NCJ Number
53777
Date Published
1977
Length
18 pages
Annotation
A TOTAL OF 34 COMMUNITY-BASED YOUTH SERVING AGENCIES WERE USED AS RESOURCES BY THE POLICE YOUTH DIVERSION PROJECT, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. AN EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM'S OBJECTIVES IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE PROJECT'S OBJECTIVES WERE FIVE: (1) TO DEVISE AN ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE TO INSURE ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE COMMUNITY AGENCIES TO WHICH THE YOUTH ARE REFERRED, (2) TO COORDINATE SERVICES BETWEEN YOUTHS AND COMMUNITY AGENCIES, (3) TO DIVERT 7 PERCENT OF THE JUVENILES CONTACTED DURING THE GRANT YEAR TO COMMUNITY AGENCIES, (4) TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF PETITIONS FILED BY 5.5 PERCENT, AND (5) TO PROVIDE UPDATED, COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ABOUT COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO BE UTILIZED BY THE POLICE, PROBATION, AND THE SCHOOLS. THE PRIMARY EVALUATION OBJECTIVE WAS TO DETERMINE IF THE PROGRAM OBJECTIVES HAD BEEN MET. THE EVALUATION UTILIZED INTERVIEWS AND QUESTIONNAIRES. ALL PROGRAM STAFF WERE INTERVIEWED, AS WERE THE JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT LIAISONS; COMMUNITY AGENCY REPRESENTATIVES AND POLICE SCREENING OFFICERS WERE ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRES. OF THE 22 POLICE SCREENING OFFICERS, 20 RETURNED THEIR QUESTIONNAIRES. OF THE 28 COMMUNITY AGENCIES, 21 RETURNED THEIR QUESTIONNAIRES. IT IS MAINTAINED THAT ALL OF THE PROGRAM'S OBJECTIVES HAVE BEEN MET, OR FELL SHORT TO ONLY AN INSIGNIFICANT EXTENT. THE FIRST TWO OBJECTIVES WERE MET WITHOUT QUESTION. APPROXIMATELY 6 PERCENT OF THE JUVENILES CONTACTED WERE DIVERTED, AND THE NUMBER OF INITIAL PETITIONS FILED DURING THE GRANT YEAR DECREASED BY 7.8 PERCENT. IN THE EVALUATOR'S OPINION, THE OBJECTIVE OF PROVIDING UPDATED, COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ABOUT COMMUNITY RESOURCES WAS MET. THE MAJOR IMPLICATION OF THIS STUDY IS THAT POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNITY-BASED YOUTH-SERVING AGENCIES CAN WORK TOGETHER. TABLES ARE APPENDED. (MLC)