NCJ Number
26198
Date Published
Unknown
Length
32 pages
Annotation
PROJECT DESIGNED AS A PROGRAM TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM AMONG JUVENILE OFFENDERS AND TO TRAIN PROBATION OFFICERS IN THE PERFORMANCE OF GROUP COUNSELING.
Abstract
PROJECT AND EVALUATION ACTIVITIES OF THE PROJECT ARE DISCUSSED. TO TEST THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CORRECTIONAL GROUP COUNSELING (CGC) IN REDUCING RECIDIVISM, CGC CASES WERE MATCHED TO INDIVIDUALS ON REGULAR PROBATION (OR PAROLE) ON THE BASIS OF SEX, AGE, NUMBER OF PRIOR ARRESTS, RACE, AND RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. ASSESSMENTS WERE MADE SEPARATELY FOR PAROLEES, FEMALE PROBATIONERS, AND MALE PROBATIONERS. CGC WAS NO MORE EFFECTIVE THAN REGULAR PAROLE IN PREVENTING RECIDIVISM; IT WAS A MORE EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUE FOR FEMALE PROBATIONERS; AND RESULTS WERE INCONCLUSIVE FOR MALE PROBATIONERS, EVALUATORS, CONCLUDED THAT CGC WAS A PROMISING APPROACH IN THE TREATMENT OF FEMALE DELINQUENTS AND THAT ITS EFFICACY AS A TECHNIQUE FOR WORKING WITH MALE PROBATIONERS DEPENDED UPON THE CONSCIENTIOUSNESS OF THE PROBATION OFFICERS AND UPON CATCHING PROBATIONERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR CRIMINAL CAREERS. RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED THE ELIMINATION OF THE PAROLE PHASE OF CGC, AN INCREASE IN THE ENROLLMENTS, AND THE SELECTION OF MALE PROBATIONERS FOR THE PROJECT WHO HAVE HAD NO MORE THAN ONE PRIOR ARREST. IT WAS ALSO SUGGESTED THAT TRAINING OF PROBATION OFFICERS BE LIMITED TO GUIDED HELP IN THE PERFORMANCE OF GROUP COUNSELING AND THAT ONLY THOSE PERSONNEL WHO CONTRIBUTE EFFECTIVELY TO THE PROJECT BE RETAINED. TABLES CONTAINING INFORMATION ON PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND OFFENDER RECIDIVISM ARE INCLUDED AT THE END OF THIS REPORT.