YOUNG ADOLESCENT IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM (FROM GROWING UP FORGOTTEN - A REVIEW OF RESEARCH AND PROGRAMS CONCERNING EARLY ADOLESCENCE, 1977, BY JOAN LIPSITZ)

• NCJ Number: 51754
• Author(s): S FERGUSON; S HAIG
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 23 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Ford Foundation
• Corporate Author: Lexington Books
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMS IS EXAMINED ALONG WITH CURRENT ISSUES IN JUVENILE CORRECTION.

Abstract

MOST JUVENILE DELINQUENTS ARE YOUNGER THAN 17, MALE, FROM URBAN ENVIRONMENTS AND HAVE SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DEPRIVED BACKGROUNDS, AND PERFORM POORLY IN SCHOOL. ONE-THIRD OF THE CRIMES COMMITTED BY JUVENILES ARE SERIOUS OFFENSES, SUCH AS MURDER AND ROBBERY; AND ANOTHER THIRD ARE STATUS OFFENSES. THE DEVELOPMENT OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMS HAS BEEN RAPID AND EXTENSIVE, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN FEW QUALITY EVALUATIONS OF SUCH PROGRAMS. IN 1970, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SPENT 11.5 BILLION DOLLARS FOR JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND RELATED YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, BUT 57 PERCENT OF THE PROGRAMS WERE NOT EVALUATED. STUDIES BY VARIOUS SOCIOLOGISTS INDICATE THAT CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS ARE INEFFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE SUBSTITUTED BY MORE EFFECTIVE MEASURES OF CONTROL. THE PRESENT JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM IS FAILING IN ITS EFFORTS TO CONTROL AND TREAT JUVENILE DELINQUENCY FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: (1) THE COURTS DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO SCREEN CASES EFFECTIVELY AND DECIDE ON THEIR PROPER DISPOSITION (2) OFTEN, THEY ARE WORKING WITH STATUS OFFENDERS AND APPLYING THERAPY AND PUNISHMENT; AND (3) THE INSTITUTIONS TO WHICH THE COURTS SEND JUVENILES FOR THERAPY ARE OVERCROWDED, UNDERSTAFFED, AND DEFICIENT IN THE KINDS OF TREATMENT THAT MIGHT BENEFIT OFFENDERS. THE NATIONAL ASSESSEMENT OF JUVENILE CORRECTIONS HAS CONDUCTED A STUDY ON CHANGING CONCEPTS OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM, DELINQUENCY, AND ITS TREATMENT AND PREVENTION. THE STUDY INDICATED THAT STATUTORY CHANGES ARE BEING MADE IN THE AREAS OF JURISDICTION, DETENTION, ADJUDICATION, AND DISPOSITION. THERE IS A STEADY DECREASE IN JUVENILE INSTITUTIONALIZATION AND AN INCREASE IN DIVERSION AND COMMUNITY-BASED INTERVENTION. RADICAL NONINTERVENTION AND DELAYED INTERVENTION, ALTHOUGH NOT MARKED TRENDS IN JUVENILE JUSTICE, ARE NEW CONCEPTS BEING CONSIDERED BY MANY PERSONS INVOLVED IN JUVENILE JUSTICE AREAS. IT IS STRESSED THAT VIGOROUS, COORDINATED, AND WELL-FUNDED RESEARCH EFFORTS ARE NEEDED TO ESTABLISH NEW POSSIBILITIES IN PREVENTION, TREATMENT, AND CONTROL. (DAG)