NCJ Number
133066
Date Published
1990
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This evaluation assesses the effectiveness of St. Croix camps (Minnesota), a wilderness-oriented, short-term, structured residential program for adolescents aged 13-17 referred primarily by juvenile court for multiple reasons.
Abstract
Within a structured, consistent environment, the camps provide a variety of school, work, and outdoor experiences in which campers can experience success for the purpose of increasing self-esteem, social skills, and prosocial behavior. A family program is also provided while youth are at camp. A camp for males and one for females are provided. The program is assessed through an ongoing client survey. A 50-percent random sample of clients is selected for followup. Parents of clients are interviewed on the telephone about their children when the children enter camp and again 1 year after their children leave camp. Clients complete a self-esteem questionnaire when they enter camp and just before they leave camp. Clients' court records are searched 12 months after they leave camp. The evaluation concludes that despite the severe problems experienced by clients when they enter the program, the program is effective in serving them. Although many clients continue to commit offenses after they graduate from camp (60 percent of the boys and 40 percent of the girls), they engage in significantly fewer crimes in the year following camp graduation compared to the year prior to entering camp. Additionally, the self-esteem of both boys and girls is higher at graduation compared to intake. Parents also view the program as effective for their children. Evaluation instruments and data