This study was designed to test the responses of a group of juvenile delinquests and a group of normal adolescents to a sentence completion test. The test used was a modified form of Sack's Sentence Completion test in two forms--form A, first person stems and form B, third person stems. The hypothesis to be tested were (1) people project more in the third person, (2) the normal projects more, and (3) there would be no difference in projection on neutral items. The results bear out the three hypothesis. The sex scale, however, was an exception. This may be due to the deficiency of items on this particular scale.

Research on juvenile offender treatment and intervention has called for a shift from a deficits-based to a strengths-based approach (Marshall, Ward, Mann, Moulden, Fernandez, Serran, & Marshall, 2005; Wormith, Althouse, Simpson, Reitzel, Fagan, & Morgan, 2007; Zeldin, 2004). One potential approach to treatment fosters a sense of psychological empowerment in youth. Although research has yet to explore the experience of psychological empowerment within incarcerated youth, theory on empowerment suggests that it could help youth to create both cognitive (e.g., increased self-esteem, increased confidence) and behavioral (e.g., improving quality of life, social integration) changes in their lives (Cargo, Grams, Ottoson, Ward, & Green, 2003; Holden, Crankshaw, Nimsch, Hinnant, & Hund, 2004a). Empowerment-based programming may also help youth develop specific psychosocial capacities, such as competence, confidence, and self-efficacy, which are necessary skills for future success and community reintegration. The purpose of the current study was to establish a measure of psychological empowerment (PE) and explore potential behavioral correlates of PE for young men within Oregon Youth Authority (OYA) correctional and re-entry facilities. Using a cross-sectional, non-experimental design, quantitative data from self-report surveys of incarcerated youth on PE in three settings within correctional facilities as well as OYA staff ratings of behavioral success in five skill areas was collected. Confirmatory factor analyses did not support the three-factor structure of PE. A single-factor structure of Intrapersonal PE was found to fit the data in three correctional settings. The present study has implications for the reconceptualization and reoperationalization of psychological empowerment in this unique context. Using the confirmed sub-scale, results of hierarchical linear models indicated that Intrapersonal PE was a significant predictor of behavioral success in two of the five OYA domains. Even with an imperfect operationalization of PE, there was partial evidence for the predictive ability of Intrapersonal PE.

When juveniles are defined by society as delinquent they are frequently institutionalized. These institutions are referred to as reform schools, correctional institutions or schools, residential care facilities, treatment centers, or variations of the above. They are state sponsored or privately sponsored. Whatever name is on the sign by the front door, each institution is in the business of "people changing." The excellence of an inanimate product can be measured, weighed, checked, and reproduced; but an altered person is more difficult to measure. If one is in the business of people-changing, it seems important to see if one is in fact changing people. This study of post institutional adjustment in one privately sponsored girl's residential care facility is an attempt to look at change in a group of released girls measured in the scale devised by the study group).

Multnomah County, Oregon, like many other counties across the nation, faces the perplexing problem of meeting the needs of the youthful offender. Historically, and even in more recent times, juvenile court authorities have relied primarily on detention facilities to provide secure custody for youthful offenders. However, the continued increase in delinquency and a growing storm of criticism of the juvenile court have led to a re-examination of current policy and a number of proposed changes on both the national and local level. A policy change in Multnomah County with regard to detention of youthful offenders has led to the closure of some of the detention facilities at the Donald E. Long Home. The policy change was also responsible for the creation of an alternative program for the young offender. The policy change was also responsible for the creation of an alternative program for the young offender. The alternative program called the Close Supervision Program was based on the philosophy that many of the youths held in detention do not require secure custody in the county’s detention home while awaiting adjudication. The authors surveyed the literature to examine the delinquency problem in the light of “casual” factors, labeling and stigma, treatment, institionalization and alternatives to detention. This theoretical framework is provided in order to give meaning to the conceptualization of delinquency and the need for alternative programs.

