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Working Together Through School-Based Probation

NCJ Number
149526
Journal
Student Assistance Journal Dated: (May-June 1993) Pages: 26-27
Author(s)
G Saul; P J Werrell
Date Published
1993
Length
2 pages
Annotation
The School-Based Probation Services Program in Allentown, Pa., physically places juvenile probation officers in public schools as a means of reaching high-risk students involved with the Lehigh County juvenile probation department.
Abstract
The program was developed after the Allentown School District Student Assistance Program (SAP) realized that greater cooperation between the school district and Lehigh County juvenile probation department would better assist students. SAP teams were aware that students were often involved in more than one at-risk behavior, but confidentiality issues prevented the team from knowing who was on probation. Similarly, the student's probation officer was often unaware of the behaviors that school personnel were observing. A 1990 grant from the Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judges' Commission funded the program, which aims to reduce disciplinary referrals, detentions, suspensions, and absenteeism and improve academic achievement. The school- based probation officer is a member of the SAP team, attend group facilitator trainings, coordinate reentry conferences for students returning to school following out-of-home placement, and make home contacts. Statistics from the program's first year indicate positive results. A change in attitudes of students not participating directly in the probation program has also been noted.