NCJ Number
48076
Date Published
1978
Length
38 pages
Annotation
A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO REMOVE FROM SECURE DETENTION YOUTHS WHO COULD BE RELEASED TO THEIR OWN HOMES WHERE INTENSIVE SUPERVISION AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE IS EVALUATED.
Abstract
THE EVALUATION COVERS THE PROGRAM'S ACTIVITIES FROM ITS INCEPTION IN APRIL 1975 THROUGH OCTOBER 1977. THE REPORT IS IN FOUR PARTS: (1) AN ASSESSMENT OF THE PROGRAM'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS RELATIVE TO ITS STATED OBJECTIVES; (2) DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUTHS PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM; (3) AN ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN RECIDIVISM AND PARTICIPANT CHARACTERISTICS; AND (4) A DISCUSSION OF THE JUVENILE COURT CONTACTS OF PARTICIPANTS FOLLOWING THEIR COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAMS. CANDIDATES FOR HOME DETENTION INCLUDED CHILDREN WHO WERE CONSIDERED QUESTIONABLY DANGEROUS TO THEMSELVES OR THE COMMUNITY AND WHO HAD ADEQUATE HOMES, AND CHILDREN NOT CONSIDERED DANGEROUS WHOSE HOMES WERE QUESTIONABLY ADEQUATE. YOUTHS WERE ASSIGNED TO THE PROGRAM BY A JUVENILE COURT JUDGE DURING DETENTION HEARINGS, AFTER WHICH THE YOUTHS WERE RELEASED TO THEIR OWN HOMES UNDER THE INTENSIVE SUPERVISION OF HOME DETENTION WORKERS WITH MAXIMUM CASELOADS OF FIVE YOUTHS. THE MAJOR OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM WERE TO REDUCE THE AVERAGE DAILY POPULATION OF THE DETENTION FACILITY BY SIX, AS COMPARED TO 1974. OVERALL, THE PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHED A REDUCTION OF 9.1 IN THE FACILITY'S AVERAGE DAILY POPULATION. HOWEVER, IN THE PROGRAM'S THIRD YEAR, THE REDUCTION IN AVERAGE DAILY POPULATION WAS LESS THAN THAT IN THE FIRST 2 YEARS, FEWER JUVENILES ENTERED THE PROGRAM DESPITE AN INCREASE IN PROGRAM STAFF, THE PERCENTAGE OF NONRECIDIVISTS WAS LOWER, FREQUENCY OF HOME CONTACTS WAS LESS, AND AVERAGE DURATION OF PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM INCREASED. SITUATIONS CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROGRAM'S THIRD-YEAR PROBLEMS ARE IDENTIFIED. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED.