NCJ Number
57371
Date Published
1979
Length
18 pages
Annotation
SOLANO COUNTY, CALIF., SET UP A JUVENILE DELINQUENCY TREATMENT PROGRAM CALLED 'NEW DIRECTIONS' TO SHOW THAT AN EFFICIENT AND COST-EFFECTIVE SHORT-TERM TREATMENT PROGRAM COULD BE PROVIDED IN A JUVENILE HALL SETTING.
Abstract
JUVENILE HALLS USUALLY PROVIDED SHORT-TERM DETENTION FOR YOUNG PERSONS WAITING FOR COURT APPEARANCES, WAITING AFTER COURT APPEARANCES, OR WAITING TO BE PLACED IN A PERMANENT SITUATION. ORDER AND DISCIPLINE ARE THE ONLY 'TREATMENT.' NEW DIRECTIONS STARTED AS A POINT-BASED BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION SYSTEM. POINTS WERE AWARDED FOR POSITIVE BEHAVIORS, AND DEDUCTED FOR NEGATIVE; THE BOYS AND GIRLS MOVED UP THROUGH VARIOUS LEVELS WITH INCREASING PRIVILEGES. HOWEVER, PROBLEMS DEVELOPED WITH THE BOOKKEEPING AND THE STAFF SPENT AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME BARGAINING OVER THE POINTS. A TRANSITION PHASE WAS INSTITUTED TO MOVE THE PROGRAM TO A 'PHASE LEVEL' SYSTEM AND SERIES OF CRITERIA WERE SET UP. A PERSON WHO SUCCESSFULLY MET THE CRITERIA MOVED UP THROUGH FOUR PHASES, ENDING WITH SUPERVISED RELEASE. GRAPHS SHOW THAT BEHAVIOR CHANGE WAS MUCH GREATER UNDER THE PHASE SYSTEM. AFTER MANY WEEKS, CLOSE TO 100 PERCENT OF THE JUVENILES HAD MET THE PROGRAM'S CRITERIA (WHICH INCLUDED MINIMUM ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS IN SCHOOL WORK, ACCEPTABLE DINING HALL BEHAVIOR, TIDY ROOMS, ETC.). THE AVERAGE STAY IN NEW DIRECTIONS IS 60 TO 120 DAYS, COMPARED TO 6 TO 12 MONTHS IN OTHER PLACEMENTS. ALTHOUGH COST PER DAY IS $26,77, COMPARED TO $21,30 PER DAY FOR TRADITIONAL CALIFORNIA JUVENILE PLACEMENTS, THE TOTAL COST PER CLIENT IS $1,606.20 TO $3,212.40, COMPARED TO $3,834.OO TO $7,668.00 FOR TRADITIONAL PLACEMENTS. STUDY DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (GLR)