While men do indeed construct self-validating and often peculiar interpretations of the realities of their world the simple fact that these views become consensually shared doctrines of experience does not protect them from the revisionism of historical scrutiny. These perceptions of the world become retrospectively altered as developing bodies of knowledge reject them as being clearly deceptive or anachronistic. The concept of psychopathology, distinguished historically under many rubrics, has not been immune to these same processes of modification, nor has it ever been free of the diverse irrationalities which men of all ages have constructed to explain the etiology and treatment of deviant behavior. Historically, consideration of atypical behavior all reflect attempts to explain dysfunction utilizing existing systems of belief and knowledge. For example, primitive and ancient societies advanced quasi-theoretical frameworks that stressed either external causation (e.g., spirit intervention, sorcery, demonic possession, lunacy, bewitchment) or personal causation (e.g., loss of soul, breach of taboo, object intrusion, brain disease). Of course, retrospective evaluation of these explanatory devices have found them to be woefully impoverished. With the advent of science these archaic beliefs were found to be incompatible with a rational view of the world where all events had logical and determinable causes. Moreover, with the development of the medical model of disease, aberrant behavior, of a functional nature, could be explained and treated in the same systematic manner as that which had an organic basis. While the "new view" still distinguished between external and internal causation of psychopathology, it radically redefined explanatory concepts and apparently located dynamics of the disease process within the individual. The classic psychiatric/psychological approach has (and continues to) stressed the description and classification of pathological signs and symptoms and when etiology was considered, illness was accounted for more often than not by such intra-psychic factors as anxiety, stress, breakdown of defense mechanisms and ego strength. Current theories of psychopathology have not been quite as oblivious to the effects of the individual's environment in the production and maintenance of both functional and organic illness. Nor can they be, for the last two decades have witnessed a growing awareness of the purely sociological aspects of pathological processes--processes which had hitherto been assigned only to individual defects. Research in the social epidemology of mental illness has established the importance of numerous sociological variables including ecological and socioeconomic status factors,personal and social characteristics, and culture-specificfactors. It is now commonly recognized that the environment of the individual plays a crucial role in determining the characteristics and course of pathological processes.

Results of the Youth Center Research Project were almost equally favorable for each other's two schools. The parole-violation rates of the wards released from both institutions dropped from 43% to 31%, a considerable improvement when compared with the two control California Youth Authority schools continuing failure rate of 46%. These figures were for twelve-month parole-exposure periods. But the study’s major hypotheses were not verified. The more mature youths did not do better with TA than with B Mod, and the lower-maturity wards did no better with B Mod. In fact, one classification of higher-maturity wards did a little better with B Mod, and some lower-maturity wards did a little better with B Mod, and lower-maturity wards did better with TA. But all levels did fairly well with either systems, regardless of whether or not the wards declared themselves to be in need of change. Whether those results would endure for more than twelve months were still in question as of this writing. The data were to be evaluated for years to come. In the meantime, an important question not answered in the 1972 report was: were there any interaction effects between the three major aariables: treatment method, maturity level of wards, and treater competence?

