NCJ Number
167985
Date Published
1996
Length
118 pages
Annotation
This report describes a selection of promising programs in the United Kingdom that address juvenile delinquency factors in the areas of families, schools, and sports and leisure.
Abstract
The programs in the chapter on families address the most significant family risk factors identified by research. These are poor parental supervision, parental neglect, harsh or erratic discipline, parental conflict, long-term separation from a biological parent, and having a parent with a criminal record. The programs selected for inclusion in the chapter on school address significant school-based risk factors identified by research. These are low educational achievement, troublesome and disruptive behavior in school, bullying behavior, persistent truancy, and permanent exclusion from school. Programs in the areas of sports and leisure are included because constructive leisure activities are a well-established feature of initiatives designed to divert juvenile offenders and at-risk youth away from crime. The described programs encompass holiday activities for children, individual and team sports, outdoor adventure activities, recreation and leisure pursuits, and youth work. The format for all of the programs in all three categories includes a brief description of the program, its location, referral sources, core program activities, outcomes, and funding and costs. The concluding section of this report identifies common characteristics of the programs in each of the three areas, their cost-effectiveness, and general strategic approaches. 126 references