Intensive Supervision Alternatives for Adjudicated Juveniles (From Intensive Interventions With High-Risk Youths, P 317-340, 1991, Troy L Armstrong, ed. -- See NCJ-129819)

• NCJ Number: 129830
• Author(s): W H Barton; J A Butts
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 24 pages
• Sale Source: Criminal Justice Press/Willow Tree Press
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

This study evaluated three, in-home intensive supervision programs in Detroit, Mich. that provide an alternative to institutionalization for juvenile offenders.

Abstract

To evaluate the programs, the court agreed to a randomized design in which comparable groups of youth would be assigned to each alternative program and to a control group that would be institutionalized according to traditional sanctioning criteria. A total of 326 youths were assigned to one of the three in-home programs, and 185 were assigned to the control group. A 2-year monitoring of the subjects found that the recidivism of youths placed in the intensive supervision programs did not differ substantially from youths released from institutions. Additional outcome measures such as self-concept, family relationships, personal aspirations, and values also failed to show any substantial differences between the experimental and control groups. The study concludes that intensive supervision is to be preferred over institutionalization because of the cost factor. During the 4 years in which the programs were being evaluated, the State saved an estimated $9 million by using intensive supervision in lieu of institutionalization without compromising public safety. 10 tables, 8 notes, and 29 references