NEED FOR MORE MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION OF THE POLICE IN JUVENILE DIVERSION (FROM UNAFEI - RESOURCE MATERIAL SERIES NO 14, 1978, SEE NCJ-51514)

• NCJ Number: 51522
• Author(s): R J D CUADERNO
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: Japan
• Note: PRESENTED AT THE 46TH INTERNATIONAL TRAINING COURSE ON THE TREATMENT OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS AND YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS, TOKYO, APRIL 19 TO JULY 9, 1977

Annotation

POLICE DIVERSION CRITERIA FOR YOUTH, THE MAXIMIZATION OF POLICE REFERRALS TO SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCIES, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR DEVELOPING A CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLICE AND SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCIES ARE SKETCHED.

Abstract

IT IS NOTED THAT MOST POLICE DEPARTMENTS DO NOT HAVE A SET OF FORMALIZED CRITERIA FOR THE SCREENING AND REFERRAL OF JUVENILES BY POLICE. CRITERIA FOR RELEASE TO PARENTS AND CRITERIA FOR REFERRAL TO SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCIES ARE DISCUSSED AS THE PRINCIPAL DIVERSION OPTIONS FOR POLICE. THE CRITERIA FOR RELEASE TO PARENTS DISCUSSED INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: A PREPONDERANCE OF POSITIVE FACTORS REVEALED IN CASE INVESTIGATION, ABSENCE OF HIGH-RISK FACTORS, PARENTS MEET MOST EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF THE CHILD, EXISTENCE OF A HAPPY MARRIAGE, CONSTRUCTIVE ATTITUDE FROM PARENTS, TYPE OF OFFENSE, AND NUMBER OF OFFENSES. FACTORS DETERMINING CRITERIA FOR REFERRAL TO SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCIES ARE DISCUSSED AS FOLLOWS: NUMBER OF OFFENSES, TYPE OF OFFENSE, NEEDS OF THE CHILD, DESIRE OF THE OFFENDER AND HIS PARENTS FOR HELP, AND THE PRESENCE OF HIGH-RISK SITUATIONS. A HIGH-RISK SITUATION IS INDICATED TO PREVAIL WHEN THERE IS OVERPROTECTION, REJECTION, EXCESSIVE RESTRICTION, EXPLOITATION, INORDINATE SIBLING RIVALRY, ERRATIC DISCIPLINE, FEELINGS OF INFERIORITY AND INADEQUACY, AND DEPRIVATION OF COMPANIONSHIP. IT IS NOTED THAT A RECENT STUDY OF THE VOLUME OF POLICE REFERRALS OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS TO SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCIES INDICATES THAT THE POLICE ARE FAILING TO MAXIMIZE THIS CHANNEL OF DIVERSION. ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS USED IN THE PHILIPPINES TO EFFECT THIS TYPE OF POLICE DIVERSION ARE BRIEFLY DESCRIBED AS VIABLE PROCEDURES. IN MAKING SUGGESTIONS FOR A CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLICE AND SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCIES, IT IS ADVISED THAT THE POLICE-JUVENILE OFFICER SHOULD TAKE THE INITIATIVE IN MAKING CONTACT WITH APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL AT THE SOCIAL CASE WORK AGENCY, PARTICIPATE IN MEETINGS OF THE AGENCY, AND THROUGH VISITS TO THE AGENCY KEEP IN TOUCH WITH JUVENILES REFERRED. (RCB)