Delinquency Diversion [microform] : Follow-Up - Interview and Police Data / Donald G. Fischer and Others

Follow-up data are often a neglected part of the evaluation of community programs. Yet, they should be an essential part of the information input to the process of judging effectiveness and whether or not the program should continue. This paper presents follow-up data on a juvenile diversion program which has been operating in a small Western Canadian city over the past three years. Interview data are based on 43 youths and parents and recidivism data are based on a larger diverted group (N=196) and court processed group (N=117). Preliminary results of the interview data are very positive. Both the youths and parents were very favorably disposed to diversion, and all preferred diversion to court (about 1/3 had had court experience). Recidivism data, also were very positive. Almost twice as many court-processed youths (50 percent) as diverted youths (26 percent) recidivated during the one-and-a-half year period following the diversion offense. Results suggest that diversion is the preferred course of action for pre-delinquents. (Author)