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DESIGN FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT POLICY - A SUMMARY REPORT OF SOME TECHNICAL PRODUCTS OF THE OFFICE OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT'S YOUTH SERVICES SYSTEM PROGRAM, 1973-1976 GOALS, ORGANIZATION, AND GUIDANCE

NCJ Number
46452
Author(s)
ANON
Date Published
1976
Length
416 pages
Annotation
INFORMATION FOR USE BY COMMUNITIES IN PLANNING, IMPLEMENTING AND EVALUATING AN EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH IN COMMUNITY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE POLICIES PRESENTED ARE THE RESULT OF 6 YEARS OF RESEARCH BY THE OFFICE OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE. THE DESIGN FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CONSISTS OF FOUR MAJOR ASPECTS: A TESTED STRATEGY FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT; A SOCIAL INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE PERSPECTIVE; A DEVELOPING THEORY OF COORDINATION; AND A TRANSFERABLE APPLIED TECHNOLOGY. THE ASPECT DEALING WITH STRATEGY FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PRESENTS A SET OF THEORETICAL PROPOSITIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN VERIFIED AND VALIDATED THROUGH FIELD TESTING IN MORE THAN 20 DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, USING A POPULATION OF MORE THAN 10 THOUSAND YOUTHS. BASED ON THIS RESEARCH, IT IS BELIEVED POSSIBLE TO SPECIFY CRITERIA, GUIDELINES, OBJECTIVES, AND GOALS WHICH COMMUNITIES MAY USE IN PLANNING FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THEIR EFFORTS IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION. THE STRATEGY EXAMINES HOW THE ARRANGEMENTS IN SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS EDUCATION, WORK, THE FAMILY, AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE AFFECT YOUTHS. BELIEVING THAT YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IS DETERMINED PRINCIPALLY BY THE INFLUENCE AND OPPORTUNITIES OF THE SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY LIVE, A SECOND ASPECT OF THE DESIGN PROVIDES GUIDANCE FOR DIRECTING CHANGE IN SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS -- PARTICULARLY THE SOCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXTS SURROUNDING THE WORLD OF WORK, TRADITIONAL AND ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL PROCESSES, AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. A THIRD ASPECT OF THE DESIGN PROPOSES A DEVELOPING THEORY OF COORDINATION WHICH WOULD PROVIDE METHODS AND PROCEDURES FOR EFFECTING CHANGES IN AGENCY-AGENCY RELATIONS AND WOULD PERMIT IMPROVED MANAGEMENT OF INTERORGANIZATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES IN THE PURSUIT OF COMMUNITY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES. A METHOD OF PLANNED EXPERIMENTATION TO BE USED AS A GUIDE FOR THE APPLICATION OF THE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE DESIGN IS THE FOURTH ASPECT DISCUSSED. THE APPENDIXES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: A SELECTIVE VIEW OF THEORETICAL WORK BEARING ON INTERORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS, SYSTEM DESCRIPTION, ANALYZING INTERORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS, FLOW ANALYSIS NOTES, A DISCUSSION OF AN APPROACH TO YOUTH EMPLOYMENT, AND NOTES ON DIVERSION. (RCB)