Analyzes the need for a professional identity for alternative education, and claims that teaching in alternative and correctional settings should be recognized as a legitimate career path. (SR)

Several studies have shown that a high proportion of criminal delinquents have learning disabilities. In a study started in 1993, Correctional Services of Canada examined learning disabilities as a negative element in the social reintegration of inmates. It was determined that corrective treatment of learning disorders could help the inmates…

Describes and evaluates a holistic resocialization program used by the Texas Youth Commission that has been integrated into the state's education, treatment, and correctional programs for incarcerated youth. Goals of the program are to help ensure that the youth can generalize the skills they gain through these processes to situations outside the…

Narrates a young inmate's story of prison life. Describes how he was imprisoned at age 13 and was soon transferred to an adult prison. Discusses feelings of isolation and the brutal life of prisoners. Presents ideas on why youth join gangs and the importance of a warm, family environment. (RJM)

Examined risk and protective factors of youth offenders and their relation to recidivism. It was found that protective factors, specifically personal characteristics, familial conditions, and peer selection, differentiated nonrepeat offenders and repeat offenders. Present findings support adaptive model of resiliency and reinforces importance of…

On June 5, 2001, Brian Hancock graduated from law school. His story behind the story is significant to those concerned with reclaiming troubled teens. Ten years earlier at age fourteen, Brian was facing the prospect of spending the rest of his life in adult prison. This is his story as told to Scott Larson. (Author)

"Common sense" is often used as a powerful rationale for implementing correctional programs that have no basis in criminology and virtually no hope of reducing recidivism. Within this context, we undertake a case study in "common-sense' corrections by showing how the rise of boot camps, although having multiple causes, was ultimately legitimized…

Voluntary survey responses of adolescents in corrections facilities (N=893) are compared to those of adolescents in public schools. Findings are highlighted in the following areas: (1) "Youth, Their Families and Their Environments," which includes sections on population description, family composition and relationships, family alcohol…

Wilderness Alternative for Youth (WAY), conducted by the Pacific Crest Outward Bound School, is a treatment program for adjudicated youth that integrates wilderness or adventure therapy with a community-based component. Participants were 115 boys and girls, aged 13-18, recommended by court counselors and screened for appropriateness by Outward…

Results do not support the general concensus of earlier researchers that whites generally respond more favorably than blacks to counseling and psychotherapy. Study concludes that for the black females the long term effects of group counseling are substantially superior. (Author/AM)

The effect of race and counselor climate on the preferences of delinquent girls for a counselor is investigated. The findings indicate that the strongest preference for a counselor among delinquent girls was when counseling was related to educational-vocational matters. White subjects preferred the black counselor in terms of the personal-social…

This manual provides information for volunteers with the North Carolina Division of Youth Services. It describes the Division's history in developing correctional facilities, its philosophy and goals, and the administration of its training schools and detention centers. It cites examples of volunteer involvement in the areas of administrative and…

An overview is presented of select research performed under a project entitled "Education, Delinquency Prevention, and the Search for Youth Policy: An Historical Inquiry." This overview contains two discrete essays that synthesize the main findings of seven key writers in the field of juvenile delinquency between 1900 and 1930 and…

This report presents data on the social, legal, and demographic characteristics of youth admitted to the residential programs of the New York State Division for Youth (DFY) during 1984. These programs offer services for youth referred by the courts, social services, and other agencies. The report is divided into seven sections. Section 1 outlines…

This booklet provides a brief introduction to the juvenile justice system, in lay person's terms, for parents of juveniles in trouble and other nonprofessionals, such as merchants, teachers, and the general public. The booklet begins with some basic information about juvenile crime and the juvenile justice system, followed by answers to some…