NCJ Number
15871
Date Published
1971
Length
17 pages
Annotation
A REVIEW OF THE INCREASING USE OF VOLUNTEERS AS PROBATION COUNSELORS, A LISTING OF REFERENCES ON THE USE OF VOLUNTEERS, SUGGESTIONS FOR A MODEL ACT ON VOLUNTEER USE, AND TEXTS OF STATE LAWS ON VOLUNTEERS ARE INCLUDED.
Abstract
ADVANTAGES OF SPECIFIC STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION FOR THESE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS ARE DISCUSSED. THE AUTHOR ARGUES THAT STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION COULD ALLEVIATE THE POSSIBLE PROBLEM OF INDIVIDUAL LIABILITY RESULTING DIRECTLY FROM SERVICE AS A VOLUNTEER, THAT IT COULD SERVE AS A BASIS FOR A UNIFORM STATEWIDE PROGRAM OF COURT VOLUNTEER WORKERS, THAT FUNDING COULD BE EASED, AND THE FRICTION WHICH SOMETIMES EXISTS BETWEEN PROFESSIONAL PROBATION OFFICERS AND VOLUNTEERS COULD BE LESSENED. GENERAL SUGGESTIONS FOR A MODEL ACT ON VOLUNTEERS INCLUDE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A STATE COORDINATING AGENCY ON VOLUNTEERS AND GUIDELINES ON PLANS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE AGENCY. IT IS STATED THAT FLORIDA AND TENNESSEE ARE THE ONLY STATES WHICH HAVE ADOPTED PLANS SIMILAR TO THE GUIDELINES PRESENTED IN THIS REPORT. A BRIEF SUMMARY OF STATE LEGISLATION ON VOLUNTEERS FOR THE STATES OF ARKANSAS, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, KENTUCKY, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, SOUTH DAKOTA, AND TENNESSEE IS PROVIDED. THE FULL TEXTS OF THESE STATUTES ARE INCLUDED IN THE APPENDIX.