ROLE AND POTENTIAL VALUE OF VOLUNTEERS IN JUVENILE COURT

• NCJ Number: 63253
• Author(s): C A MARTIN
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 51 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: ANDREWS UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES - MASTERS DEGREE RESEARCH PROPOSAL.

Annotation

THIS STUDY EXPLORES THE POSSIBLE BENEFITS OF USING VOLUNTEER WORKERS TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO JUVENILE DELINQUENTS IN BERRIEN COUNTY, MICH., BY STUDYING A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM IN THE KALAMAZOO COUNTY JUVENILE COURT.

Abstract

TWO DIRECTIONAL HYPOTHESES WERE EXAMINED: (1) THE SUCCESS RATE OF OVERCOMING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP WOULD BE HIGHER THAN THE SUCCESS RATE IN THE CONTROL GROUP AND (2) THE FAILURE RATE OF OVERCOMING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN THE CONTROL GROUP WOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THE FAILURE RATE OF THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP. THE STUDY POPULATION CONSISTED OF 7,157 JUVENILE DELINQUENTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 10 AND 17 WHO WERE PETITIONED INTO THE KALAMAZOO COUNTY JUVENILE COURT BETWEEN OCTOBER 1, 1971, AND APRIL 1, 1972. THE SAMPLE CONSISTED OF A COMBINED TOTAL OF 150 JUVENILE DELINQUENTS PETITIONED TO THE JUVENILE COURT IN KALAMAZOO. THE CONTROL GROUP OF 76 JUVENILE DELINQUENTS WERE JUVENILES WHO HAD NOT BEEN ASSIGNED TO VOLUNTEER PROBATION OFFICERS AND HAD NOT HAD SPECIAL SERVICES SUCH AS TUTORING, COUNSELING, AND RECREATIONAL SERVICES. RANDOM SELECTION WAS USED IN CHOOSING THIS GROUP. THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP OF 74 JUVENILE DELINQUENTS WERE REFERRED TO THE KALAMAZOO JUVENILE COURT AND HAD HAD ACCESS TO VOLUNTEER PROBATION OFFICERS RENDERING SPECIAL SERVICES. BOTH GROUPS WERE OBSERVED FOR FREQUENCY OF RECIDIVISM. SEPARATE FILES WERE KEPT ON THE TWO GROUPS. THE CHI-SQUARED METHOD OF ANALYSIS WAS USED IN THE STUDY OF FREQUENCY OF RECIDIVISM. SEPARATE FILES WERE FINDINGS REVEALED THAT THE USE OF VOLUNTEER SERVICES IN OVERCOMING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IS NO MORE THAN THE USE OF CONVENTIONAL MEANS. HOWEVER, VOLUNTEERS GIVING SERVICES SUCH AS TUTORING, COUNSELING, AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES TO JUVENILE DELINQUENTS DRASTICALLY REDUCE THE FAILURE RATE OF DELINQUENCY IN COURT. THE STUDY SUPPORTS THE USE OF VOLUNTEER SERVICES IN REDUCING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN THE COUNTY. FINALLY, THE STUDY NOTES THAT THE KALAMAZOO COUNTY COURT HAS SHOWN THAT THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS IN THE COURTS IS TO INCREASE REHABILITATION SERVICES TO PROBATIONERS WITHOUT AN INCREASE IN BUDGET. TABLES AND A 12-ITEM BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. VOLUNTEER APPLICATION FORMS AND GUIDELINES ARE APPENDED.