The author presents a subjective view of the variety of interactions between volunteer counselors and juvenile offenders. This article describes some of the activities shared by the counselors and probationers, and the way in which these shared experiences served to help establish and maintain rapport. The volunteer counselors stress the…

Juvenile Assessment Centers (JAC) can provide intervention through assessment of first-time misdemeanor offenders so that they do not become more involved in the juvenile justice system. In this practicum study, offenders are placed in a nonjudicial diversion and given a chance to repay the victim for the misdeed committed. In phase one of the…

The document presents hearings before the Subcommittee on Public Health, Education, Welfare, and Safety of the 92nd Congress concerning the proposed District of Columbia Youth Act of 1971. The bill proposed to establish a Youth Commission, an Office of Youth Commissioner, and a Youth Commissioner's Advisory Board to plan, coordinate, and monitor…

Reports psychological benefits of participation in caving, rock climbing, ropes, and teams course of 30-day adventure program by 56 delinquent youth (ages 11-18). Concludes rope course satisfied independence, rewards, and variety more than caving; rock climbing satisfied independence and rewards more than caving; caving less beneficial than other…

Taught social problem-solving skills and self-evaluation to institutionalized delinquent adolescents as part of a cognitive-behavioral therapy program. Demonstrated improvement in problem-solving on the hypothetical dilemmas, however the self-evaluation procedure had little effect on performance. Follow-up data suggest maintenance of treatment…

An 11-day English back-packing expedition in the Sierra Nevada mountains (Spain) included 4 staff members and 7 youth offenders. The program discouraged criminal behavior and increased the self-esteem of the youth offenders through development of teamwork and a sense of responsibility and commitment to the expedition. (LP)

Considers the wilderness environment as "sacred space," a place pervaded by a sense of power, mystery, and awesomeness that when visited with "full respect and a clean spirit" can lead to positive empowerment. Suggests that a key objective for outdoor programs should be teaching about nature and conservation. Describes positive…

This report evaluates the pilot Intensive Counseling Program which serves juvenile delinquents with community-based group (eight to ten youths) counseling sessions that meet at least four times a week, and are less expensive and more personalized than traditional residential treatment. Youths and parents contract for the program and must be able…

Reviews empirical research on the effects of deinstitutionalization programs on families, focusing on family treatment, labeling, scapegoating of the youth, and widening the net of the juvenile justice system. Raises concerns about the potential cost of deinstitutionalization to family members brought into treatment. (Author/MJL)

Over 5,200 youths processed through a Juvenile Assessment Center during a 20-month period were involved in this study of recidivism predictors. Significant relationships were found between the youths' demographics, dependency referral factors, delinquency referral history variables, and recidivism. Direct implications for service delivery and…

In this study, the authors examined the long-term criminal activity of 176 youths who had participated in either multisystemic therapy (MST) or individual therapy (IT) in a randomized clinical trial (C. M. Borduin et al., 1995). Arrest and incarceration data were obtained on average 13.7 (range = 10.2-15.9) years later when participants were on…

This evaluation profiles the population and studies the recidivism rate for Florida's three community-based, residential group treatment (GT) programs for juvenile delinquents not requiring the more intensive security and isolation of the state's training schools. Other ERIC documents describe the smaller (serving 7-25 youths) positive peer…

This publication deals with group counseling as a technique for dealing with delinquent youth. In a counseling session, youngsters discuss their experiences, feelings, and ideas under the guidance of a leader. Group counseling is recognized as an effective means of reaching hard-to-reach youth. It is hoped that through sharing, former attitudes…

Project STEP (Short Term Elective Program) is an outdoor-educational program that, through teaching wilderness survival skills and affording a necessity for their use, provides juvenile delinquents with a feeling of self-reliance and self-worth. The program is designed for committed youths, primarily males, at least 13 to 14 years of age, but…

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)