WASHINGTON URBAN LEAGUE YOUTH ARBITRATION CENTER COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION REPORT (REPORT N 6, V 1)

• NCJ Number: 64388
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 124 pages
• Grant Number(s): 77-DF-99-0026
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Black Affairs Ctr
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS REPORT EVALUATES THE WASHINGTON, D.C., URBAN LEAGUE YOUTH ARBITRATION CENTER (YAC), A 2-YEAR DIVERSION PROJECT FOR STATUS OFFENDERS, FOR THE PERIOD DECEMBER 1, 1975, THROUGH FEBRUARY 15, 1978.

Abstract

THE YAC WAS FUNDED BY LEAA AND INCLUDES BOTH COUNSELING AND ARBITRATION SERVICES. FUNDING PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR A THIRD PARTY EVALUATION CONTRACT. THE EVALUATION'S GOALS WERE TO ESTABLISH BASELINE DATA ON STATUS OFFENDER TRENDS IN D.C. AND IN THE PROJECT SERVICE AREA, TO ASSESS YAC'S ACHIEVEMENTS TO MAKE COMPARISONS BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND PROJECT YEARS, AND TO IDENTIFY YAC'S SERVICE AND TREATMENT METHODS, CHANGES IN CLIENTS, AND OBSERVATIONS ON TERMINATED CASES. THE EVALUATION USED A MULTIPLE TIME SERIES, QUASIEXPERIMENTAL DESIGN. DATA WERE COLLECTED ON SPECIAL FORMS AND BY OBSERVATION OF MEETINGS AND TREATMENT GROUPS. YAC SERVED 375 FAMILIES, 382 CHILDREN, (PRIMARY CLIENTS) AND 1,177 OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS. IT BECAME THE MOST VIABLE STATUS OFFENDER SERVICE ALTERNATIVE AVAILABLE TO THE JUVENILE COURTS. IT ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS A COMMUNITY BASED RESOURCE OFFERING A RANGE OF CRISIS SERVICES, CONFLICT RESOLUTION SERVICES, AND PROBLEM SOLVING SERVICES TO REFERRED YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES. FURTHER, YAC APPEARS TO BE HELPING TO IMPROVE INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES. SINCE 1973, THE NUMBER OF STATUS OFFENDERS HAS DECREASED. DATA REFLECTING THE NUMBER OF INSCHOOL PROBLEMS SUGGEST THE NEED TO STRENGTHEN AND MAINTAIN YAC'S GROWING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT (1) YAC BE FUNDED FOR AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 3 YEARS; (2) INTERNAL DATA COLLECTION AND FOLLOWUP BE ESTABLISHED; (3) YAC'S EXCHANGE OF EXPERIENCE WITH THE D.C. DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES BE STRENGTHENED; (4) THE EQUAL EMPHASIS ON MALES AND FEMALES BE CONTINUED; (5) THE RELATIONSHIP WITH PUBLIC SCHOOLS BE MAINTAINED WITH AN ADEQUATE PHYSICAL FACILITY. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE YAC EXPERIENCE SUPPORTS THE NEED FOR PREVENTIVE SERVICES. TABLES AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. FOR THE APPENDIX CONTAINING PROGRAM OBJECTIVES, DATA COLLECTION FORMS, AND RELATED INFORMATION, SEE NCJ 64389. (CFW)