NCJ Number
17257
Date Published
1973
Length
373 pages
Annotation
CASE STUDIES OF FIFTY-EIGHT YOUTH SERVICE BUREAUS ACROSS THE NATION, INDICATING PROGRAM SETTING, APPEAL AND ACCESSIBILITY, REPUTATION, CHARACTERISTICS OF STAFF PROGRAM OBJECTIVES, PROGRAM CONTENT, AND ORGANIZATION.
Abstract
THE NATIONAL STUDY OF YOUTH SERVICE BUREAUS BEGAN IN LATE SEPTEMBER 1971 WITH A NATIONAL CENSUS. OFFICIALS AND AGENCIES OF FIFTY STATES AND SIX TERRITORIES WERE CONTACTED THROUGH THREE-HUNDRED INQUIRIES SENT OUT TO GOVERNORS, STATE PLANNING AGENCIES, REGIONAL OFFICES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND STATE AND LOCAL JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL AGENCIES. FROM THIS CENSUS, ONE-HUNDRED SEVENTY YOUTH SERVICE BUREAUS WERE IDENTIFIED THAT APPEARED TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY RELATED TO THE YOUTH SERVICE BUREAU CONCEPT. FROM THIS NUMBER, FIFTY-EIGHT WERE SELECTED FOR MORE INTENSIVE STUDY, INCLUDING ON-SITE VISITS. THIS REPORT, WHICH IS THE THIRD IN A SERIES, IS THE PRODUCT OF FIELD CONSULTANT SUMMARIES COMPLETED AS A RESULT OF THEIR ON-SITE VISITS. THE REPORT IS INTENDED ESPECIALLY FOR THE USE OF THOSE WHO MAY BE INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING A YOUTH SERVICE BUREAU AND WHO MAY, AS A RESULT OF THIS AND THE OTHER TWO PUBLICATIONS, AVOID SOME OF THE PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED BY THOSE PIONEERING PROGRAMS DESCRIBED IN THIS STUDY. THE PROGRAM SUMMARIES REPRESENT A SYNTHESIS OF INTERACTIONS WITH STAFF, YOUNG PEOPLE BEING SERVED BY THE PROGRAMS, OTHER COMMUNITY AGENCIES AND EVEN PROGRAM CRITICS. THEY REFLECT INDIVIDUAL STYLES; FIRST PERSON REFERENCES WERE NOT DELETED. BROAD GENERALIZATIONS ARE LIMITED, BUT NEVERTHELESS, THE READER IS GIVEN CONSIDERABLE INSIGHT INTO THE CONDITIONS AND LIMITING FACTORS OPERATIVE IN EACH PROGRAM. APPENDED IS A SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE WHICH WAS SENT TO ALL OF THE PROGRAMS CONTACTED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND THE RESPONSES TO THIS QUESTIONNAIRE FROM FIFTY-SEVEN OF THE PROGRAM DESCRIBED. FOR THE FIRST VOLUME OF THIS SERIES, SEE NCJ-17305.