FOREIGNER'S VIEW OF AMERICAN DIVERSION

• NCJ Number: 64151
• Journal: Crime and Delinquency Volume: 26 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1980) Pages: 70-82
• Author(s): M ANDRIESSEN
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 13 pages
• Corporate Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency
• Sale Source: National Council on Crime and Delinquency; UMI Dissertation Services; Institute for Scientific Information
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. PRICE QUOTED FOR NCCD IS FOR SINGLE ISSUE

Annotation

FIVE JUVENILE DIVERSION PROJECTS IN CALIFORNIA ARE DISCUSSED AND EVALUATED AS PART OF A STUDY CONDUCTED BY DUTCH RESEARCHERS.

Abstract

TO LEARN ABOUT THE AMERICAN SYSTEM OF DIVERSION (NOT YET ACCEPTED IN THE NETHERLANDS), RESEARCHERS OBSERVED THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: UNIVERSITY-SPONSORED COUNSELING OF STATUS OFFENDERS WITHIN A POLICE DEPARTMENT; POLICE-SPONSORED COUNSELING AND JOB-SEEKING FOR STATUS OFFENDERS AND MINORS OUTSIDE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT; 'BARRIO' ORGANIZATIONS FOR ALL TYPES OF YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS, WITH COUNSELORS ACTING AS ADVOCATES INDEPENDENT OF THE POLICE; A POLICE PROGRAM FOR DELINQUENT MINORS; AND A PROBATION PROGRAM INSIDE A JUVENILE HALL FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS DETAINED FOR COUNSELING. RESULTS WERE DISAPPOINTING FOR ALL BUT THE BARRIO ORGANIZATIONS. DIVERSION RARELY OCCURRED, AND PROGRAMS WERE MERELY EXTENSIONS OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. THEY DID NOT DEAL WITH LOWER-CLASS DELINQUENTS AND FULFILLED ONLY A COUNSELING FUNCTION. HOWEVER, THE BARRIO ORGANIZATIONS SERVED AS AN EXAMPLE FOR THE DUTCH IN THAT THEY ACCEPT ALL TYPES OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH MATERIAL ASSISTANCE RATHER THAN EXTENSIVE COUNSELING. THE PROJECT DIVERTS OFFENDERS ON THE LEVEL OF PROSECUTION AND THE JUVENILE COURT. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (PAP)