NCJ Number
61798
Date Published
1979
Length
40 pages
Annotation
THE ST. MARK'S YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, PART OF A NETWORK OF YOUTH SERVICES IN NEW ORLEANS, LA., IS EVALUATED, EMPHASIZING PROGRAM GOALS AND ACHIEVEMENT.
Abstract
THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, INITIALLY FUNDED BY LEAA FROM DECEMBER 1974 THROUGH JANUARY 1978, WAS SET UP TO PROVIDE A PERSONALIZED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AGE YOUTH, TO INCREASE THEIR SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY, AND TO REDUCE THE RATE OF RECIDIVISM WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THIS REPORT IS CONCERNED PRIMARILY WITH THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM ON THE REDUCTION OF TRUANCY AND RECIDIVISM AND THE INCREASE OF EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT OF PARTICIPANTS. ST. MARKS INITIALLY ACCEPTED 188 YOUTHS IN ITS LEARNING PROGRAM, OF WHICH 163 PARTICIPATED THROUGH THE THEME STREET ACADEMY OR THROUGH TUTORING. ALSO, BASED ON PRETEST AND POSTTEST MEASURES, OFFENSES DECREASED BY 84 PERCENT, AND ARREST RECIDIVISM DECREASED 78 PERCENT COMPARED TO THE EXPECTED 50 PERCENT. A MAJOR OBJECTIVE TO PLACE 50 PERCENT OF THEME STREET ACADEMY GRADUATES IN SPECIAL OR REGULAR SCHOOLS UPON PROGRAM COMPLETION WAS MET WHEN APPROXIMATELY 74 PERCENT WERE SUCCESSFULLY PLACED. SINCE THE PROGRAM FOCUSED ON INCREASING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS OF PARTICIPANTS BY AT LEAST ONE GRADE, ABOUT 89 PERCENT MET THIS GOAL, WITH THE AVERAGE INCREASE APPROACHING FIVE GRADE LEVELS. EVALUATION RESULTS ARE PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT SINCE A 1-YEAR FOLLOWUP STUDY WAS ALLOWED, CONCLUDING THAT THE MODEL DEVELOPED BY ST. MARKS FOR THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE YOUTHS APPEARS TO BE WORTH REPLICATING. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (LWM)