NCJ Number
89840
Date Published
1982
Length
18 pages
Annotation
The role of mediation in dealing with status offenders, regardless of whether that mediation occurs within or outside the juvenile court, is to engage the family in the evaluation and treatment process and provide each family member with the services needed.
Abstract
The absolute separation of status offenders from juvenile delinquents in the provision of services, as has been advocated by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), often produces an unnecessary duplication of services, since the juvenile delinquent and the status offender often have the same needs related to psychopathology, educational deficiencies, and socioeconomic background. Common needs would dictate that the two groups be treated in the same programs. The approach to status offenders that offers the most promise of success is the family-based approach, wherein there is a recognition that families are in need of service rather than only children in need of service or supervision. The key to the provision of family and individual services is a multifaceted assessment that includes investigation of the home setting. In addition, educational investigation and a psychiatric evaluation should be conducted. Optimally, status offenders should be seen by psychiatrists rather than psychologists, since there are some who may require medication or who have neurologic dysfunction that needs further medical evaluation. Four bibliographic listings are provided. (Author summary modified)