NCJ Number
106648
Journal
Journal of Prison and Jail Health Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (Spring 1986-1987) Pages: 23-39
Date Published
1987
Length
17 pages
Annotation
Providing full-time mental health services in juvenile detention centers would provide both youths and staff members with benefits that would far outweigh their relatively modest cost.
Abstract
Study data came from detailed interviews with the staff of a regional detention facility in a southeastern city. The interviews took place both before and after the provision of the mental health and related services. Sixty-nine staff members were interviewed in 1984, before the program started. In the summer of 1985, reinterviews took place with the 41 remaining staff members and with 19 of the 20 who had resigned. The remaining staff and resigned staff had similar levels of job-related stress. They were also similar in gender, age, and education. The mental health counselor was seen as beneficial to the youths. The staff stress level also declined significantly. Mental health services in detention centers can help reduce staff stress and staff turnover. Improvement in the quality of work life for detention center staff can also be expected to improve the handling of the crisis situations that are common in these settings and to improve the relationships between staff and youths. Data tables, 2 reference notes, and 21 references.