NCJ Number
150060
Journal
State Government News Volume: 37 Issue: 8 Dated: (August 1994) Pages: 28-33
Date Published
1994
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Programs in Missouri, New York, and Washington are helping prevent juvenile delinquency and youth violence.
Abstract
Missouri pairs juvenile delinquents with college students through its Intensive Case Monitoring program. The students keep track of the youths by making sure they attend school and are at home on time every night. The college students gain experience and a stipend of $6-7 per hour. They are recruited by their professors and must pass a background check before being interviewed for the program. The attention they give the youths brings a sense of stability, consistency, and caring. Although the project has not yet been evaluated, initial results are favorable. In New York, Aggression Replacement Training teaches young people to understand, control, and ultimately replace their aggression and antisocial behaviors with positive alternatives through a 10-week program. The New York State Division for Youth uses this method of counseling in prisons, community-based programs, and services for young ex-offenders. More than 12 years of research has revealed that this intervention reduces recidivism from the national average of 72 percent to 15 percent when youth take part in correctional facilities and continue the training with their families after returning home. In Washington, the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development established six pilot projects and a Stop Youth Violence Advisory Committee. Individual communities designed the projects, which range from mediation skill training to transition services for youths leaving juvenile rehabilitation facilities. Photographs