NCJ Number
51044
Date Published
1975
Length
91 pages
Annotation
DEVELOPMENT OF A QUESTIONNAIRE TO MEASURE THE ROLE OF JUVENILE COURT JUDGES IN KANSAS AND THE EFFECT OF THEIR PHILOSOPHY ON CASE OUTCOME IS DESCRIBED. FINDINGS OF THE STUDY ARE THEN DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE PROCESS USED TO DEVELOP A QUESTIONNAIRE TO MEASURE THE ORIENTATION OF JUVENILE JUDGES (PSYCHOSOCIAL OR LEGALISTIC), FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ORIENTATION, RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ORIENTATION AND ROLE EXPECTATIONS, AND EFFECT OF ORIENTATION ON CASE OUTCOME ARE DISCUSSED IN THIS DISSERTATION. COMPLETED QUESTIONNARES WERE RECEIVED FROM 64 OF 105 KANSAS JUVENILE JUDGES. IT WAS FOUND THAT AS MANY JUDGES ESPOUSED A PSYCHOSOCIAL OUTLOOK AS DID A LEGALISTIC ONE AND THAT MANY COMPROMISED BOTH OUTLOOKS. PSYCHO-SOCIAL ORIENTATION WAS ASSOCIATED WITH GREATER EDUCATION, SMALLER COMMUNITIES, YOUNGER AGE, AND LONGER TENURE IN OFFICE. FEMALE JUDGES WERE ALSO MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A PSYCHOSOCIAL OUTLOOK. THE PERSONS WHOSE OPINIONS WERE VALUED MOST WERE THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY AND THE PROBATION OFFICER. NEARLY ALL THE PROBATION OFFICERS WERE SEEN AS PSYCHOSOCIAL IN OUTLOOK WHILE LEGALISTIC OUTLOOKS PREDOMINATED AMONG THE ATTORNEYS. IN CASES OF CONFLICT THE JUDGE MEDIATED RATHER THAN ISSUED AN ORDER. THE CASE OUTCOME STUDY SHOWED THAT JUDGES IN LARGER COUNTIES WITH MANY RESOURCES WERE MORE LIKELY TO ORDER INTENSIVE TREATMENT PROGRAMS REGARDLESS OF ORIENTATION. THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT IS APPENDED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (GLR)