NCJ Number
61287
Date Published
1979
Length
61 pages
Annotation
PROJECT CREST (CLINICAL REGIONAL SUPPORT TEAMS), AN OUTREACH PROGRAM WHICH USES VOLUNTEER STUDENT COUNSELORS IN PROVIDING PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES FOR DELINQUENT YOUTH, IN DESCRIBED AND EVALUATED.
Abstract
BEGINNING IN 1972 WITH AN INITIAL 4-MONTH GRANT FROM LEAA, AND RELYING PRIMARILY ON THE SERVICES OF GRADUATE STUDENTS IN COUNSELING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN GAINESVILLE, CREST IS NOW AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM OF NORTH-CENTRAL FLORIDA. ITS MAJOR PROGRAM GOALS ARE TO REDUCE CLIENT DELINQUENCY AND FOSTER MORE POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD SELF AND SOCIETY. CLIENT SELECTION IS LARGELY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PROBATION OFFICERS; AFTER REFERRAL TO CREST, A SCREENING MEETING BETWEEN CLIENT AND COUNSELOR IS ARRANGED. IF IT APPEARS THAT COUNSELING WILL BE PRODUCTIVE, A LONGER-TERM ARRANGEMENT IS ESTABLISHED. TRAINING AND SUPERVISION ARE THE KEYS TO THE OPERATIONAL SUCCESS WHICH CREST HAS ATTAINED. THE APPROACH TO CLIENT COUNSELING RESTS ON THE CONCEPT THAT YOUTH NEED BOTH STRUCTURE AND NURTURING; VOLUNTEERS WORK NOT ONLY WITH CLIENTS, BUT ALSO WITH THE YOUTHS' FAMILIES AND SCHOOLS. CREST'S OUTCOME VARIABLES FALL INTO TWO CATEGORIES, PROCESS GOALS AND IMPACT GOALS. THE PRIMARY IMPACT GOAL IS REDUCED DELINQUENCY, AS MEASURED BY FEWER EPISODES OF MISCONDUCT AMONG CREST CLIENTS, IMPROVED SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, AND CONSTRUCTIVE PERSONALITY AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGES. PROCESS GOALS INVOLVE THE NUMBERS OF DELINQUENTS TO BE PROVIDED WITH COUNSELING AND ACHIEVEMENT OF THE ESTABLISHED GOALS. CREST HAS CONSISTENTLY MET OR EXCEEDED PROCESS GOALS SINCE ITS INCEPTION. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT CREST HELPS MEET THE NEEDS OF THE YOUTH SERVICES PROGRAM FOR SUPPLEMENTAL ASSISTANCE IN COUNSELING; IT HAS A STRONG INSTITUTIONAL BASE AND IS HIGHLY REGARDED IN THE COMMUNITIES WHICH IT SERVES. CREST IS WELL-ORGANIZED, AND ITS VOLUNTEERS ARE GENERALLY MATURE, RESPONSIBLE, AND WELL-PREPARED. EVIDENCE OF CREST'S EFFECTIVENESS IN REDUCING DELINQUENCY, WHILE MARGINALLY POSITIVE, IS STILL INCONCLUSIVE. APPENDIXES, GRAPHS, AND STATISTICAL DATA ARE INCLUDED IN THE VALIDATION REPORT. (LWM)