Abstract
Social workers involved in the treatment of adjudicated youth commonly encounter youth sentenced to traditional incarceration or parole as a path to rehabilitation. This article examines alternative treatment strategies for adjudicated youth, namely Victim Offender Reconciliation Programs (often called mediation), Boot Camps, and Wrap-Around Community-Based Care, to help these youth avoid reoffending. While popular with the media, policymakers, or the general public, an evaluation of the literature makes it clear that these programs do not necessarily guarantee lower recidivism rates for program participants. It is evident that further research and evaluation must be done in order to more fully understand the drawbacks and benefits of alternative strategies, and to more appropriately help adjudicated youth and their communities.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bazemore, G. & Umbreit, M. (1995). Rethinking the sanctioning function in juvenile court: Retributive or restorative responses to youth crime. Crime and Delinquency 41(3), 296–316.
Burns, J.C., & Vito, G.F. An impact analysis of the Alabama boot camp program. Federal Probation 59(1), 63–67.
Burton, V.S., Marquart, J.W., Cuvelier, S.J., Alaird, L.F., & Hunter, R.J. (1993). A study of attitudinal change among boot camp participants. Federal Probation 57(3), 46–52.
Clarke, R.T., Schaefer, M., Burchard, J.D., & Welkowitz, J.W. (1992). Wrapping community-based mental health services around children with a severe behavioral disorder: An evaluation of Project Wraparound.Journal of Child and Family Studies 1(3), 241–261.
Dore, M.M. & Harnett, J.M. (1995).The role of the volunteer in family-preservation services. Journal of Contemporary Human Services 2, 67–75.
Elrod, P. & Kelley, D. (1995).The ideological context of changing juvenile justice. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare 22(2), 57–75.
Galaway, B. (1988). Crime victim and offender mediation as a social work strategy. Social Service Review 62(4), 668–683.
Garbarino, J., Kostelny, K. & Dubrow, N. (1991). What children tell us about living in danger. American Psychologist 46, 376–83.
Greene, M.B. (1993). Chronic exposure to violence and poverty: Interventions that work for youth. Crime and Delinquency 39(1), 106–124.
Krisberg, B. (1994). Distorted by fear: The make believe war on crime. Social Justice 21(3), 38–49.
Krisberg, F., Schwartz, I.M., Litsky, P., & Austin, J. (1986). The watershed of juvenile justice reform. Crime and Delinquency 32(1), 5–38.
Lab, S.P. & Whitehead, J.T. (1988). An analysis of juvenile correctional treatment. Crime and Delinquency 34(1), 60–83.
MacKenzie, D.L. (1990). Boot camp prisons: Components, evaluations, and empirical issues. Federal Probation 54(3), 44–52.
MacKenzie, D.L. (1991). Boot camp survey: Rehabilitation, recidivism reduction outrank punishment as main goals. Corrections Today 53, 90–92.
MacKenzie, D.L. (1994). Results of a multisite study of boot camp prisons. Federal Probation 58(2), 60–66.
Mathlas, R.E. & Mathews, J.W. (1991). The boot camp program for offenders: Does the shoe fit? International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 35(4), 322–327.
Morash, M. & Rucker, L. (1990). A critical look at the idea of boot camp as a correctional reform. Crime & Delinquency 36(2), 204–222.
Nelson, K.E. (1990). Family-based services for juvenile offenders. Children and Youth Services Review 12, 193–212.
Nelson, K.E., Landsman, M.J., & Deutelbaum, W. (1990). Three models of family-centered placement prevention services. Child Welfare 69(1), 3–21.
Niemeyer, M. & Shichor, D. (1996). A preliminary study of a large victim/offender reconciliation program. Federal Probation 60(3), 30–34.
Northey, W.F., Primer, V., & Christensen, L. (1997). Promoting justice in the delivery of services to juvenile delinquents: The ecosystemic natural wrap-around model. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal 14(1), 5–22.
Nugent, W.R., & Paddock, J.B. (1996). Evaluating the effects of a victim-offender reconciliation program on reoffense. Research on social work practice 6(2), 155–178.
Osler, M.W. (1991). Shock incarceration: Hard realities and real possibilities. Federal Probation 55(1), 34–42.
Peters, M., Thomas, D., & Zamberlan, C. (1997). Boot Camps for Juvenile Offenders. Washington, D.C.: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice.
Rosen, L.D., Heckman, T., Carro, M.G., & Burchard, J.D. (1994). Satisfaction, involvement, and unconditional care: The perceptions of children and adolescents receiving wraparound services. Journal of Child and Family Studies 3(1), 55–67.
Schwartz, I.M., Guo, S., & Kerbs, J.J. (1993). The impact of demographic variables on public opinion regarding juvenile justice: Implications for public policy. Crime and Delinquency 39(1), 5–28.
Severson, M.M. & Bankston, T.V. (1995). Social work and the pursuit of justice through mediation. Social Work 40(5), 683–691.
Simone, M.V. (1984). Group home failures in juvenile justice: The next step. Child Welfare 64(4), 357–366.
Smith, M.K. (1995). Utilization-focused evaluation of a family preservation program. The Journal of Contemporary Human Services 1, 11–19.
Umbreit, M.S. (1989). Crime victims seeking fairness, not revenge: Toward restorative justice. Federal Probation 53(3), 52–57.
Umbreit, M.S. (1991). Mediation of youth conflict: A multi-system perspective. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal 8(2), 141–153.
Umbreit, M.S. (1993). Crime victims and offenders in mediation: An emerging area of social work practice. Social Work 38(1), 69–73.
Umbreit, M.S. (1994). Crime victims confront their offenders: The impact of a Minneapolis mediation program. Research on Social Work Practice 4(4), 436–447.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Flash, K. Treatment Strategies for Juvenile Delinquency: Alternative Solutions. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal 20, 509–527 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:CASW.0000003141.15723.a5
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:CASW.0000003141.15723.a5