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ALBUQUERQUE (NM) - CHIP (CHILDREN IN NEED OF SUPERVISION INTERVENTION PROJECT) - A STUDY OF JUVENILE RECIDIVISM

NCJ Number
46421
Author(s)
L P SUTTON
Date Published
1978
Length
47 pages
Annotation
THE IMPACT OF CHIP IS EVALUATED BY COMPARING RECIDIVISM RATES FOR CHIP CLIENTS WITH RATES FOR OTHER CHILDREN IN NEED OF SUPERVISION (CHINS) OFFENDERS IN BERNALILLO COUNTY, NEW MEXICO.
Abstract
CHIP IS INTENDED TO DIVERT STATUS OFFENDERS AWAY FROM TRADITIONAL DISPOSITIONS AND TOWARD SPECIAL PROGRAMS PROVIDING INTENSIVE INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY COUNSELING. A 50-PERCENT RANDOM SAMPLE OF CHIP CASES SERVED AS THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS IN THE EVALUATION. THE CONTROL GROUP WAS DRAWN FROM CHINS CASES GIVEN OTHER INFORMAL DISPOSITIONS BY THE JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICE. PRIOR RECORD AND OFFENSE CHARGED, THE FOREMOST CONTRIBUTORS TO RECIDIVISM, AFFECTED DIFFERENCES IN POSTTREATMENT SUCCESS BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS. CHIP CLIENTS HAD A SLIGHTLY HIGHER RECIDIVISM RATE THAN CONTROL CLIENTS, PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE GREATER PROPORTION OF RECIDIVISM-RELATED FACTORS AMONG CHIP CLIENTS. CHIP TENDED TO RECEIVE DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH NUMBERS OF HIGH-RISK CASES (RUNAWAYS AND CLIENTS WITH RECORDS OF PRIOR REFERRALS TO JUVENILE AUTHORITIES) AND DISPROPORTIONATELY LOW NUMBERS OF LOW-RISK CASES (E.G., SHOPLIFTING). NEVERTHELESS, 67 PERCENT OF THE CHIP CLIENTS STUDIED AVOIDED SUBSEQUENT CONTACT WITH JUVENILE AUTHORITIES. DETAILS OF EVALUATION METHODOLOGY AND SUPPORTING DATA ARE PROVIDED. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA ARE INCLUDED.