FOCUS ON THE COMMUNITY GROUP DYNAMICS (FROM PREVENTION OF YOUTHFUL CRIME - THE GREAT STUMBLE FORWARD, 1978, BY JAMES C HACKLER - SEE NCJ-48141)

• NCJ Number: 48142
• Author(s): J C HACKLER
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 22 pages
• Corporate Author: Methuen Publications
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

A SELECTION OF COMMUNITY AND GROUP TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS IN THE U.S., CANADA, AND ENGLAND ARE DISCUSSED.

Abstract

SPECIAL ATTENTION IS DEVOTED TO THE VARIOUS PHASES OF CALIFORNIA'S COMMUNITY TREATMENT PROGRAM (CTP), WHICH TOOK PLACE IN SACRAMENTO, STOCKTON, AND SAN FRANCISCO AND CENTERED ON 802 BOYS AND 212 GIRLS IN AN EFFORT TO DETERMINE WHETHER CERTAIN KINDS OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS COULD BE ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN THEIR HOME COMMUNITIES, IF GIVEN INTENSIVE SUPERVISION AND TREATMENT. TAKEN TOGETHER, THE BOYS PERFORMED SUBSTANTIALLY BETTER THAN THOSE IN THE TRADITIONAL PROGRAM SETTING EMPLOYED BY THE YOUTH AUTHORITY. A MODIFIED CTP EFFORT COUPLED A PRETREATMENT PERIOD BEGINNING THE CTP ROUTINE SEEMED TO RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT. A COMMUNITY WORK PROGRAM EXISTING IN LONDON, ENGLAND, ATHOUGH DESIGNED FOR ADULT OFFENDERS, MAY BE APPLICABLE TO JUVENILE OFFENDERS AS WELL. UNDER THE PROGRAM, CERTAIN PRISONERS WHO WOULD NORMALLY HAVE BEEN SENTENCED TO PRISON TERMS ARE ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN THE COMMUNITY, MAINTAIN THEIR EMPLOYMENT, AND WORK IN COMMUNITY SERVICE POSTS DURING THE EVENING HOURS AND ON WEEKENDS. SUCH A STRATEGY MAY BE MEANINGFUL TO JUVENILES. INSTEAD OF CONTINUING WITH TREATMENT MODELS, AN EXPECTATION THAT A JUVENILE OFFENDER MUST PAY A DEBT TO SOCIETY MAY BE MORE COMPREHENSIBLE TO BOTH THE DELINQUENT AND TO TAXPAYERS. THE ROLE OF THE GROUP THERAPY AND GROUP HOMES IS ASSESSED REGARDING THE TREATMENT OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS. PROGRAMS IN CANADA AND THE U.S. ARE CITED, AND ALTHOUGH IT IS NOTED THAT COMMUNITY TREATMENT, GROUP THERAPY, AND GROUP HOMES CONSTITUTE SENSIBLE, MODEST ATTEMPTS AT DELINQUENCY PREVENTION, IT IS ARGUED THAT EFFORTS TO GREATLY EXPAND AND INTENSIFY GROUP THERAPY OR OTHER TREATMENT PROGRAMS ARE NOT JUSTIFIED. FINALLY, DIVERSION PROGRAMS ARE DISCUSSED, WITH ATTENTION TO THE IMPACT OF LABELING, THE POSSIBLE INCREASE OF INJUSTICE, AN EXPANSION OF JUVENILE SUPERVISION, THE INFORMAL ROLE OF THE THE POLICE AND OTHERS, THE ROLE OF DIVERSION IN OTHER INSTITUTIONAL PROCEDURES, AND THE LACK OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR APPROPRIATE RESEARCH, NO REFERENCES ARE CITED. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA ARE PROVIDED. (KBL)