NCJ Number
19415
Date Published
1973
Length
83 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF A THREE-YEAR DEMONSTRATION PROJECT WHICH EXPLORED THE HYPOTHESIS THAT INDIGENOUS WORKERS, WITH APPROPRIATE SUPERVISION AND TRAINING, COULD PERFORM PROFESSIONAL LEVEL SERVICE TO HOSTILE YOUTH GROUPS.
Abstract
USING THE REDUCTION OF GANG-RELATED INCIDENTS AS A CRITERION FOR EFFECTIVENESS OF SERVICE, THE EVALUATION DETERMINED THAT A SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION IN THESE INCIDENTS HAD IN FACT OCCURRED DURING THE TWO-YEAR PERIOD OF OBSERVATION AND THAT THE INDIGENOUS WORKERS HAD BEEN MORE SUCCESSFUL IN REDUCING THE LEVEL OF VIOLENCE MANIFESTED IN HOSTILE YOUTH GROUP BEHAVIOR THAN THE REGULAR ACADEMICALLY-TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED WORKERS. SINCE REDUCTION IN GANG VIOLENCE IS ONLY ONE ASPECT OF THE SERVICE PROVIDED TO HOSTILE YOUTH GROUPS IN THIS CITY, THE EVALUATORS ALSO EXPLORED UTILIZATION BY THE TWO GROUPS OF WORKERS OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, BOTH ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS IN REDIRECTING HOSTILE BEHAVIOR INTO MORE CONSTRUCTIVE CHANNELS. IN THIS AREA NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES WERE FOUND BETWEEN INDIGENOUS AND REGULAR WORKERS AND THIS FINDING SUGGESTS THAT BOTH GROUPS OF WORKERS ARE EQUALLY EFFECTIVE IN THE UTILIZATION OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. FURTHER, THE EVALUATORS CONDUCTED AN EXTENSIVE ATTITUDE SURVEY OF THE TWO GROUPS OF WORKERS IN ORDER TO EXPLORE THE WORKERS' ATTITUDES TOWARD THEIR WORK AND THE SPONSORING AGENCY. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS OF WORKERS WERE FOUND IN THESE ATTITUDINAL AREAS, BUT THE RESPONSES ELICITED PROVIDED INSIGHT INTO THE WORKERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR JOB AND ALSO OFFERED CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTIONS REGARDING CHANGES IN AGENCY POLICIES AND PRACTICES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)