NCJ Number
167558
Date Published
1997
Length
78 pages
Annotation
Overall goals of a planned juvenile boot camp program in Michigan are to provide an additional sentencing option for eligible young people, redirect young people from further involvement in the juvenile justice system, protect public safety through structured and secure out-of-placement, repair the harm done to victims and communities, and demonstrate measured improvement in the competencies of young people and their families.
Abstract
Program planners believe young people entering the boot camp have competencies that can be developed, every young person has the capacity to learn prosocial values and behavior patterns, families are an integral part of the child's treatment plan, young people can replace impulsiveness with self-discipline, and young people have a responsibility to themselves and to victims and communities. Planned program elements include academic education, physical fitness, group meetings, work, community service, employment preparation, cognitive-behavioral skills development, psychoeducational focus groups, substance abuse assessment and treatment, victim awareness training, leadership training, behavior management, and regimented discipline. Steps in the juvenile boot camp program planning process are detailed, including a statement of principles and goals, a needs assessment, the development of screening criteria and offense codes, the referral process, residential program design, community reintegration, and program evaluation. Tables and figures