
Abstract
THE EVALUATION IS BASED ON DATA FROM SEVERAL STATISTICAL REPORTING SYSTEMS. AMI'S GOALS ARE TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE RECIDIVISM, DEVELOP VOCATIONAL SKILLS, AND ENCOURAGE FURTHER ACADEMIC OR VOCATIONAL TRAINING. PROGRAMS ARE CENTERED AROUND THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT. YOUTH SERVED ARE BETWEEN 15 AND 18 YEARS OLD. THEY ATTEND THE PROGRAM 8 HOURS PER DAY, 5 DAYS PER WEEK. ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES, MARINE-RELATED COURSES, AND PRACTICAL MARINE ACTIVITIES ARE PROVIDED DURING THE USUAL 6-TO-9-MONTH STAY IN THE PROGRAM. AT THE BEGINNING OF 1971, 202 CHILDREN WERE ENROLLED IN THE MARINE INSTITUTES. DURING THE YEAR, 580 YOUTHS WERE ADMITTED. MOST COMMITTED CHILDREN WERE FELONY OFFENDERS WHO HAD COMMITTED PROPERTY CRIMES. BLACKS AND FEMALES WERE UNDERREPRESENTED. PRETEST AND POSTTEST SCORES INDICATED A VERY HIGH RATE OF IMPROVEMENT IN MEASURED ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. A TOTAL OF 22.7 PERCENT OF THE CHILDREN RAN AWAY AT LEAST ONCE. DRUG USE WAS REPORTED FOR 62.9 PERCENT OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS; ALCOHOL USE FOR ABOUT ONE HALF; ABUSIVE ACTIONS TOWARD OTHERS FOR ABOUT ONE THIRD; STEALING FOR 18 PERCENT. THE RATE OF LEAVING, USUALLY FOR UNFAVORABLE REASONS, WAS 44.6 PERCENT. ABOUT FOUR-FIFTHS OF ALL PROGRAM TRAINEES DID NOT COMMIT NEW CRIMES. COST PER MONTH PER CHILD WAS $499.79; AMI IS THEREFORE THE MOST EXPENSIVE NONRESIDENTIAL PROGRAM FUNDED THROUGH THE YOUTH SERVICES PROGRAM OFFICE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT AMI HAS THE LOWEST RECIDIVISM RATE OF ALL YOUTH SERVICES PROGRAMS. THE UNDERREPRESENTATION OF BLACKS DOES NOT APPEAR TO RESULT FROM AMI STAFF UNWILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT BLACK YOUTH. ACADEMIC PROGRAMS ARE DOING WELL. AMI IS TRYING TO INCREASE THE RATE OF ACCEPTANCE OF TRAINEES. ONE AREA OF CONCERN IS THE LOW RATE (56.1 PERCENT) OF FURLOUGHS AND OTHER HONORABLE DISCHARGES. AMI APPEARS TO BE RUNNING EXCELLENT PROGRAMS AND ACHIEVING LOW RECIDIVISM RATES. TABLES AND FOOTNOTES WHICH INCLUDE REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)