NCJ Number
68708
Date Published
1974
Length
79 pages
Annotation
THIS FINAL EVALUATION REPORT ASSESSES THE NEW ENGLAND JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICER INSTITUTE WHICH WAS SPONSORED BY THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JUVENILE COURT JUDGES AND HELD IN EASTHAM, MASS., FROM MAY 16 TO 19, 1973.
Abstract
THE INSTITUTE WAS DESIGNED TO GIVE FROM 80 TO 95 NEW ENGLAND JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICERS TRAINING IN SOLVING PROBLEMS CREATED BY A RECENT DEEMPHASIS ON INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENT OF ADJUDICATED DELINQUENTS, IN DECISIONMAKING, IN JUVENILE LAW, IN CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS, AND IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW AND INNOVATIVE ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT PROGRAMS. PARTICIPANTS EVALUATED EACH DAY'S CURRICULUM AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND EACH MAJOR OR LECTURE OR GROUP PROJECT WAS EVALUATED SEPARATELY. IN ADDITION, PARTICIPANTS GAVE AN OVERALL EVALUATION OF THE INSTITUTE (N=40) THAT RESPONDED TO BOTH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE INSTITUTE AND ABOUT THE PROBATION OFFICER'S ROLE IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. PROBLEMS INCLUDED THE LARGE NUMBER OF REGISTRANTS WHICH RESULTED IN FEELINGS OF ANONYMITY, THE FAMILIARITY OF LECTURE MATERIAL, AND THE LACK OF MATERIAL DEALING DIRECTLY WITH DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION. THE REPORT RECOMMENDS THE USE OF A LARGER FACILITY FOR FUTURE INSTITUTES; THE DESIGN OF A CURRICULUM TO INCLUDE MATERIALS RELEVANT TO SPECIFIC LOCAL PROBLEMS, SUCH AS GANG BEHAVIOR; THE INCLUSION OF SPECIFIC COURSES RELEVANT TO FEMALE PROBATION OFFICERS, AND THE APPOINTMENT OF EXPERIENCED INSTITUTE PERSONS AS GROUP LEADERS. TABULAR DATA ARE GIVEN, AND SIX APPENDIXES CONTAIN STUDY-RELATED MATERIALS.