NCJ Number
28629
Date Published
1974
Length
14 pages
Annotation
TWO MASSACHUSETTS JUVENILE COURTS ARE THE SETTING FOR THIS STUDY ON WHETHER A COMPLETELY RANDOM METHOD OF DECIDING ON JUVENILES' DISPOSTIONS WOULD BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS THE ACTUAL 'STRUCTURED' METHOD.
Abstract
THERE IS SUCH A DIVERSITY OF ALTERNATIVES FOR JUVENILES' DISPOSITIONS THAT IT SEEMED TO THE AUTHOR THAT CONSISTENT HANDLING OF THE JUVENILES WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. HE FOUND THAT CHOOSING DISPOSITION ALTERNATIVES RANDOMLY PRODUCED A PREDICTED SUCCESS RATE AS HIGH AS THE COURTS PRODUCED WITH A COMPLICATED AND DISORGANIZED CLASSIFICATION PROCESS.