PROGRAM IN POLICE DIVERSION

• NCJ Number: 53847
• Author(s): A BINDER; T B PALMER
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 26 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE EVALUATION, WASHINGTON, DC, FEBRUARY 1977

Annotation

USING RECIDIVISM DATA AND INTERVIEWS OF PARENTS, YOUTHS, AND COUNSELORS, THE YOUTH SERVICE PROGRAM, A DIVERSIONARY PROJECT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT IRVINE (UCI), IS EVALUATED.

Abstract

THE UCI YOUTH SERVICE PROGRAM IS A COUNSELING OPERATION TO WHICH LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS REFER JUVENILES FOR DIVERSION. UCI BEGAN OPERATIONS IN 2 CALIFORNIA CITIES IN 1973, BUT THIS NUMBER HAS INCREASED TO 13. THIS REPORT EVALUATES THE PROGRAM'S EFFECTS ON DELINQUENT YOUTHS OF THE INITIAL TWO CITIES AND THE THREE PROGRAMS IN OPERATION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND YEAR. THE CENTRAL GOAL OF UCI COUNSELING WAS TO ALTER INTERACTIONAL FACTORS BETWEEN THE YOUTH AND THE COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO REDUCE FRICTION. THIS STUDY EMPLOYED A CONTROL-EXPERIMENTAL GROUP STRATEGY TO WHICH JUVENILES WERE ASSIGNED RANDOMLY. THE CONTROL GROUP CONSISTED OF 153 YOUTHS AND THE TREATMENT GROUP, 767 YOUTHS. INTERVIEWS WERE GIVEN TO 290 INVOLVED PARENTS AND JUVENILES. THE MEASURE OF RECIDIVISM USED WAS ARREST, AND A SCALE MEASURING THE SERIOUSNESS OF EACH OFFENSE WAS ALSO EMPLOYED. IT WAS FOUND THAT UCI HAD AN EFFECT ON RECIDIVISM IN ONE CITY, BUT NOT IN THE OTHER. THE EVALUATORS ARE NOT ABLE TO EXPLAIN THIS DISCREPANCY. AN ANALYSIS OF THE INTERVIEW DATA REVEALED THAT ATTITUDES WERE MUCH MORE FAVORABLE TOWARDS THE EXPERIMENTAL EXPERIENCE THAN TOWARDS THE CONTROL EXPERIENCE. IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A MARKED DROP IN THE NUMBER OF REFERRALS COMING FROM ONE OF THE CITIES. THIS CHANGE IS ATTRIBUTED TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGE AND TO CERTAIN ADJUSTMENTS MOTIVATED BY OVERWORKED COUNSELORS. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS STUDY ARE SEEN AS FOLLOWS: (1) BEHAVIORAL CHANGE COUNSELING CAN IMPACT ON JUVENILE RECIDIVISM, (2) POLICE COOPERATION IS IMPERATIVE TO A SUCCESSFUL DIVERSION PROJECT, (3) RANDOM ASSIGNMENT OF OFFENDERS TO TREATMENT OR CONTROL GROUPS MUST BE CAREFULLY MONITORED TO AVOID SOCIAL REPERCUSSIONS, AND (4) DIVERSION IS SEEN AS A BENIGN APPROACH, NOT AN INTRUSION ON ONE'S PRIVACY. TABLES AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (MLC)