NCJ Number
100935
Date Published
1985
Length
312 pages
Annotation
Fifty-one rebellious and truant juveniles from 48 families were involved in an evaluation of Massachusetts' Children's Hearings Project (CHP) (located in Cambridge, Mass.), which uses mediation between such juveniles and their families as an alternative to formal court processing.
Abstract
This evaluation of the first 2 years (1980-81) of CHP's operation obtained quantitative data from program and court files as well as from surveys of the mediators. Qualitative data were obtained from indepth interviews with family members, mediators, social workers, and school and court personnel. Mediation sessions and court sessions involving children in need of supervision were observed. Eighty-four percent of the families reached agreements, and of these, almost two-thirds reported that the agreement helped the overall family situation. Most (83 percent) were satisfied with their CHP experience. Seventy percent of the families indicated mediation had helped to reduce arguing among family members, and 57 percent reported adopting different methods for handling family conflicts. CHP substantially reduced court caseloads. The study compares the processes by which the court and CHP handled similar cases as well as CHP procedures and those used by Children's Panels in Scotland. Tabular data and 22 references.