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Adolescent Abuse - A Guide for Custody Personnel

NCJ Number
97095
Date Published
1984
Length
39 pages
Annotation
Written for staff of California agencies dealing with delinquent youth, this manual describes the signs of adolescent abuse in institutions. It addresses these agencies' reporting responsibilities and discusses facility functioning and case management in terms of appropriate discipline and treatment of youth.
Abstract
The manual explains how adolescent abuse differs from child abuse and how to identify emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. The law regarding who must report abuse, what must be reported, and the consequences of reporting is outlined. Factors in the institutional atmosphere which might cause the staff to be abusive are reviewed, and reactions to adolescents' problem behavior are discussed in the context of a range of appropriateness from what might be harmful reactions to what is optimal. Ways to substitute appropriate behavior control methods for inappropriate ones are suggested. Management responsibilities in terms of screening potentially abusive workers, training staff, and setting policy are detailed. The impact of adolescent abuse on treatment plans and case management and special programs developed by probation departments for these youth are described. A bibliography listing 12 references and appendixes presenting statements from the law, forms, and policies and procedures from two counties are provided.