NCJ Number
66709
Date Published
1979
Length
75 pages
Annotation
RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM EVALUATIONS OF 13 RURAL WISCONSIN SHELTER-CARE PROGRAMS FOR JUVENILE STATUS OFFENDERS AND NONOFFENDERS FROM 1976 THROUGH 1978.
Abstract
SHELTER CARE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO SECURE DETENTION FOR STATUS OFFENDERS AND NONOFFENDERS RECEIVED STRONG SUPPORT IN WISCONSIN AS A RESULT OF THE 1976 RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SPECIAL STUDY COMMITTEE ON JUVENILE JUSTICE STANDARDS AND GOALS. SEVEN OF THE FACILITIES EVALUATED ARE FAMILY HOMES WITH FOSTER PARENTS; FIVE FACILITIES ARE SMALL GROUP HOMES, AND ONE FACILITY IS A LARGE GROUP HOME. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF ALL THE HOMES IS TO REDUCE BY 95 PERCENT THE SECURE DETENTION OF STATUS OFFENDERS AND NONOFFENDERS IN THE COUNTIES WHERE THE PROGRAMS ARE LOCATED. OF THE 731 YOUTH REFERRED TO THE 13 SHELTER FACILITIES, 50 PERCENT WERE STATUS OFFENDERS AND 30 PERCENT WERE NONOFFENDERS. RUNAWAYS ACCOUNTED FOR 35 PERCENT OF THE CLIENTS. MORE THAN HALF OF THE RESIDENTS WERE FEMALE, AND THE MEAN AGE WAS 15.2 YEARS. DURING SHELTER RESIDENCE, 30 PERCENT OF THE YOUTH COMMITTED ADDITIONAL OFFENSES. TWO-THIRDS OF THESE WERE STATUS OFFENSES (PRIMARILY RUNAWAYS) AND ONE-THIRD WERE DELINQUENT ACTS. EIGHTEEN PERCENT OF THOSE WHO WERE DISCHARGED OR RAN AWAY FROM THE SHELTERS WERE READMITTED. THE IMPACT THE FACILITIES MADE ON SECURE DETENTION OF STATUS OFFENDERS WAS LIMITED. SECURE DETENTIONS OF LESS THAN 24 HOURS DECREASED BY 33 PERCENT. THERE WAS A 61 PERCENT REDUCTION IN 24-HOUR-OR-MORE SECURE DETENTIONS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE MANDATED 95 PERCENT REDUCTION IN SECURE DETENTION MAY HAVE BEEN AN UNREALISTIC EXPECTATION. THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN NOTES ON EVALUATION METHODOLOGY, TABULAR DATA, AND SAMPLES OF DATA-COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED---RCB)