ERIC Number: ED287795
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1985
Pages: N/A
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Law-Related Education Evaluation Project (United States), 1979-1984 [machine-readable data file].
Social Science Education Consortium, Inc., Boulder, CO.; Illinois Univ., Urbana. Russian and East European Center.
The "Law-Related Education Evaluation Project" evaluated the degree of awareness of and receptivity to law-related education (LRE) among selected relevant professional groups, the progress toward institutionalization of LRE at certain sites, and the impact of LRE on students, especially in terms of delinquency rates. The project ran from 1979 to 1984. Mail-out surveys were utilized for the awareness-type data. Pre-post testing of knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported delinquency of school children was done for the impact studies. The professional organizations selected were all dedicated to the advancement of LRE in elementary, junior high, and senior high schools: e.g., Constitutional Rights Foundation, Law in a Free Society, the National Street Law Institute, the American Bar Association's Special Committee on Youth Education for Citizenship, the Children's Legal Rights Information and Training Program, and the Phi Alpha Delta Committee for Juvenile Justice. The awareness evaluation research investigated two issues: (1) the degree of increase in awareness of and receptivity toward LRE among the nation's educators and juvenile justice professionals, as well as the degree of LRE's institutionalization in certain targeted states; (2) the degree to which LRE could produce changes in students' knowledge of and attitudes about the law, and reduce juvenile delinquency (measured both by self-reported delinquency rates and by attitudes previously shown to be correlated with delinquent behavior). Two annual awareness surveys were undertaken, using mail-out questionnaires sent to the selected professional organizations, school principals, juvenile justice personnel, and law school deans. The respondents were asked what they thought of LRE in terms of its impact on students and usefulness in the curriculum, whether LRE should be required, what type of publicity had contributed to their awareness of LRE, the degree of involvement that they would be willing to have in promoting or developing LRE programs, and their opinions of various LRE projects. The groups were surveyed in 1981 (2,500 questionnaires, 1,790 responses) and again in 1982 (4,000 questionnaires, 1,200 responses), resulting in two data files. For the student impact evaluation research, tests of knowledge were given, as well as attitude tests measuring isolation from school, delinquent peer influence, negative labeling, and attitudes toward violence. A self-reported delinquency questionnaire was administered to students prior to their taking LRE classes, and again at the end of the semester, to permit a pre-post comparison. Control group students (not taking LRE courses) were also tested for comparison purposes. Two sets of impact data were obtained, one for the 1982-83 academic year and one for the 1983-84 academic year. For 1982-83, 1,348 students in grades 5-12 from 61 classes in 20 schools at 9 sites in 5 states (Colorado, California, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina) were surveyed. For 1983-84, 1,120 students in grades 5-12 from 44 classes in 13 schools at 4 sites in 4 states (Illinois was not represented) were surveyed. Two data files resulted from these impact surveys. Each of the four files comprising this data bank is composed of fixed-length records, one record per respondent for the two mail-out/survey files, and one record per case for the two student impact files. (CDM/WTB)
Descriptors: Antisocial Behavior, Classroom Environment, Course Evaluation, Curriculum Evaluation, Delinquency, Delinquency Prevention, Drinking, Drug Use, Elementary School Students, Ethnic Groups, Grade Point Average, Labeling (of Persons), Law Related Education, National Surveys, Pretests Posttests, Principals, Program Evaluation, Risk, Sampling, Sanctions, School Surveys, School Vandalism, Secondary School Students, Statistical Surveys, Stealing, Student Attitudes, Student Behavior, Superintendents, Violence
Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), P.O. Box 1248, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Telephone: (313) 764-2570.
Publication Type: Machine-Readable Data Files
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Inst. for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (Dept. of Justice/LEAA), Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: Social Science Education Consortium, Inc., Boulder, CO.; Illinois Univ., Urbana. Russian and East European Center.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A