NCJ Number
61794
Date Published
1979
Length
65 pages
Annotation
EVALUATION RESULTS ARE REPORTED FOR A YOUTH ADVOCACY PROGRAM IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.
Abstract
THE ADVOCATES FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE (AJJ) PROGRAM, CALLED OPEN DOOR, INC., WAS AWARDED A $50,000 LEAA GRANT FOR THE PERIOD OCTOBER 1, 1977, TO SEPTEMBER 30, 1978. THIS EVALUATION, THE SECOND SINCE THE PROGRAM'S INCEPTION, WAS CONDUCTED IN JANUARY 1979. INTERVIEWS WITH KEY INDIVIDUALS AND INFORMATION FROM INTERIM, PROGRESS, AND NARRATIVE REPORTS ARE THE BASIS FOR THIS FINAL EVALUATION. THE AJJ PROGRAM, WHICH WAS EXPERIMENTAL IN DESIGN, AIMED TO PROMOTE JUVENILE RIGHTS THROUGH THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THREE OBJECTIVES: (1) A SUSPENSION PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS SUSPENDED FROM SCHOOL, (2) A MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT SURVEY, AND (3) A STATUS OFFENDER STUDY. LITTLE PROGRESS WAS MADE IN THE SUSPENSION PROGRAM DUE TO THE RESISTANCE OF SCHOOL PRINCIPALS. THE PROJECT DIRECTOR INDICATED THAT FUTURE ADVOCACY GROUPS SHOULD GAIN SUPPORT FROM PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY BEFORE APPROACHING THE SCHOOLS. THE MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT SURVEY MAY YET BE CONDUCTED; THE LOUISIANA STATE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH HAS A COPY OF THE INSTRUMENT PREPARED BY AJJ, AND THE DIRECTOR HAS STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT WILL BE USED IN THE FUTURE. THE STATUS OFFENDER STUDY WAS NEVER UNDERTAKEN, BECAUSE THE JUVENILE COURT WOULD NOT AGREE TO MAKE JUVENILE RECORDS AVAILABLE TO AJJ. OUTSIDE OF THE THREE AREAS OF ACTIVITY PROPOSED IN THE ORIGINAL GRANT REQUEST, THE MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT OF AJJ, ACCORDING TO THE FORMER PROJECT DIRECTOR, WAS THE REVISION OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS IN THE NEW JUVENILE CODE, WHICH WAS INFLUENCED BY INTENSIVE AJJ LOBBYING THROUGHOUT THE STATE. IT IS APPARENT THAT AJJ WAS OVERCOMMITTED IN ITS EFFORT TO ACHIEVE THE STATED GOALS. STILL, A NEED HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ADVOCACY AGENCY FOR JUVENILES IN LOUISIANA. IN THIS SENSE, AJJ BROKE GROUND, AND THE PROGRAM ACTIVITIES COULD BE TERMED A PARTIAL SUCCESS. TABULAR DATA AND AN APPENDIX ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)