Alternative Treatment for Juvenile Offenders

As Smith, Usinger-Lesquereux and Evans (1999) have commented, research studies continue to document the alarmingly high prevalence of juvenile delinquency and the persistence of juvenile crime in the United States. A large variety of competing intervention approaches have been developed to combat juvenile delinquency and crime, among which incarceration, various counseling strategies, "boot camps," group homes, educational and skills-based interventions, and alternative residential placement are prominent. The purpose of this report is to identify and evaluate these alternative treatments and interventions to determine which strategies offer greatest promise for reducing juvenile delinquency and crime.

To that end a qualitative, narrative review of relevant theoretical and empirical literature was conducted. As subsequent sections of this report demonstrate, and as studies conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (2001) have confirmed, there is no "one-size-fits-all" or universally effective treatment or intervention strategy that works consistently. Indeed, as the discussion below indicates, reducing juvenile crime or delinquency is a complex and challenging process that often requires tailoring interventions to the specific needs and problems manifested by an offender.

Various treatment alternatives are identified in the literature. The

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Kadish, Glaser, Calhoun, and Risler (1999) reviewed the results of counseling service provided in Clarke County, Georgia. A total of 55 male and female adjudicated delinquent youth ages 9 to 17 were provided with individual and group counseling for a four to six month period. Results indicate that there was a low rate of recidivism among participants with only 25 percent reoffending. A comparison sample of juveniles who received regular probation services without counseling was employed. Among this group, 64 percent reoffended. The study further revealed that the counseling program offered by the Juvenile Court of Clarke County, Georgia provided juveniles with more effective and socially acceptable ways of solving problems, anger management training and social skills training, and with lifestyle and career decision training. A study by Moody and Lupton-Smith (1999) explored the efficacy of Moral Dilemma Discussion Groups (MDG), Just Communities, Positive Peer Culture (PPC), and a program known as EQUIP for their appropriateness in intervening with juveniles in a residential setting. All of these programs were characterized as recognizing the importance of peer influence and for using peers for positive impact. Peer cou
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Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page)

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