NCJ Number
77284
Date Published
1980
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This annual report describes the work of the Mecklenburg Youth Services Bureau (YSB), which serves children in need in Charlotte, and Mecklenburg County, N.C.
Abstract
During fiscal year 1979-1980, the YSB, an agency of county government, assisted in diverting 324 children from juvenile court and correctional institutions to needed services and in aiding the Youth Services Action Board (YSAB) in the identification, implementation, coordination, and monitoring of juvenile delinquency prevention and treatment services. Children served ranged in age from 5 to 17 years; 44 percent were female and 56 percent were male. A total of 48 percent of the clients were whites and 52 percent were black. Referrals consisted of 288 undisciplined children (89 percent), 7 delinquent/predelinquent (2 percent), and 29 a combination of undisciplined or predelinquent (9 percent). A total of 263 (88 percent) of 300 prepetition cases did not have an undisciplined or delinquent petition filed: 21 (88 percent) of the 24 postpetition cases did not have an undisciplined petition filed. Of the total served, 25 had allegedly committed delinquent acts. Although such acts could result in incarceration in a juvenile correctional institution, 23 of these children were not committed. Working with generally 10 to 12 cases at a time, YSB counselors averaged, 2.81 case contacts (home visits, school visits, and individual counseling sessions) per week per client for a service duration usually not exceeding 3.5 months. Graphs and tables provide demographic data. Definitions of terms and supplemental information are appended. (Author abstract modified)