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WASHINGTON - JUVENILE PROBATION SUBSIDY PROGRAM EVALUATION, JUNE 1975

NCJ Number
41623
Author(s)
W CORWIN; G LANSTRA
Date Published
1975
Length
85 pages
Annotation
THE WASHINGTON JUVENILE PROBATION SUBSIDY PROGRAM SOUGHT TO REDUCE UNNECESSARY COMMITMENTS OF JUVENILES TO STATE REHABILITATION FACILITIES BY PERMITTING THE SUBSIDIZATION OF THE COST OF SPECIALIZED COUNTY PROBATION SUPERVISION.
Abstract
THE CONCEPT OF PROBATION SUBSIDY ORIGINATED IN CALIFORNIA WHERE THE PROGRAM PAID ITS OWN WAY--THE SAVINGS IN THE COST OF INSTITUTIONALIZATION WERE SHARED WITH PARTICIPATING COUNTIES (THOSE PROVIDING THE COMMUNITY PROBATION SUPERVISION IN LIEU OF STATE IMPRISONMENT) IN THE FORM OF A SUBSIDY PAYMENT. THE PROBATION SUBSIDY PROGRAM IN WASHINGTON HOPED TO REDUCE COMMITMENT RATES TO JUVENILE INSTITUTIONS BY 25 PERCENT OR MORE IN PARTICIPATING COUNTIES, REDUCE THE COSTS OF REHABILITATION AND CUSTODY, PROVIDE HIGHER QUALITY PROBATION SERVICES, AND REDUCE PROBATION CASELOADS. THE EVALUATION DATA WERE OBTAINED THROUGH PROGRAM FILES AND A UNIFORM REPORTING SYSTEM DEVISED IN ADVANCE AND EMPLOYED BY ALL PARTICIPATING COUNTIES. THESE DATA WERE USED TO ASSESS THE PERFORMANCE OF THE PROGRAM OBJECTIVES. COMMITMENTS TO THE STATE INSTITUTION FELL IMMEDIATELY; BY 1972 THE NUMBER OF ADMISSIONS WAS HALF ITS PRE-PROGRAM LEVEL. THE EVALUATION FOUND A SAVINGS OF $19,000 PER YEAR PER SUBSIDIZED JUVENILE, WITH TOTAL PROGRAM SAVINGS EVENTUALLY PROJECTED AT $14 MILLION. SUBJECTIVE SURVEY TECHNIQUES FOUND THAT THE QUALITY OF THE PROBATION SERVICES IMPROVED DUE TO THE SUBSIDIES. EXTENSIVE STATISTICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ARE APPENDED....MSP