NCJ Number
62440
Date Published
1978
Length
21 pages
Annotation
EVALUATION RESULTS ARE REPORTED FOR A STATUS OFFENDER INTAKE AND DIVERSION PROJECT IN LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY, KY.
Abstract
A SEPARATE STATUS INTAKE DIVERSION UNIT (SID) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1977 TO SCREEN STATUS OFFENDERS (RUNAWAY, BEYOND CONTROL, AND TRUANCY) AND DIVERT AS MANY OF THESE JUVENILES AS POSSIBLE FROM THE FORMAL JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. INSTEAD, THE UNIT WOULD PROVIDE THE FAMILIES WITH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO ENABLE THEM TO DEAL WITH THEIR PROBLEMS. THE EVALUATION METHODOLOGY INVOLVED AN EXAMINATION OF THE PROGRAM'S OBJECTIVES AND A DETERMINATION OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN MET. BECAUSE THE OBJECTIVES WERE CHANGED FOR THE TWO GRANT PERIODS (1977 AND 1978), THE MAJOR FOCUS OF THE EVALUATION IS ON THE SECOND GRANT PERIOD. OBJECTS OF SID WERE (1) TO PERFORM PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WITH PARENTS AND CHILDREN WITHIN 48 HOURS OF REFERRAL, (2) TO DETERMINE WITHIN 15 DAYS IF THE CASES SHOULD BE HANDLED FORMALLY OR INFORMALLY, (3) TO PROVIDE CRISIS INTERVENTION COUNSELING ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS TO 600 STATUS OFFENDERS, (4) TO TERMINATE DIRECT SERVICES FROM SID WITHIN 15 DAYS IN 90 PERCENT OF THE CASES, (5) TO MEET OR EXCEED THE STANDARDS FOR FOLLOWUP CONTACTS IN 95 PERCENT OF THE CASES, (6) TO HANDLE 50 PERCENT OF ALL STATUS OFFENDERS INFORMALLY, (7) TO REFER 100 PERCENT OF THE YOUTHS IN THE PROGRAM TO APPROPRIATE COMMUNITY RESOURCES, (8) TO MAINTAIN FOR EACH WORKER A MAXIMUM CASELOAD OF 15 ACTIVE CASES, AND MORE. THE SID PROJECT APPEARS TO HAVE FALLEN SHORT OF ITS GOAL OF HANDLING 600 STATUS OFFENDERS (283 CASES FOR THE FIRST 8 MONTHS OF 1978), AND THE PROJECT HAS TENDED TOWARD LONGER TREATMENT PERIODS THAN ENVISIONED. THE PROJECT SHOULD COMMIT ITSELF TO THE OBJECTIVE OF SHORT-TERM COUNSELING AND FAMILY SERVICES AND REDUCE THE PROJECT STAFF BY ONE. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED, ALONG WITH A DESCRIPTION OF POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS. (RCB)