NCJ Number
32285
Journal
Corrections Magazine Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Dated: (NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER), 1975
Date Published
1975
Length
57 pages
Annotation
THIS ISSUE FOCUSES ON JUVENILE CORRECTIONS IN MASSACHUSETTS, ESPECIALLY THE FAR-REACHING EFFECTS OF DR. JEROME MILLER'S 'DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION' POLICY.
Abstract
ONE OF THE ARTICLES DESCRIBES THE MASSACHUSETTS JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM'S SUCCESSES AND FAILURES AND THE CONTROVERSIES THAT HAVE DEVELOPED SINCE THE INSTITUTIONS STARTED CLOSING DOWN IN 1971. THE 2,200 YOUTHS CURRENTLY UNDER THE AEGIS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES ARE SERVED BY OVER 200 PROGRAMS WHICH PROVIDE SECURE FACILITIES, GROUP CARE FACILITIES, FOSTER CARE, NONRESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS, AND PAROLE SERVICES. SOME OF THE CRITICISMS DIRECTED AT THE SYSTEM INCLUDE 'GROSS MISMANAGEMENT', INADEQUATE FACILITIES FOR SECURE DETENTION, A LACK OF PROFESSIONALLY QUALIFIED STAFF AT THE CONTRACTING AGENCIES, AND OVERALL INEFFECTIVENESS. STRENGTHS OF THE PROGRAM, ACCORDING TO RECENTLY-RESIGNED COMMISSIONER LEAVEY, INCLUDE DIVERSITY, STAFF DEDICATION, AND A LEVEL OF HUMANE TREATMENT NOT ATTAINABLE UNDER AN INSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM. IN AN EFFORT TO ASSESS THE IMPACT A TOTAL JUVENILE COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS SYSTEM HAS ON RECIDIVISM, A HARVARD UNIVERSITY TEAM HAS BEEN RUNNING A CONTROLLED RESEARCH STUDY. THE RESULTS SEEM TO INDICATE VERY LITTLE DIFFERENCE IN RECIDIVISM RATES BETWEEN PREAND POST-DEINSTITUTIONALIZED YOUTH, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE WIDE DISPARITIES BETWEEN DIFFERENT REGIONS OF THE STATE. WHILE THE REASONS BEHIND THE REGIONAL VARIATIONS HAVE NOT BEEN DETERMINED, RESEARCHERS ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE STATEWIDE RESULTS BECAUSE OF THE HARSHER ECONOMIC CONDITIONS THAT EXIST IN MASSACHUSETTS TODAY. ONE TENTATIVE CONCLUSION IS THAT THE TYPE OF PROGRAM DOES NOT IMPACT AS MUCH ON RECIDIVISM RATES AS THE QUALITY OF THE PROGRAM. ANOTHER ARTICLE DESCRIBES DR. MILLER'S PROFESSIONAL CAREER WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE PRAISE AND CRITICISM HE EVOKED IN MASSACHUSETTS. FOLLOWING THAT PERSONAL ASSESSMENT IS AN ARTICLE ON THE TACTICS EMPLOYED BY DR. MILLER IN THE CLOSING OF THE INSTITUTIONS. ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT ORIGINALLY HAVE THE INTENTION OF CLOSING ALL THE INSTITUTIONS, HE WAS INTERESTED IN REFORM AND HE SOON BECAME FRUSTRATED WITH THE RESISTANCE TO CHANGE HE ENCOUNTERED. THIS FRUSTRATION HELPED HIM TO FORM THE CONCLUSION THAT INSTITUTIONS ARE INHERENTLY INCAPABLE OF HELPING DELINQUENT YOUTHS: HE BELIEVED THAT BOTH THE YOUTHS AND SOCIETY WOULD BE JUST AS WELL SERVED IF THEY WERE SIMPLY ALLOWED TO GO FREE. DR. MILLER AND HIS SUPPORTERS APPARENTLY HAVE HAD THE LAST WORD - THE MAJOR CONTROVERSY OVER THE DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION OF JUVENILE CORRECTIONS IN MASSACHUSETTS IS NO LONGER THE FACT THAT THEY WERE CLOSED, BUT THE WAY IT WAS DONE. SEE ALSO NCJ-32286 THROUGH 32289. (SNI ABSTRACT)