NCJ Number
53878
Date Published
1974
Length
147 pages
Annotation
ATTITUDES OF YOUTH SERVICE BUREAU COUNSELORS ARE COMPARED WITH THOSE OF PROBATION, PAROLE, AND CORRECTIONS STAFF IN THREE AREAS: ATTITUDES TOWARD DIVERSON, BELIEFS AS TO CAUSES OF DELINQUENCY, AND APPROACHES TO THERAPY.
Abstract
THE BACKGROUND SECTION OF THIS PAPER TRACES THE RISE IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY BETWEEN 1957 AND 1970, DISCUSSES THE FAILURE OF THE TRADITIONAL JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM TO EFFECTIVELY 'TREAT' THESE DELINQUENTS, AND THEN DESCRIBES THE RISE OF YOUTH SERVICE BUREAU AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO INSTITUTIONALIZATION. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT TO BE A TRULY EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM HANDLING, YOUTH SERVICE BUREAUS SHOULD HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ORIENTATION TOWARD DELINQUENCY, ITS CAUSES, AND ITS TREATMENT. A COMBINATION OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY DATA IS USED TO DEVELOP A PROFILE OF PERSONNEL ATTITUDES. DATA FROM THE CALIFORNIA YOUTH AUTHORITY STUDY CONDUCTED BY DOUGLAS KNIGHT WAS USED FOR ATTITUDES OF PAROLE OFFICERS AND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION STAFF. NEW DATA WERE COLLECTED FOR 168 COUNSELORS IN 14 YOUTH SERVICE BUREAUS IN CALIFORNIA, IDAHO, OREGON, AND WASHINGTON, AND FOR 91 PROBATION OFFICERS IN THE SAME COUNTIES AS THE YOUTH SERVICE BUREAUS. STUDY METHODOLOGY IS DESCRIBED. SURVEY DATA IS PRESENTED IN TABULAR FORM. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT ATTITUDE DIFFERENCE WAS THE SERVICE BUREAU COUNSELORS' STRONG BELIEF IN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CORRECTIONAL ALTERNATIVES. THEY ALSO FELT SCHOOL PROBLEMS WERE A MAJOR DELINQUENCY FACTOR. FOR ALL OTHER ITEMS, RESPONSES FOR THE FOUR GROUPS WERE NEARLY IDENTICAL. ALL THE GROUPS HAD SIMILAR BACKGROUNDS AND NEARLY ALL HANDLED DELINQUENT YOUTHS IN A SIMILAR MANNER. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT TO BE AN ALTERNATIVE YOUTH SERVICE, BUREAUS SHOULD BECOME MORE SOCIALLY ORIENTED AND TRY TO CHANGE THE DELINQUENT'S MILIEU. THIS POINT IS DISCUSSED AT LENGTH. APPENDIXES CONTAN THE QUESTIONNAIRE AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY. (GLR)