NCJ Number
73081
Date Published
1979
Length
91 pages
Annotation
Ratings of 49 juveniles were obtained when they were placed on probation to determine if measures of self-concept, family congruence, and productivity would enhance the prediction of probation success beyond that provided by demographic information.
Abstract
The scales used were the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale, the Family Environment Scale, and the Child and Adolescent Adjustment Profile. Ratings were obtained from court and school personnel, parents, and subjects. After 3 months on probation, success was measured by recidivism and probation supervisors' judgments of certain personal growth and adjustment variables. The discriminant analyses on the two outcome criteria resulted in an accurate prediction rate of 92 percent for recidivism and 98 percent for a judgment of probation performance; however, the lower confidence level for the prediction of recidivism was 63.8 percent, a level too low for applying the selected predictors in actual practice. The lower confidence level for success, 85.9 percent, was high enough for application, but it was based on supervisors' ratings that have failed to demonstrate adequate reliability or validity. The scores used to measure self-concept and productivity showed particular value as predictors of probation outcome. Generally, the psychological variables demonstrated more promise as predictors of probation outcome than did the demographic variables. The measure used for family congruence and most of the teachers' ratings showed little predictive ability. Conditions of probation and consent forms are appended, and tabular data and 70 references are provided. (Author abstract modified)