LOCAL EVALUATION AND SITE DATA COLLECTION FOR THE DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION OF STATUS OFFENDERS IN SOUTH CAROLINA - FINAL REPORT

• NCJ Number: 59944
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 85 pages
• Grant Number(s): 76-JN-99-1002; 76-JN-99-0013
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
• Corporate Author: Technology Institute, Inc
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A 2-YEAR PILOT PROGRAM FOR THE DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION OF JUVENILE STATUS OFFENDERS IN SOUTH CAROLINA WAS INITIATED IN 1976 TO EVALUATE ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT PATTERNS NOT INCLUDING INCARCERATION.

Abstract

A $1.5-MILLION GRANT WAS AWARDED BY LEAA TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES. THE MAJOR GOAL OF THE FUNDED PROGRAM WAS THE DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION OF ALL JUVENILE STATUS OFFENDERS. DIRECT ANALYSIS OF PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS INVOLVED THE OBSERVATION OF SELECTED STATUS OFFENDERS REMAINING IN INSTITUTIONS AT THE END OF THE GRANT PERIOD. ONLY 10 PERCENT AS MANY STATUS OFFENDERS WERE INSTITUTIONALIZED AT THE END OF THE GRANT PERIOD AS AT THE BEGINNING. DURING THE FIRST PROGRAM YEAR, STATUS OFFENDERS WERE RELEASED AT A RATE OF ABOUT 20 PER MONTH AND COMMITTED AT A RATE OF ABOUT 8 PER MONTH, FOR A NET DECREASE OF 12 PER MONTH. DURING THE SECOND PROGRAM YEAR, RELEASES DROPPED TO AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 10 PER MONTH AND COMMITMENTS TO ABOUT 3 PER MONTH, FOR A NET DECREASE OF 8 PER MONTH. THE 90-PERCENT SUCCESS RATE WAS SOMEWHAT REMARKABLE IN A STATE WHERE JUDGES CAN DECLARE STATUS OFFENDERS DELINQUENT AND HAVE THEM INSTITUTIONALIZED. THE DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES SOUGHT AND OBTAINED THE COOPERATION OF THESE JUDGES TO ACHIEVE THE REPORTED SUCCESS RATE. INDIRECT ANALYSIS WAS USED TO COMPARE VARIOUS TYPES OF COMMITMENTS TO YOUTH BUREAU REFERRALS. RATIOS DECLINED MARKEDLY FROM THE BASE GRANT YEAR THROUGH THE SECOND PROGRAM YEAR, E.G., THERE WAS A 40-PERCENT DIFFERENCE EACH YEAR IN THE RATIO FORMED WHEN RECEPTION AND EVALUATION CENTER COMMITMENTS WERE DIVIDED BY YOUTH BUREAU REFERRALS AND THERE WAS A DECLINE IN THE RATIO OF INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENTS TO YOUTH BUREAU REFERRALS. LARGE-SCALE IMPROVEMENTS IN DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION AND IN THE DIVERSION OF STATUS OFFENDERS DURING THE PROGRAM WERE OBSERVED. A DROP IN THE LENGTH OF STAY IN INSTITUTIONS, RANGING FROM 15 PERCENT TO 20 PERCENT, WAS ESTIMATED. TYPES AND QUANTITITES OF DATA COLLECTED DURING THE COURSE OF THE PROGRAM ARE DESCRIBED, AND DATA FORMS AND PROCEDURAL INFORMATION ARE INCLUDED. SUPPORTING DATA SUMMARY STATISTICS DESCRIBING THE SEX, ETHNICITY, AGE, AND AREA OF RESIDENCE OF STATUS OFFENDERS ARE PROVIDED. (DEP)