NCJ Number
59536
Date Published
1978
Length
127 pages
Annotation
A COORDINATED APPROACH TO DELINQUENCY PREVENTION IN THREE CALIFORNIA 'HIGH RISK' COMMUNITIES IS DESCRIBED, AND EVALUATION RESULTS ARE REPORTED.
Abstract
FOR NEARLY 5 YEARS, STATE OFFICIALS FROM THE CALIFORNIA YOUTH AUTHORITY JOINED WITH LOCAL CITIZENS AND AGENCY REPRESENTATIVES TO PROMOTE NOVEL APPROACHES TO DELINQUENCY PREVENTION. ESTABLISHED BY THE YOUTH AUTHORITY IN JULY 1972, THE OVERALL PROGRAM WAS CALLED THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROJECT (YDDPP). THE GOAL OF YDDPP WAS TO REDUCE YOUTH CRIME BY DIVERTING YOUTH FROM THE JUSTICE SYSTEM INTO ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS AND OPPORTUNITIES. INNOVATIVE YOUTH SERVICES WERE TO BE CREATED TO PROVIDE ACCEPTABLE AND MEANINGFUL ROLES FOR YOUTH, REDUCE NEGATIVE LABELING OF YOUTH, AND REDUCE YOUTH-ADULT ALIENATION. A CRUCIAL ASSUMPTION OF THE YDDPP EFFORT WAS THAT COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES CAN ONLY BE PROVIDED THROUGH COOPERATIVE AND COORDINATED EFFORTS OF ALL THE AGENCIES HAVING PARTIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROVIDING YOUTH SERVICES. EVALUATION OF THIS PROJECT RELIED UPON QUALITATIVE METHODS, INCLUDING STRUCTURED AND UNSTRUCTURED INTERVIEWS, LIMITED SITE OBSERVATIONS, AND AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW OF COLLECTED PROJECT MATERIALS. EVALUATION RESULTS SHOW THAT THE MIX OF ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING, FUNDING EXPEDIENCY, AND DIVERSE POLITICAL AGENDAS CONTRIBUTED TO AN ECLECTIC AND POORLY ARTICULATED THEORY OF DELINQUENCY PREVENTION AS THE BASE OF THE YDDPP. THIS POVERTY OF THEORY CONTRIBUTED TO STRUCTURAL AMBIGUITIES AND CONFLICTING PERCEPTIONS OF PROGRAM AIDS AND METHODS. THE PROJECT WAS OVERWHELMINGLY SUCCESSFUL, HOWEVER, IN GAINING THE TRUST OF THE THREE TARGET COMMUNITIES AND IN WINNING THE CONFIDENCE OF INFLUENTIAL STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS. WHAT EMERGES FROM THE YDDPP EXPERIENCE IS THE LESSON THAT PREVENTION EFFORTS ATTEMPTING TO COUNTER THE STRUCTURAL CAUSES OF DELINQUENCY ARE COMPLEX AND DIFFICULT VENTURES. THE APPENDIXES PROVIDE A FORMAT FOR INTERVIEWS WITH PROJECT PERSONNEL, INVITED CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS, PERSONAL INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED, APPLICATION PROPOSALS REVIEWED, A BIBLIOGRAPHY, SOURCES OF PROJECT FUNDING, AND A FISCAL BREAKDOWN OF INFORMATION. (RCB)