NCJ Number
136743
Journal
Crime and Delinquency Volume: 38 Issue: 2 Dated: (April 1992) Pages: 230-238
Date Published
1992
Length
9 pages
Annotation
Using two survey instruments and responses from 48 States, this study examines the parameters of juvenile offender needs assessment. The surveys examine the factors included in juvenile needs assessment as well as the means by which juvenile needs are evaluated in various State systems, and particularly whether a formal or standardized instrument is used.
Abstract
The findings indicate that most States do not have formal, systemwide needs assessment procedures, but nevertheless have some type of needs assessment occurring at various points in the juvenile justice process. The most frequently measured needs include substance abuse, emotional and/or psychological dysfunction, violent behavior, sexual abuse and deviancy, family dysfunction, peer association problems, educational and vocational deficits, and physical problems. The quality and point of initiation of needs assessment varies between States. In some States, court psychologists conduct thorough clinical assessments of juvenile offenders at intake, while in other States, juveniles do not receive a needs assessment until after commitment to the correctional system. The author recommends ways to develop needs assessment measures and associated interventions on the secondary and tertiary levels. 2 tables and 8 references (Author abstract modified)