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Implementing Parent/Child Mediation in Youth Corrections Settings

NCJ Number
161399
Author(s)
J Sidwell; Smith
Date Published
1995
Length
111 pages
Annotation
This manual is intended to assist youth corrections professionals and community mediation agency personnel in implementing parent/child mediation with families of youth released from juvenile correctional facilities.
Abstract
Through the mediation process, juvenile inmates and their parents can negotiate agreements for daily living before the residents' release to the home. The mediation process assists families in preparing for the return home of the juvenile status offender or juvenile delinquent. The mediation is intended to improve families' communication skills, clarify expectations and sanctions, and negotiate responsibilities and privileges. The process has five steps: (1) the opening stage, (2) defining the issues, (3) processing the issues, (4) resolving the issues, and (5) making an agreement. Issues may include household chores, curfew, social life and friends, school attendance, academic performance, money and allowance, parent/child communication patterns, relationships with siblings, and employment. The manual explains different mediation models and referral methods and details the steps involved in implementation. Twenty-eight activities for parent-child mediation training are also presented. Appended forms and agreements, order form, lists of resource organizations and periodicals, and 8 references