The authors present a detailed description of an integrated program that includes skill context in (1) personal development, (2) work assistance, (3) communication, and (4) life skills. The program is designed to help behaviorally disordered adolescents prepare for reintegration into the mainstream of society. (Author/CH)

In 2000, a multi-agency plan was developed for the vocational education of youth in juvenile commitment facilities. Part 1 of the plan describes the Plan Narrative, which provides contextual information and describes events leading up to the development of the plan, the rationale for creating the plan, and the characteristics of vocational…

A House of Representatives committee received testimony on programs for migrant children and for neglected and delinquent youth in the context of reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Title I, Parts C and D, respectively. The director of the U.S. Office of Migrant Education explained changes in the reauthorization,…

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…

Examines the sociocultural context of delinquency in one country and the rehabilitation of youthful offenders within the nexus of the extended family system. Assesses the impact of colonization on the system of juvenile justice and shows that juvenile delinquency is very low. Makes numerous recommendations regarding juvenile justice. (RJM)

Describes the Maison Paternelle de St Antoine near Tours, France, which operated as a private institution for the correction of recalcitrant bourgeois adolescents from 1855 until 1909. Cites the suicide of an inmate as the factor which led to the closing of this facility and the focusing of attention in France on the rights of children. (KO)

Describes the principles of the Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) model and how these principles are expressed in a program serving delinquent and dependent youth in Pennsylvania. Discusses creating a BARJ culture, competency-based curriculum, unique features of the Pennsylvania program, and student discipline. (SR)

A study compared the recidivism rate of two groups of Native Canadian inmates. The experimental group of offenders (n=31) received intensive pre-release support, including counseling, training in creative problem solving, career awareness sessions, and on-the-job experiences. Individuals in the experimental groups were much less likely to…

Describes Project Adventure's Legacy program, a 12-bed, 10-month residential program for juvenile sex-offenders in Georgia. Most offenders started as victims, so the program must address their early sexual trauma. Adventure-based counseling, with its emphasis on the total mind-body experience, is especially suited for this. Sidebars present the…

A young man who completed Project Adventure's Legacy Program for young sex offenders in Georgia explains how group therapy and adventure programming help participants understand their behaviors and develop empathy for their victims. A follow-up program uses adventure to develop healthy living habits, requires completion of high school or GED, 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…

A sports counseling scheme for young people on criminal probation in Hampshire (England) was developed in the 1980s as a partnership between the Sports Council and the Probation Service. The scheme aims to encourage offenders, aged 14 and up, to make constructive use of their leisure time; to allow participants the opportunity to have positive…

This digest summarizes available information on the educational needs of disabled youth in correctional facilities. The high incidence of disabilities among incarcerated youth is noted and explanations are offered (e.g., they may not be recognized as disabled). The following topics are addressed: entitlement of youths with disabilities in…