NCJ Number
141791
Journal
Journal for Juvenile Justice and Detention Services Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Dated: (Fall 1992) Pages: 1-6
Date Published
1992
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article describes how the Allen Superior Court Juvenile Probation Department developed strategies for determining mentor home (specialized form of foster care) placement for juvenile offenders.
Abstract
The program is designed to provide short-term foster care for nonviolent adolescents, ages 10-17, with delinquent or acting-out behaviors. The youths recommended for this program include those who are currently institutionalized, recently adjudicated offenders, and youths with potential delinquency roles who are at risk of institutionalization. The mentor family and the natural family work as a team to promote stabilization of the natural family and return the youth to the natural parents. The program intends to provide the opportunity for youths to remain in the community to use community resources to address and reduce behavioral problems; to provide a home atmosphere through which problemsolving and individualized treatment planning can be undertaken; to increase involvement of the natural family in dealing with behavioral problems; to return the juvenile to the natural parent within one school semester; to reduce the potential for future referrals to the court; and to provide cost-effective placement other than institutional placements, group homes, or detention centers. This article describes the recruitment and selection of mentor families as well as the roles and responsibilities of the youth and the mentor family. To date, there are 11 juveniles placed in stable mentor homes, and one additional placement is expected by the end of January. 21 references