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Abstract
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VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
The goal of this study by Moore was to evaluate the effectiveness of a volunteer citizen counseling program for high-risk young male offenders.
METHODOLOGY:
An experimental design was used for this study. The 100 male high-risk offenders were chosen from a probation departments presentence investigation report. The offenders were assigned to the study if the report showed that they had severe adjustmental problems or were seen as high-risk for additional offenses. These offenders were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The groups were citizen counseling with regular probation or just regular probation. The volunteer counselors were screened by a probation officer. The citizens were matched carefully with the offenders. The comparison group was 50 low-risk offenders selected through a random sample. The low-risk group had fewer previous offenses. This group was assigned to regular probation. The study included a total of 150 Caucasian males with an average age of 18.8 years. The research calculated effectiveness using measures of personality functioning, social competence, and behavior. Personality functioning was measured with five subtests from the California Psychological Inventory. Social competence was measured with three subscales from the Social Competence Scale. Behavior was measured by the seriousness and frequency of offenses committed during probation. Data was collected from various sources. Two weeks before the end of probation the offenders were interviewed and completed written inventories. Four to six weeks after the counseling the citizen counselors were interviewed. Probation officers were interviewed. Court records were collected. Also analyzed were monthly reports from the offender and monthly reports prepared by the citizen and offender together. A two-tailed t test was used for some of the analysis. Characteristics of the counselors were also analyzed. The California Psychological Inventory was also used to measure the counselors.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
The study found that low-risk offenders committed fewer additional offenses. The citizen-counseled group committed less serious and fewer offenses than the high-risk non-counseled group. Citizen-counseled probationers had a lower recidivism rate when excluding traffic offenses than the high-risk non-counseled group. The high-risk counseled group had less offenders who committed more than one additional offense. The high-risk counseled group had more offenders who committed fewer offenses while on probation than during the previous year. The data showed using a t test that on measures of regularity of employment, educational progress, social participation, and personality functioning the low-risk offenders were superior to the other groups. The study found that the high-risk counseled group made greater educational advancement, were employed more regularly, seemed to be more responsible, less rebellious, and less impulsive than the other high-risk group. It was reported that neither high-risk group expressed interest in organized social activities. The study was also concerned with characteristics of the citizen counselors. It found that the counselors scored above means on the test norms of the California Psychological Inventory. The citizen group was characterized by sensitivity to needs and feelings, verbal fluency, persuasiveness, dependability, openness to new ideas, enthusiasm, conscientiousness, flexibility in thinking, and self-confidence. The mean age was 27.7 years and the mean education was 14.8 years. All of the citizen counselors had previously counseled young offenders in the program. The counseling program lasted approximately ten months. Counseling sessions included addressing personal problems, financial problems, educational issues, and crisis work dealing with personal relationships. Recreation was also a part of the counseling activities. Employment for the offenders was arranged by the counselors. The counseled offenders evaluated the counseling relationship as a favorable experience. The counselees rated the other probationary requirements, such as educational classes, more favorably.
AUTHOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS:
While the study found that the citizen counseling program was effective the author noted some limitations with generalizing the results to other settings. This research had very committed, capable, and experienced volunteers. The author acknowledged that the success of future programs may depend on having equally exceptional volunteers. He also recognized that communities lacking in resources and opportunities may have more trouble maintaining a volunteer counseling program. The study concluded that if recidivism does not drop significantly after the program it may indicate that there is a need for additional programs, not that the counseling program did not work.
(CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
Treatment Program
Program Effectiveness
Program Evaluation
Intervention Program
At Risk Juvenile
At Risk Male
At Risk Youth
Juvenile Male
Juvenile Treatment
Juvenile Offender
Male Offender
Male Treatment
Offender Counseling
Offender Treatment
Community Based
Offender Recidivism
Recidivism Prevention
Juvenile Crime
Crime Intervention
Crime Prevention
Crime Treatment
Prevention Program
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