DOI: 10.3886/icpsr02991.v1
title: Evaluating the Impact of Alternative Placement Programs for Juveniles in a Southwestern State, 1983-1995: [United States]
title: Version 1

description: This study addressed the question of whether alternative
 correctional programs were more effective than traditional training
 schools in reducing recidivism among juvenile offenders. Alternative
 programs were defined as halfway homes, group homes, foster homes,
 ranches, camping programs, and specialized vocational programs, while
 training schools were defined as secure, restrictive custody programs
 in institutional settings. The goal of this study was to assess the
 impact of alternative program placements versus training school for a
 12-year period on 266 juvenile delinquents remanded to youth
 facilities in a southwestern state in 1983. Subjects chosen for the
 study were 298 youth who had been committed by a county court to a
 statewide juvenile corrections program between January 1, 1983, and
 July 1, 1983. The sample was representative of the youth commission's
 population of juvenile offenders in terms of age, race, and sex. All
 were first time commitments, and the original commitment offense for a
 majority of the youth was a nonviolent property crime, such as
 burglary or theft. From this original sample, 32 juveniles were
 eliminated from the study because they were not adequately exposed to
 either an institutional or alternative program. The final sample
 consisted of 266 juvenile offenders, of which 164 were placed in
 institutions and 102 were placed in alternative programs. Youth were
 not randomly assigned to programs. Juveniles with particular
 characteristics were automatically assigned to certain types of
 programs. All violent offenders were placed in institutions. The study
 was designed to include a lengthy follow-up period, a focus on subject
 by program interaction effects, and the use of survival analysis to
 examine the timing of recidivism as well as its incidence. Recidivism
 was defined as the first arrest or parole revocation that took place
 within the follow-up period. The follow-up period was approximately 12
 years, from the parole assignment until September 1, 1995. Data were
 collected primarily from the administrative records of the state youth
 commission. The commission also obtained additional follow-up data
 from the state Department of Public Safety and the state Department of
 Corrections. Additionally, family background data were collected from
 each youth's parole officer in response to a survey conducted
 specifically for this study in September 1994. Demographic variables
 include commitment age, race, and sex. Psychosocial variables include
 family environment and IQ. Other independent variables include
 program placement status, delinquency risk scales, and program
 adjustment measures. The dependent variable is recidivism, measured as
 both a discrete variable indicating whether an arrest occurred and
time until first arrest offense after parole.
description: A central issue in research on juvenile crime
 concerns the effectiveness of correctional programs in promoting
 rehabilitation and reducing recidivism among delinquent youth. This
 study addressed the specific question of whether alternative
 correctional programs were more effective than traditional training
 schools in reducing recidivism among juvenile offenders. Alternative
 programs were defined as halfway homes, group homes, foster homes,
 ranches, camping programs, and specialized vocational programs, while
 training schools were defined as secure, restrictive custody programs
 in institutional settings. The goal of this study was to assess the
 impact of alternative program placements versus training school for a
 12-year period on 266 juvenile delinquents remanded to youth
facilities in a southwestern state in 1983.
description: Subjects chosen for the study were 298 youth who
 had been committed by a county court to a statewide juvenile
 corrections program between January 1, 1983 and July 1, 1983. The
 sample was representative of the youth commission's population of
 juvenile offenders in terms of age, race, and sex. All were first time
 commitments, and the original commitment offense for a majority of the
 youth was a nonviolent property crime, such as burglary or theft. From
 this original sample, 32 juveniles were eliminated from the study
 because they were not adequately exposed to either an institutional or
 alternative program. The final sample consisted of 266 juvenile
 offenders, of which 164 were placed in institutions and 102 were
 placed in alternative programs. Youth were not randomly assigned to
 programs. Juveniles with particular characteristics were automatically
 assigned to certain types of programs. All violent offenders were
 placed in institutions. On average, those with a prolonged or more
 serious history of delinquency, those who had committed more serious
 crimes, or those who showed lesser adjustment upon their admission to
 the youth commission were more likely to have been assigned to
 institutional rather than alternative programs. The study was designed
 to include a lengthy follow-up period, a focus on subject by program
 interaction effects, and the use of survival analysis to examine the
 timing of recidivism as well as its incidence. Recidivism was defined
 as the first arrest or parole revocation that took place within the
 follow-up period. Parole assignment dates for youth in the study
 varied from mid-summer 1983 until September 1984. The last arrest
 record found for any case was dated August 1995. The follow-up period
 was approximately 12 years, from the parole assignment until September
 1, 1995. Data were collected primarily from the administrative
 records of the state youth commission. The commission also obtained
 additional follow-up data from the state Department of Public Safety
 and the state Department of Corrections. Additionally, family
 background data were collected from each youth's parole officer in
 response to a survey conducted specifically for this study in
September 1994.
description: Demographic variables include commitment age, race,
 and sex. Psychosocial variables include family environment and IQ.
 Other independent variables include program placement status,
 delinquency risk scales, and program adjustment measures. The
 dependent variable is recidivism, measured as both a discrete variable
 indicating whether an arrest occurred and time until first arrest
offense after parole.
description: Response Rates: Not applicable.
description: Presence of Common Scales: Scales were created to measure family problems, offense
 seriousness, prior delinquency, and observed behavior. The Wechsler
Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS IQ) was also used.
description: Datasets: 
DS1: Evaluating the Impact of Alternative Placement Programs for Juveniles in a Southwestern State, 1983-1995: [United States]
description: All juveniles who had been committed by a county court to
 the juvenile corrections program in a southwestern state between
January 1, 1983, and July 1, 1983.
description: The user guide and codebook are provided by ICPSR as a
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 obtain a copy of the Acrobat Reader is provided on the ICPSR Web
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