Type
Text
Type
Dissertation
Advisor
Richard Morgan. | Shelly Cohen | Diana Filiano | Robert Marmo.
Date
2011-05-01
Keywords
Juvenile justice system, Mental Health, PINS diversion, Suffolk County | Social Work
Department
Department of Social Welfare
Language
en_US
Source
This work is sponsored by the Stony Brook University Graduate School in compliance with the requirements for completion of degree.
Identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/11401/71703
Publisher
The Graduate School, Stony Brook University: Stony Brook, NY.
Format
application/pdf
Abstract
Since the 1980's, the common practice in handling juvenile justice involved youth in the United States has been with punitive sanctions and institutional placement. The general agreement among policy makers, politicians and juvenile justice professionals is that there is a better way to help these young men and women than with institutional placement or detention. It has been shown that most youth involved in the juvenile justice system can be better served by community based supports grounded in evidence based principles and practices. The purpose of this study was to discover the factors associated with successful outcomes and failures for youth involved in a juvenile justice diversion program in Suffolk County, New York. The subjects in this research project were all participants in the Suffolk County Alternatives For Youth Program during their first year of operation, from October 2005 until October 2006 (573 youth). AFY uses a wraparound approach involving the collaboration and coordination of juvenile justice, child welfare, mental health and other youth service providers to provide short term intensive assessment and intervention services. The objective of this program is to provide at risk youth and families referrals to services and supports needed to prevent involvement in the juvenile justice system. Through examining the juvenile justice outcomes of the AFY participants, 85% (n=486) did not require any additional court involvement or placement up to five years post AFY intake. Of the remaining 87 participants, 71 (12.4%) were deemed a juvenile delinquent and 16 (2.8%) were adjudicated a PINS (status offender) by Suffolk County Family Court. The outcome data also showed that only 1.9% or 11 youth (of 573 AFY participants) were placed in a residential facility, and only 4.9% (28) of the AFY youth received probation (or Juvenile Treatment Court?).
Recommended Citation
Steinman, Carolyn Anne, "Alternatives For Youth: A Mental Health Perspective" (2011). Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions). 908.
https://commons.library.stonybrook.edu/stony-brook-theses-and-dissertations-collection/908