NCJ Number
81094
Date Published
1977
Length
32 pages
Annotation
This 1977 evaluation report examines educational programs in Florida's juvenile correctional facilities using data on the basic skills development, vocational education, placement, and followup activities of 683 furloughed youths.
Abstract
This evaluation collected information on 616 students furloughed from training schools and 67 students furloughed from START Centers during the first 6 months of 1976. Through a procedure initiated in 1975, achievement and IQ data are reported monthly by each educational facility and then computerized. Placement and followup information was compiled in December 1976 using reports from field counselors. The training schools' achievement rates in reading, math, and language continued to increase over previous years with the exception of one school. Students with the shortest time of instruction achieved the highest rates, possibly because they were more motivated than those who stayed longer. Over half the youths furloughed from training schools had received vocational training which appeared to improve their chances of finding a job. Employment was still a serious problem, and only 28 percent were placed in a job while 28 percent returned to school and 9 percent carried both school and job responsibilities. Moreover, the evaluation discovered that 33 percent of the youth furloughed did not return to either a job or school. This year's evaluation, like prior reports, found that youths who get jobs soon after furlough are more likely to succeed on aftercare than youths who only enter school or have no placement. Unlike training schools, 74 percent of the juveniles furloughed from START Centers returned to school. Based on site visits, the evaluation also assessed contracted programs, including four Eckerd Wilderness Camps and seven Marine Institutes. Tables and an explanation of the evaluation's statistical methods are provided.