An increasing amount of pressure has been directed toward juvenile court operations, much of which has focused on the hypothesized abuse of the broad discretionary decision‐making power that has traditionally been vested in the court. In this paper, we attempt to examine the extent to which factors not directly associated with the nature of the alleged offense may alter the probability that a juvenile w.11 be referred for a formal hearing in the juvenile court, a step which many analysts feel may have the unintended function of promoting rather than inhibiting subsequent involvement in delinquent behavior. Based on an analysis of 346 cases, our findings show that a number of variables that are not of direct legal relevance do exert a significant influence on the dispositional process, but the magnitude of this influence is not as great as many have been led to expect given the orientation of some explanatory models, particularly those based on the propositions of the labeling school.
This study involves an examination of the relative impact of legal and extra-legal variables on dispositional outcomes bhi pre-court and court level officials in the juvenile court system. A number of studies have documented variations in case processing by police, probation officers and judges in the Juvenile Court. They reveal that differential criteria influence the disposition decisions of cases seen bY these officials. Results from this studi' demonstrate that legalfactors play a more important role in the official processing of juvenile offenders than extra-legal variables. Screening decisions by probation officers depend primarily on legal aspects of the case and secondarily on physical attributes of the defendant; legal variables and social variables are more salient in judicial level decision-making.
The victimization of confined juvenile offenders by their peers focuses attention on the problems of individual adjustment and cop ing in large correctional settings. A study of inmates' behavior in six coeducational training schools of a southeastern state found high rates of victimization and personal intimidation of white youths by more dominant and aggressive black residents. However, the level of vic timization or inmate violence in these six training schools was not comparable to what has been reported in studies carried out in other states. Even so, the nature of the institutional life reported by resi dents and staff suggests that the policy of incarcerating juvenile of fenders in large correctional centers is of questionable value.
Rapid growth in the number of nonprofits has created a shortage of trained staff and experienced volunteer leadership for nonprofit organizations. The Nonprofit Education Initiative (NEI) in South Carolina developed the DIRECTIONS nonprofit resource assessment model to provide tools to help nonprofits better meet the challenges facing our communities-tools that will help nonprofits develop effective plans, integrate resources, diversify revenue, communicate effective messages, and motivate constituents. These tools are also inexpensive and available close to home. The research and development process was a cooperative effort between the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management and Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service, with funding from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. Cooperative Extension is a component of the land grant university system, the largest educational delivery system in the world. Cooperative Extension' s role is to plan, execute, deliver, and evaluate learning programs consistent with locally identified needs. It helps people acquire the understanding, capabilities, attitudes, and skills essential to solving farm, home, and community problems. This article gives a background of the challenges facing nonprofit organizations in South Carolina, the steps taken to develop this new assessment model, and results of research conducted throughout the development process.
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