NCJ Number
44921
Date Published
1977
Length
323 pages
Annotation
THIS EVALUATION CONCLUDES THAT THE 1-YEAR PERIOD OF PROGRAM OPERATION WAS INADEQUATE TO DETERMINE THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF THE VOLUNTEER JUVENILE PROBATION PROGRAM IN LAKE COUNTY; THE RECIDIVISM RATE WAS UNCHANGED.
Abstract
THE USE OF VOLUNTEERS IN THE PROBATION DIVISION OF THE LAKE COUNTY, ILL., JUVENILE COURT WAS BEGUN IN 1976 AFTER A YEAR OF BASELINE DATA COLLECTION (1975). IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE FIGURES COLLECTED ARE NOT THE BEST TO USE FOR EVALUATION BECAUSE THE TIME-PERIODS ARE TOO SHORT FOR ANY MEANINGFUL TREND TO EVOLVE. ALSO, DURING THE YEAR EVALUATED THE JUVENILE PROBATION DIVISION EXPERIENCED A HIGH RATE OF STAFF TURNOVER AND UNDERWENT THREE REORGANIZATIONS. IN SPITE OF THESE DIFFICULTIES, EVALUATION WAS PERFORMED, USING RECIDIVISM RATES AS THE CRITERIA. DURING THE EVALUATION PERIOD, MARCH 12, 1976 TO 29, 1976, AN EXPERIMENTAL GROUP OF 61 JUVENILES (55 MALES AND 6 FEMALES) WERE ASSIGNED TO BOTH A PROBATION OFFICER AND A VOLUNTEER. A CONTROL GROUP WAS ASSIGNED TO A PROBATION OFFICER ONLY. THE VOLUNTEER WAS TO HELP THE JUVENILE WORK TOWARD GOALS ESTABLISHED BY THE JUVENILE AND THE PROBATION OFFICER, PROVIDE SUPPORT IN CRISIS SITUATIONS, EVALUATE PROGRESS IN SCHOOL, PEER, AND HOME SITUATIONS, AND ASSESS NEEDS FOR SPECIAL INVOLVEMENT WITH OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES. THE VOLUNTEER HAD AT LEAST 1 HOUR A WEEK OF PERSONAL CONTACT WITH THE VOLUNTEER. BECAUSE OF THE FREQUENT TURNOVER OF PERSONNEL, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO COORDINATE THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. COMPARISON OF THE EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL GROUPS FOUND NO DIFFERENCES IN RATES OF RECIDIVISM AS MEASURED BY DIFFICULTIES WITH THE LAW DURING PERIOD OF COURT SUPERVISION, SUBSEQUENT REFERRALS TO THE JUVENILE COURT, DETENTIONS, BY COURT REVIEWS TRACEABLE TO SUBSEQUENT REFERRALS, BY CHANGES IN INITIAL DISPOSITION OF THE COURT, OR BY TYPE OF TERMINATION OF CASE. THERE WAS ALSO NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS IN AVERAGE NUMBER OF CONTACTS MADE IN THE OFFICE, THE COURT, OR BY MAIL BETWEEN THE PROBATION OFFICER AND THE JUVENILE, NOR IN THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF CONTACTS BETWEEN PROBATION OFFICERS AND PARENTS, SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITY AGENCIES. THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF CONTACTS THE PROBATION OFFICER MADE WITH THE JUVENILE EITHER IN THE HOME OR OVER THE PHONE WAS GREATER FOR THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP. THIS WAS THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE FOUND. THIS MAY BE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE VOLUNTEERS WERE ASSIGNED A LARGER NUMBER OF STATUS OFFENDERS AND OTHER MINOR OFFENDERS AND, DURING THE EXTREMELY ABBREVIATED EVALUATION PERIOD, MOST OF THESE CASES WERE NEW, THUS REQUIRING INITIAL INTERVIEWS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT EVALUATION BE CONDUCTED AGAIN AFTER THE PROGRAM HAS HAD A CHANCE TO PROVE ITSELF. APPENDIXES GIVE THE VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK; THE VOLUNTEER APPLICATION FORM; DETAILS OF THE ASSIGNMENT PROCESS; PERSONAL EVALUATION SHEETS TO BE FILLED OUT BY THE VOLUNTEER, THE PROBATION OFFICER, AND THE JUVENILE; RELATED LETTERS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PROJECT; AND DATA-HANDLING TECHNIQUES. (GLR)