NCJ Number
60406
Date Published
1978
Length
174 pages
Annotation
THE REGIONAL YOUTH SERVICES-DIVERSION PROGRAM NOMINATED BY THE LOS ANGELES, CALIF., REGIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNING BOARD FOR THE LEAA EXEMPLARY PROJECT PROGRAM IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
FEATURES OF THE LOS ANGELES PROGRAM RELEVANT TO THE OVERALL LEAA EFFORT AND THE INTENT OF CONGRESS DEAL WITH THE CONCENTRATION OF FEDERAL EFFORTS, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE ACT OF 1974. GOALS OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE ACT ARE TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE METHODS OF PREVENTING AND REDUCING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY; DEVELOP AND CONDUCT EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS TO PREVENT DELINQUENCY AND DIVERT JUVENILES FROM THE TRADITIONAL JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND ALSO TO PROVIDE ALTERNATIVES TO INSTITUTIONALIZATION; IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF JUVENILE JUSTICE IN THE UNITED STATES; AND INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AGENCIES IN THE CONDUCT OF EFFECTIVE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION-REHABILITATION PROGRAMS AND PROVIDE RESEARCH, EVALUATION, AND TRAINING SERVICES IN THE FIELD OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PREVENTION. THE YOUTH SERVICES-DIVERSION PROGRAM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH REGARD TO CRIME REDUCTION AND JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT, AND THIS SUCCESS MAKES IT A CANDIDATE FOR THE LEAA EXEMPLARY PROJECT PROGRAM. DIVERSION HAS PLAYED A PART IN REDUCING JUVENILE CRIME THROUGH THE ABILITY TO IDENTIFY OFFENDERS WHO MIGHT BE HANDLED MORE APPROPRIATELY OUTSIDE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. SPECIFIC EVALUATION REPORTS HAVE VALIDATED THE FACT THAT JUVENILE DIVERSION PROJECTS CONTRIBUTE TO JUVENILE CRIME REDUCTION. FURTHERMORE, THE JUVENILE DIVERSION NETWORK HAS PRODUCED MEASURABLE IMPROVEMENT IN THE OPERATION AND QUALITY OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. TRANSFER OF THE LOS ANGELES PROGRAM IS CONSIDERED. A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM, ACCOMPANIED BY TABULAR AND GRAPHICAL INFORMATION, IS CONTAINED IN REPORT ATTACHMENTS. (DEP)