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BASIC READINGS IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

NCJ Number
46337
Editor(s)
C V MARTIN
Date Published
1976
Length
66 pages
Annotation
THIS COLLECTION OF RESEARCH PAPERS EXAMINES A SERIES OF VARIOUS TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR JUVENILE DELINQUENTS. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EACH APPROACH AND ITS SUITABILITY FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF OFFENDERS ARE APPRAISED.
Abstract
THE PAPER DISCUSSES TWO COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS, THREE GROUP THERAPY PROGRAMS, ONE PROGRAM WORKING WITH YOUTHS WHO HAVE SEVERE LEARNING DISABILITIES, ONE ON THE USE OF PSYCHODRAMA WITH BOTH DELINQUENT AND PREDELINQUENT JUVENILES, A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, AND TWO BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION RESEARCH PROGRAMS. THE GROUP COUNSELING PROJECTS ALL FOUND THAT THE CRITICAL VARIABLE IS THE RAPPORT DEVELOPED BETWEEN THE YOUNG PERSON AND THE COUNSELOR. FOR OFFENDERS, A MALE COUNSELOR IS OFTEN THE FIRST GOOD MALE ROLE MODEL EVER ENCOUNTERED. THE GROUP SETTING ALSO OFFERS ADVANTAGES OVER INDIVIDUAL THERAPY BECAUSE JUVENILES ARE PEER-ORIENTED AND ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO RESPOND IF SUPPORTED BY A GROUP. OFTEN THE GROUP HAS GREATER INSIGHT INTO A PROBLEM THAN THE COUNSELOR. THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM WAS BASED ON THE PREMISE THAT THE DELINQUENT HAS KNOWN LITTLE BUT FAILURE. THROUGH CONSISTENT, PATIENT TEACHING, READING LEVELS WERE RAISED AND NONVERBAL SKILLS DEVELOPED. THE PSYCHODRAMA PROVED VALUABLE IN ENCOURAGING JUVENILES TO EXPRESS PROBLEMS AND FAMILY SITUATIONS; SUGGESTIONS FOR USE OF THIS TECHNIQUE ARE GIVEN IN DETAIL. THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM USED TRAINED PERSONS FROM THE COMMUNITY TO HANDLE MINOR OFFENDERS AND TO ADMINISTER PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS. THIS PROGRAM WAS QUITE EFFECTIVE. THE OVERWORKED PROBATION DEPARTMENT OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY, KANSAS, WAS ABLE TO CHANNEL A GREAT DEAL OF ROUTINE WORK TO THE VOLUNTEERS, THUS FREEING TRAINED PROBATION OFFICERS FOR MORE SERIOUS CASES. THE BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION STUDIES INDICATE THAT TREATMENT IN THE JUVENILE'S COMMUNITY IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN TREATMENT IN A STATE TRAINING SCHOOL. THEY ALSO CONCLUDE THAT THE DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR IS PART OF A TOTAL FAMILY PATHOLOGY AND THAT THE FAMILY SITUATION MUST BE DEALT WITH TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM. FOR SELECTED INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, SEE NCJ 37118-31119, 29773, 29806, AND 46338-46342. (GLR)