NCJ Number
66297
Journal
REHABILITATION LITERATURE Volume: 40 Issue: 4 Dated: (APRIL 1979) Pages: 98-107
Date Published
1979
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THE RESULTS ARE REPORTED OF A 7-YEAR PROJECT UNDERTAKEN BY THE STATE REHABILITATION AGENCY IN MASSACHUSETTS TO TEST THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNITY VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS.
Abstract
A 3-YEAR RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION PROJECT WAS BEGUN IN 1969, IN COOPERATION WITH TWO DISTRICT COURTS IN MASSACHUSETTS, TO TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THAT A COMPREHENSIVE VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION PROGRAM WOULD FOSTER GOOD WORK HABITS AND SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT AND DECREASE DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR WHILE THE JUVENILE OFFENDER REMAINED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. A SAMPLE OF SUBURBAN JUVENILE OFFENDERS WITH WIDE DISTRIBUTION IN SOCIAL CLASS WAS OBTAINED FROM ONE COURT, AND THE OTHER COURT FURNISHED A SAMPLE OF URBAN JUVENILE OFFENDERS WITH A LOWER CLASS ORIENTATION. RECRUITED YOUTHS MATCHED ON SOCIAL CLASS, PRESENCE OF NATURAL FATHER IN THE HOUSEHOLD, AND TYPE OF OFFENSE WERE ASSIGNED TO EITHER AN EXPERIMENTAL GROUP OR A CONTROL GROUP. JUVENILES IN EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS WERE GIVEN COUNSELING AND THEN ASSIGNED TO SPECIAL DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS, WHICH INCLUDED WILDERNESS PROGRAMS, KARATE AND JUDO TRAINING, SHELTERED WORKSHOPS, PREVOCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING, ACADEMIC EDUCATION, ON-THE-JOB TRAINING, AND JOB PLACEMENT. THE JUVENILE OFFENDERS ACTING AS CONTROLS WERE ALSO MAINTAINED IN THE COMMUNITY BUT WERE NOT OFFERED VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICES. POST TESTING OF EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL GROUPS 3 YEARS LATER SHOWED NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL GROUPS ON AVERAGE SCHOOL GRADES, VOCATIONAL ADJUSTMENT, AND RECIDIVISM. A TOTAL OF 31 EXPERIMENTAL GROUP MEMBERS WERE WORKING, COMPARED TO 32 CONTROLS. THE VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION PROGRAM ASSISTED 46 BOYS IN RETURNING TO HIGH SCHOOL, ATTENDING AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL, OR ENTERING VOCATIONAL SCHOOL. SEVEN EXPERIMENTAL MEMBERS COMPLETED VOCATIONAL SCHOOL COMPARED TO NO CONTROLS; FIVE OF THE SEVEN WERE WORKING IN OCCUPATIONS ALLIED TO TRAINING. MOREOVER, MORE CONTROL MEMBERS THAN EXPERIMENTAL MEMBERS GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL (30 VERSUS 18). ALTHOUGH THE RECIDIVISM RATE WAS NOT REDUCED TO LOWER LEVELS, AND GREATER SCHOOL SUCCESS WAS NOT ATTAINED BY EXPERIMENTAL SUBJECTS, VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION IS A SUITABLE ALTERNATIVE FOR CERTAIN OFFENDERS SELECTED BY PROBATION OFFICERS AND REHABILITATION COUNSELORS. A LIST OF 25 REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DEG)