NCJ Number
68666
Editor(s)
E LEGGETT
Date Published
1979
Length
39 pages
Annotation
THE INTERMEDIATE TREATMENT FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS DESCRIBED IN THIS PUBLICATION IS A FORM OF SOCIAL WORK INTERVENTION ON A DAY-CARE BASIS, THROUGH WHICH YOUNG PEOPLE EXPOSED TO A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS.
Abstract
THE RATIONALE BEHIND THIS CLUSTER OF PROGRAMS FOR JUVENILES WHO HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF MINOR OR STATUS OFFENSES (E.G., PETTY THEFT, VANDALISM, TRUANCY) IS THAT BY IMPROVING THE CHILDREN'S SELF-ESTEEM, SELF-AWARENESS, SOCIAL SKILLS, ATTAINMENT LEVELS, ABILITY TO RELATE TO OTHERS, AND BY OFFERING THEM SATISFACTORY ALTERNATIVES TO CRIME, THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN DELINQUENCY AND THEIR NEED FOR INSTITUTIONAL CARE CAN BE REDUCED. EXPERIMENTS ALONG THESE LINES ARE BEING TRIED IN ENGLAND, AT INTERMEDIATE TREATMENT CENTERS, WHERE TEACHING AND PROJECT EXPERIENCES, ALONG WITH GROUP WORK PROGRAMS AND WORKSHOPS ARE PROVIDED ON A PERMANENT BASIS. MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS, INCLUDING TEACHERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, VOCATIONAL INSTRUCTORS, AND COUNSELORS WORK WITH THE CHILDREN IN A SCHOOL-LIKE ENVIRONMENT, ALTHOUGH DIFFERENT IN STYLE. ATTENDANCE IS VOLUNTARY, BUT NON-ATTENDANCE WOULD INVOLVE A MOVE FROM HOME. THIS REPORT IS A COLLECTION OF ARTICLES OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE INTERMEDIATE TREATMENT PROGRAM. IT INCLUDES AN OVERVIEW OF INTERMEDIATE TREATMENT CENTERS; A DESCRIPTION OF DAY CARE AT ONE OF THE CENTERS; A DESCRIPTION OF SOCIAL GROUP WORK; AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT IS INVOLVED IN WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND OTHER AGENCIES, AND ON WORKING WITH VOLUNTEERS. ADDITIONAL ARTICLES DEAL WITH A YOUTH INFORMATION/COUNSELING PROJECT, A RESEARCH PROJECT, AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. AMONG THE CONCLUSIONS LISTED (OF A TENTATIVE NATURE, PENDING FURTHER SYSTEMATIC EVALUATION OF RESULTS) IS EVIDENCE THAT THE INTERMEDIATE TREATMENT PROGRAMS CAN PROVIDE THE COURTS A GENUINE AND ACCEPTABLE ALTERNATIVE FOR DISPOSAL. APPENDIXES GIVE SAMPLES OF A REFERRAL TO INTERMEDIATE TREATMENT, A REFERRAL FOR ADOLESCENTS' MULTI-ASSESSMENT TEAM, AND AN ASSESSMENT-ACTION-REVIEW PLAN FOR MULTI-ASSESSMENT TEAM FORMS.