NCJ Number
65646
Date Published
1977
Length
30 pages
Annotation
RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A SURVEY OF VICTIMS OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS WHO WERE VICTIMIZED DURING A 9-MONTH PERIOD BEFORE THE CREATION OF A VICTIM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT FACILITATED RESTITUTION PAYMENTS.
Abstract
FROM A LISTING OF VICTIMS OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS OBTAINED FROM THE CLARK COUNTY JUVENILE COURT AUTHORITY (NEV.), 23 RESPONDENTS WERE INTERVIEWED REGARDING THE VICTIMS' ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, THE CLARK COUNTY CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH A JUVENILE OFFENDER. THE TYPICAL RESPONDENT WAS A WHITE AMERICAN FEMALE, ABOUT 35 YEARS OLD, WITH ABOUT 12 YEARS OF FORMAL EDUCATION, WHO HAD RESIDED IN THE COUNTY FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS. OF THE 23 PRE-VICTIMS' ASSISTANCE PROGRAM VICTIMS OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS, 82.6 PERCENT HAD NOT HEARD OF THE VICTIMS' ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. MOST OF THE VICTIMS INDICATED A DESIRE TO SEE THE OFFENDER HELPED, AND 82.6 PERCENT BELIEVED RESTITUTION WOULD DISCOURAGE THE JUVENILE FROM REPEATING THE OFFENSE. MOST RESPONDENTS BELIEVED JUVENILE DELINQUENCY TO BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN THE COUNTY, BUT SEVERE PUNISHMENT OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS WAS NOT GENERALLY VIEWED AS THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM, SINCE MOST FELT THAT DETENTION OF JUVENILES WOULD ONLY AGGRAVATE BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS. DISSATISFACTION WAS GENERALLY EXPRESSED BY THE RESPONDENTS REGARDING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM'S HANDLING OF THEIR CASES. MOST RESPONDENTS DOUBTED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCEDURES AND PROGRAMS IN DETERRING OR REFORMING JUVENILE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED, AND THE QUESTIONNAIRE IS CONTAINED IN THE APPENDIX. DOCUMENTS IN THE SERIES ARE NCJ 65642-47.