NCJ Number
52610
Journal
International Criminal Police Review Issue: 319 Dated: (JUNE/JULY 1978) Pages: 171-181
Date Published
1978
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THE DIVERSION PROGRAM OF THE CHULA VISTA, CALIF., POLICE DEPARTMENT'S YOUTH BUREAU IS DISCUSSED, WITH ATTENTION TO PROJECT OBJECTIVES, FINANCING, STAFFING, AND PERSONNEL TRAINING.
Abstract
THE YOUTH BUREAU'S DIVERSION EFFORTS WERE DIRECTED TOWARD THE FOLLOWING: REVERSING LONGTERM TRENDS IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND RECIDIVISM; IMPROVING POLICE-YOUTH RELATIONS; CREATING AN EFFECTIVE PROGRAM OF DIVERSION FROM THE FORMAL JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM THROUGH A POSITIVE PROGRAM TO HANDLE POTENTIAL DELINQUENTS AND EARLY DELINQUENTS AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL; AND PROVIDING ATTENTION AND FOLLOWUP PROGRAMS FOR THOSE JUVENILES FALLING INTO THE 'INFORMAL DISPOSITION' CATEGORY (I.E., RELEASED TO PARENTS WITH NO REFERRAL). TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES THE JUVENILE DIVISION WAS REORGANIZED COMPLETELY, AND THE STAFF WAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE 2 SERGEANTS AND 10 POLICE OFFICERS, ALL OF WHOM HAD UNDERGONE 40 HOURS OF INTENSIVE TRAINING IN DIVERSION METHODS BY THE CALFORNIA YOUTH AUTHORITY. OPERATING ON A BUDGET MADE UP OF FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL FUNDS, THE JUVENILE SCREENING PROCESS WAS RESTRUCTURED TO HANDLE OFFENSES AND OFFENDERS ON THE BASIS OF INDIVIDUAL NEEDS INSTEAD OF ON A 'CLASS ACTION' BASIS WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, ALL NARCOTIC OFFENDERS WERE REFERRED TO THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT WITHOUT CONSIDERATION. FOLLOWING SCREENING, JUVENILES WERE SERVICED VIA A MYRIAD OF REFERRAL OPTIONS INCLUDING FILM COUNSELING, PROFESSIONAL JUVENILE COUNSELING, SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, JUVENILE CAMPING PROGRAMS, COLLEGE-LEVEL INTERN PROGRAMS, GROUP COUNSELING, AND A TRUANCY PREVENTION PROGRAM. ALTHOUGH THE DIVERSION PROJECT WAS INITIATED IN 1973, THE SUCCESS OF THE EFFORT WAS MONITORED BY COMPARING 1971 JUVENILE ARREST FIGURES FOR A RANDOM SAMPLE OF YOUTHS WITH DATA FROM 1975. BY 1975, JUVENILE ARRESTS FOR SUCH OFFENSES AS TRUANCY, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, NARCOTICS, GRAND THEFT, RAPE, AND DISTURBING THE PEACE HAD DECREASED, WHILE ARRESTS FOR ROBBERY, DRUNKENNESS, DRUNK DRIVING, SEX CRIMES OTHER THAN RAPE, WEAPONS VIOLATIONS, BURGLARY, AND ILLEGAL ENTRY INCREASED. TABULAR DATA AND SUGGESTIONS FOR PREIMPLEMENTATION PLANNING AND RESEARCH ARE PROVIDED. (KBL)