NCJ Number
55332
Date Published
1978
Length
48 pages
Annotation
AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUTH SERVICES IN RURAL AREAS WAS CONDUCTED IN 15 EAST TENNESSEE COUNTIES SURROUNDING METROPOLITAN KNOXVILLE.
Abstract
DURING 1975, 51 PERSONS CONCERNED WITH DELINQUENCY AT LOCAL AND MULTICOUNTY LEVELS WERE INTERVIEWED. THE SAMPLE INCLUDED LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, JUDGES, PROBATION WORKERS, MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS, AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS. IT WAS FOUND THAT SURVEY RESPONDENTS BELIEVED THAT DELINQUENCY WAS INCREASING IN RURAL AREAS AND THAT OFFENSES AMONG YOUNGER AGE GROUPS WERE BECOMING MORE COMMON. BREAKING AND ENTERING, THEFT, DRUG PROBLEMS, AND STATUS OFFENSES WERE ALL MENTIONED MORE FREQUENTLY THAN WERE CRIMES OF VIOLENCE. MUCH OF THE DELINQUENCY WAS ATTRIBUTED TO THE HOME ENVIRONMENT. EXAMINING YOUTH SERVICES, IT WAS FOUND THAT CONSIDERABLE USE WAS BEING MADE OF STATE INSTITUTIONS. EXISTING YOUTH SERVICE AGENCIES IN THE RURAL AREA WERE RATED AS FAIR. ADDITIONAL LOCAL SERVICES FOR YOUTH IN THE RURAL AREAS WERE DESIRED, BUT IT WAS RECOGNIZED THAT THIS WAS NOT FEASIBLE. USING BUDGET ESTIMATES, THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF BASING FOUR JUVENILE SERVICES IN INDIVIDUAL RURAL COUNTIES WAS EXPLORED. THE FOUR DESIRED SERVICES ARE AS FOLLOWS: (1) GROUP HOMES, (2) PROBATION SERVICES, (3) VOLUNTEER COUNSELING, AND (4) PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. ALTHOUGH FIRM FEASIBILITY CONCLUSIONS COULD NOT BE DRAWN FROM THE ANALYSIS, THE VALUE OF COMPARING ALTERNATIVE ACTION PROPOSALS WAS DEMONSTRATED. OTHER INSIGHTS INTO THE PROBLEMS OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN RURAL AREAS ARE PRESENTED. TABLES AND DIAGRAMS ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)