NCJ Number
62934
Date Published
1979
Length
27 pages
Annotation
SEVEN SELECTED JUVENILE AVERSION PROGRAMS ARE DESCRIBED; MAJOR ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAMS, A GENERAL DISCUSSION OF EFFECTIVENESS, AND CONCLUSIONS ARE EMPHASIZED.
Abstract
THIS NATIONAL JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM ASSESSMENT CENTER ANALYSIS FOCUSES ON SEVEN JUVENILE AVERSION PROGRAMS ACROSS THE U.S. JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM PERSONNEL PROVIDE REFERRALS, BASED ON AGE, SEX, AND OFFENSE HISTORY. MOST OF THE PROGRAMS USE A SHORT-TERM DIRECT CONFRONTATION IN A GROUP SETTING BETWEEN PARTICIPANT INMATES AND 10 TO 20 JUVENILES, USUALLY SUPPLEMENTED WITH A TOUR OF THE INSTITUTION. SOME PROGRAMS ALSO FINGERPRINT, STRIP SEARCH, AND LOCK UP THE VISITING JUVENILES FOR A SHORT TIME TO INCREASE THE REALITY AND EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF THE EXPERIENCE. FIVE OF THE PROGRAMS ARE LOCATED IN ADULT MAXIMUM SECURITY FACILITIES; TWO PROGRAMS ARE LOCATED IN MEDIUM SECURITY INSTITUTIONS. MEAN NUMBER OF ANNUAL JUVENILE PARTICIPANTS IS 2,805. EXCEPT FOR THE RAHWAY PROGRAM, PROGRAMS ARE FINANCED BY INMATE FUNDS OR DONATIONS. THE MAJOR GOAL OF THE PROGRAMS IS THE DETERRENCE OF FUTURE JUVENILE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. THE LACK OF SPECIFIC AND MEASURABLE GOALS IS A PRIMARY WEAKNESS OF ALL THE PROGRAMS, ALTHOUGH THE EXPERIENCE OF EXPOSURE TO PRISON, COUPLED WITH COUNSELING AND OTHER COMMUNITY SUPPORTS, MAY PROVE TO BE A USEFUL ELEMENT OF A TOTAL DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAM. HOWEVER, THREE OF THE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN FORMALLY EVALUATED, AND A MIXED PICTURE OF SUCCESS IS INDICATED, WHICH IS IN CONTRAST TO THE OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE MEDIA PORTRAYAL. THESE PROGRAMS RAISE IMPORTANT ISSUES IN RELATION TO DETERRENCE IN GENERAL AND SIGNIFICANT MORAL ISSUES AS WELL; FUTURE PROGRAMS SHOULD INCLUDE A MONITORED RESEARCH DESIGN FOR IMPACT EVALUATION PURPOSES, PROCEDURES SENSITIVE TO THE PARTICIPANTS, CAREFUL SELECTION OF INMATE AND JUVENILE PARTICIPANTS WITH ORIENTATION AND PSYCHIATRIC AND HEALTH SCREENING, AND FOLLOWUP COUNSELING SERVICES. FOOTNOTES AND APPENDIXES ARE PROVIDED. (LWM)