Studied 340 former inmates of two reform schools. One school emphasized psychological treatment; the other school stressed harsh punishment. Results suggested that "milieu therapy" works in adolescence, but has no discernible effect after age 24. Ethnicity had a powerful effect on recidivism. (JAC)

Reviews several aspects of counseling services for institutionalized juvenile offenders. The six articles include studies on the functional analysis of behavior in detention, vocational and social rehabilitation, the impact of a juvenile awareness program on personality traits, and the effectiveness of a juvenile transition center. (JAC)

The report of this New Jersey state task force is part of a proposed legislative package. This article cites some of the task force recommendations for restructuring the juvenile court system, dealing with violence and vandalism in the schools, and providing alternative schools for disruptive students. (SJL)

A survey of the outdoor activity programming available to high-risk youth in the United Kingdom reveals limited availability of programs, little evidence of intensive personal development or therapeutic work in programs, and a significant interest among providers and users in sharing information and ideas. (LP)

Describes three successful partnerships between the Colorado Department of Youth Corrections, two higher education institutions, and one private organization which provide education, mental health, and orientation services to incarcerated youth in Colorado. (Author)

Single-case design methodology is evaluated for its effect on treatment outcomes. Participants were juvenile delinquents treated by probation officers with social work degrees in Israel. A quasi-experimental design used measures of the functioning of participants in several settings as dependent variables. Results are presented and discussed. (EMK)

A 4-day adventure ropes course with 20 Colombian adolescents who belonged to gangs that worked for drug traffickers produced noticeable changes in their attitudes and behavior. As a result, two of them left their barrio in search of a better life, and two began work as gardeners in a public park. (TD)

Explores the changes in the juvenile court system, in particular, the juvenile waiver and sentencing laws, as it transformed from a social welfare agency into a type of criminal court system for young offenders. Addresses whether states should create an integrated juvenile and criminal justice system. (CMK)

Believes that the drop in urban teenage crime can be attributed to the change in how communities meet the needs of children and teenagers. Compares the U.S. cities with successful youth programs to ones that lack resources. Recommends that suburban and rural communities should also adopt programs to combat youth crime and violence. (CMK)

Discusses the use of law-related education as an alternative to formal court in Kentucky's juvenile justice system focusing on the Court-Designated Worker (CDW) Program that processes public and status complaints on individuals under 18 years old. Encourages practitioners in similar settings to pilot a law-related education program. (CMK)

Delinquency and vandalism are serious problems in secondary schools today. These problems, coupled with the fear of retaliation and the complications of the present legal system, are examined for causes and possible solutions in this newsletter article. Some causes of this delinquency are listed as: (1) alienation from society due to economic…

Reports results of meta-analysis to quantitatively summarize prior empirical research on alternative schools. Alternative education programs have a small overall effect on school performance, attitudes toward school, and self-esteem, but no effect on delinquency. Programs that target a specific population of at-risk youth produce larger effects…

Research on the origin of sexual aggression has identified several important contributing factors: (a) early abuse (physical and sexual), (b) personality/behavioral traits (callousness and unemotionality, antisocial behavior/impulsivity, and hypersexuality), and (c) attitudinal/cognitive variables (negative masculinity, hostility toward women,…

Describes the development and implementation of a career guidance program for delinquent youth in residential-treatment settings. The program's goals are to acquire knowledge of strengths and weaknesses, interests and values, use resources to gain knowledge of the working world, acquire decision-making skills, work with others, and develop job…

Recommends the use of the Group Reading Inventory (GRI), an informal survey instrument, to identify general reading abilities of individuals in correctional facilities. Discusses why the GRI is appropriate for use, guidelines for constructing a GRI, and procedures for administering, scoring, and interpreting the instrument. (NRJ)