SEMI-LIBERTY HOUSE - PAST, PRESENT, AND DEVELOPMENT OF 138 PROBLEM ADOLESCENTS CARED FOR AND EDUCATED AT THE CFDJ (FAMILY CENTER FOR JUVENILES) AT VITRY SUR SEINE (FRANCE). 2D ED.

• NCJ Number: 27104
• Author(s): B ZEILLER; S TOMKIEWICZ; J FINDER
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 199 pages
• Sale Source: Editions Medicales et Universitaires
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: French
• Country: France

Annotation

STUDY OF THE SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CLIENTS BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THEIR STAY IN A JUVENILE GROUP HOUSE FOR SOCIALLY MALADJUSTED BUT NOT NECESSARILY DELINQUENT MALES BETWEEN 14 AND 21 YEARS OLD.

Abstract

THE HOUSE IS LOCATED IN A SUBURB OF PARIS AND HAS A CAPACITY OF 20 TO 25 CLIENTS. IT HAS OPERATED SINCE 1950 AND IS ONE OF THE OLDEST OF 200 SUCH INSTITUTIONS IN FRANCE WHICH REPORT TO THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE OR TO THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AFFAIRES. THEY ARE TO BE DISTINGUISHED FROM HALFWAY HOUSES FOR CLIENTS RELEASED FROM OTHER INSTITUTIONS. THE HOUSE IN THIS STUDY OFFERS A FAMILY ATMOSPHERE TO WHICH THE CLIENTS RETURN EACH EVENING AFTER A DAY OF SCHOOL, WORK, OR OTHER NORMAL ACTIVITY OUTSIDE THE HOUSE. INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY AND GROUP DYNAMICS ARE USED IN TREATMENT. MAJOR TREATMENT PRINCIPLES ARE THE VOLUNTARY PRESENCE OF THE CLIENT AND PERMISSIVENESS AND GRATIFICATION BY THE ADULT STAFF. THE 138 CLIENTS IN THE STUDY REPRESENT ALL CLIENTS WHO STAYED AT THE HOUSE FROM 1950 TO 1966. THE STUDY FOCUSED ON THE 108 WHO STAYED FOR AT LEAST THREE MONTHS. RECORDS OF THEIR LIVES BEFORE THEIR STAY AT THE HOME SHOWED THAT 95 PERCENT HAD DISTURBED OR BROKEN HOMES, HALF HAD VERY LOW SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STATUS, 90 PERCENT HAD PERSONALITY PROBLEMS, AND HALF HAD NERVOUS TROUBLES. THE GROUP'S INTELLIGENCE WAS NORMAL WHILE SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT WAS LOW. DURING THEIR STAY THE PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS OF 75 PERCENT CLEARLY IMPROVED WHILE SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT DID NOT GREATLY IMPROVE. THE STUDY OF CLIENTS AFTER THEIR STAY SHOWED THAT 80 PERCENT HAD CLEAN RECORDS AND HALF OF THE REST DID NOT INVOLVE ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR. NO CLIENT WHO WAS NOT DELINQUENT BEFORE HIS STAY BECAME DELINQUENT. THE SOCIAL ADAPTATION OF HALF WAS JUDGED EXCELLENT ON THE BASIS OF SUCH INDICATORS AS JOBS, MARRIAGE, AND IMPROVEMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS. TWENTY-TWO PERCENT WERE JUDGED GOOD AND 13 PERCENT MEDIOCRE OR POOR. THE DATA AND METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY IS PROVIDED. --IN FRENCH