NCJ Number
80094
Date Published
1981
Length
33 pages
Annotation
Results of a 3-year delinquency prevention demonstration project conducted by the Boys Clubs of America are reported.
Abstract
The project began in 1977 and was conducted in 9 demonstration sites as well as 21 other sites. Over 6,000 youths were served directly; over 41,000 were served indirectly. The project was funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and was designed to demonstrate that such youth development principles as improving feelings of belonging and competency could be systematically applied to a Boys Club program to improve its effectiveness in preventing juvenile delinquency. An independent evaluation concluded that the project succesfully recruited hard-to-reach and hard-to-serve youth through effective peer outreach. Traditional Boys Club services were most meaningful to the youth participants when they emphasized a multiservice approach and taught peer leadership skills. Effective services included outreach activities, youth employment with supervised work experience, community service, wilderness challenges, and community crime-prevention efforts planned by youths. Impact studies at each site showed that the Boys Club youth development programs reduced juvenile delinquency. After 1 year, juvenile arrest rates were reduced by 16 percent; after 3 years, by 31 percent. In 1 year alone, 1,647 arrests were prevented at a savings to taxpayers of over $3 million. Extensive training and technical assistance efforts are spreading the project's experiences to over 200 additional local clubs and over 700 staff members. Tables, descriptions of program elements and principles, financial data, and plans for activities in 1981-82 are provided.