NCJ Number
56782
Journal
POLICY ISSUES Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: (FALL 1978) Pages: 1-4
Date Published
1978
Length
4 pages
Annotation
CORRELATES OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN THE PROVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES WITH REGARD TO FUNDING, COORDINATION, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND REGULATION, AND EMPLOYMENT ARE INVESTIGATED.
Abstract
ONCE VIEWED AS STRICTLY AN URBAN SLUM PROBLEM, JUVENILE DELINQENCY IS GROWING FASTER IN RURAL AND SUBURBAN AREAS THAN IN METROPOLITAN CENTERS. IN UNDERSTANDING YOUTH DEVIANCE, FACTORS DESERVING PARTICULAR ATTENTION ARE AN INCREASINGLY MOBILE SOCIETY, A FLUID ECONOMY, A CONSUMER-ORIENTED ECONOMY, THE ENTRY OF WOMEN INTO THE WORK FORCE, THE TREND TOWARD SMALLER FAMILIES WITH FEWER RELATIVES LIVING AT GREATER DISTANCES FROM EACH OTHER, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGING AND DEPENDENCY WHICH PROLONGS 'JUVENILIZATION' AND LEADS MANY YOUTH INTO ACTS OF DELINQUENCY SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOTHING CONSTRUCTIVE TO DO OR BECAUSE THEY FEEL FRUSTRATED BY SOCIETY AND BELIEVE THEY CAN DO NOTHING TO CHANGE IT. THE CASE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN YOUTH SERVICES CAN BE ARGUED FROM MANY PERSPECTIVES, WITH QUALITY OF LIFE, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STABILITY, AND LAW AND ORDER BEING PERTINENT CONCERNS. THE NEW ENGLAND MUNICIPAL CENTER HAS IDENTIFIED FIVE MAJOR ROLES LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN ASSUME VIS-A-VIS YOUTH SERVICES: FUNDER; PROVIDER; FACILITATOR/COORDINATOR; CAPACITY BUILDER; AND REGULATOR, TAXER, EMPLOYER. YOUTH SERVICE BUREAUS ARE DESIGNED TO MEET THE PARTICULAR NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE AND REPRESENT A MAJOR THRUST OF YOUTH SERVICES IN ILLINOIS WHERE OVER $2 MILLION WAS SPENT ON YOUTH SERVICES IN FISCAL YEAR 1978 BY UNITS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT. FIFTY YOUTH SERVICE BUREAUS IN THE STATE DOCUMENTED SLIGHTLY LESS THAN $5 MILLION IN PROGRAM FUNDS FOR THEIR 1978 OPERATIONS. BARRIERS TO MORE EXTENSIVE LOCAL FUNDING OF YOUTH SERVICES IN ILLINOIS WERE IDENTIFIED AS LOCAL COMPETITION, LIMITED LOCAL FUNDING RESOURCES, AND TRADITIONAL PRIVATE SECTOR. A BILL HAS BEEN INTRODUCED IN ILLINOIS, THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ACT, THAT PROPOSES TO ESTABLISH A SUBSIDY PROGRAM FOR YOUTH SERVICES. STATE SUBSIDY PROGRAMS IN GENERAL HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED WITH VARYING DEGREES OF SUCCESS TO SHIFT GREATER RESPONSIBILITY FOR CORRECTIONAL SERVICES FROM STATE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT, TO REDUCE COMMITMENTS TO STATE-OPERATED ADULT AND JUVENILE INSTITUTIONS, AND TO DEVELOP COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONAL PROGRAM ALTERNATIVES. TABULAR DATA ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING OF YOUTH SERVICE BUREAUS IN ILLINOIS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1978 AND NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)