The judicial system is moving away from a retributive justice system to a more rehabilitative, restorative justice system. Diverting youth offenders from the justice system by alternative sentencing options such as diversion programmes is one way of doing this. Jt was found that a need exists for the development of a therapeutic programme for the rehabilitation of youth offenders in South Africa. The purpose of the study was to detennine the content of therapeutic rehabilitation programme and subsequently to develop a provisional therapeutic programme for youth offenders. The first part of the literature study summarized a number of theories used to explain the incidence of youth offence. The second part of the literature study discussed various risk factors that could lead to youth offence. Thirdly, the juvenile justice system in South Africa was discussed. Finally, the characteristics of effective rehabilitation programmes were discussed and a number of international and South African rehabilitation programmes were evaluated in tenns ofthese characteristics. In the literature study certain aspects for inclusion in a rehabilitation programme were identified. A list of topics that should be addressed by a rehabilitation programme was drawn up. A provisional therapeutic programme was compiled using the information gained from the literature study and the needs for a programme as identified by staff members at the facility where the programme was to be conducted. The programme was based on experiential learning. lt included a number of activities that addressed the topics identified by the literature study. The provisional programme was evaluated in tenns of its short-term effectiveness and adjustments to the programme were made. The adjusted programme was conducted at two other facilities and evaluated in tenns of its short-term effectiveness by the researcher, the staff at these facilities and the youth who took part in the programme. Staff at the two facilities where the empirical study took place were asked to complete questionnaires to identify their needs with regards to a rehabilitation programme as well as background questionnaires on the youth who were taking part in the programme. Recommendations for further improvements of the programme were made. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is gedoen om die opvoedkundige ondersteuning wat leerders in spesiale jeugsorgsentrums in die Wes-Kaap ontvang te ondersoek, deur gebruik te maak van ’n kwalitatiewenavorsingsontwerp en binne ’n interpretatiewe paradigma te werk. Hierdie studie het ook die belewenisse van manlike jeugoortreders ten opsigte van hul opvoedkundige ervaring binne die rehabilitasiekonteks ondersoek. Die populasie vir die studie was oortreders in ’n spesiale jeugsorgsentrum – ’n onderwysinrigting waartoe jeugdiges deur die hof gevonnis word indien hulle herhaaldelik by misdaad betrokke is. Die navorsing het uitgelig dat die jeugoortreders in die studiepopulasie ’n lang geskiedenis van aanhouding het; dat hulle voorheen in ’n inrigting van die Departement van Maatskaplike Ontwikkeling, ’n gevangenis van die Departement Korrektiewe Dienste en ’n spesiale jeugsentrum van die Departement van Onderwys aangehou is. Die betekenisvolheid hiervan is dat dit toon hoe gefragmenteer dienste aan jeugdige oortreders gelewer word. Daar was baie onderbrekings in die deelnemers se opvoedkundige pad, asook verwydering van die gesins- en gemeenskapslewe. Verder wil dit voorkom of geen departement aanspreeklikheid aanvaar het vir die rehabilitasie van die jeugdiges nie, aangesien hulle heen en weer tussen die inrigtings van die verskillende departemente geskuif is. Daar moet beter samewerking en skakeling wees tussen alle departemente wat betrokke is by jeugoortreders en die implimentering van programme moet effektief gemonitor en gereeld geëvalueer word. Programme moet gereeld hersien en konstant aangepas word om sodoende die lewensvatbaarheid van die programme en inrigtings te bepaal. Jeugdiges in jeugsentrums is nie ’n homogene groep nie en kom uit verskillende agtergronde met diverse opvoedingsbehoeftes waarin voorsien moet word. Die jeugdiges het ook hul opvoedkundige behoeftes verwoord en dit het beroepsvaardighede, sosiale en morele ontwikkeling ingesluit. Verder is die redes ondersoek waarom die jeugdiges aanhoudend betrokke bly by misdaad. Hulle het aangevoer dat dit as gevolg van portuurdruk, dwelms en armoede is. Die jeugdiges het ook voorstelle van alternatiewe programme en ondersteuning gemaak. Volgens hulle moet dit insluiting in die gemeenskap, positiewe vryetydsbesteding, erkenning deur ander en weerbaarheid behels. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was done to investigate the educational support that learners receive at a special youth centre in the Western Cape, by making use of a qualitative research design and working within an interpretive paradigm. This study also investigated the experiences of male youth offenders with regard to education within the rehabilitation context. The study population were young offenders in a special youth centre, which is an educational institution where young offenders are being sentenced to after being repeatedly involved in crime. The research revealed that the youth offenders of the study population have a long history of detention; that they were held in an institution of the Department of Social Development, the prison of the Department of Correctional Services and special youth centres of the Department of Education. This finding is significant because it shows the fragmentation of services that are delivered to youth offenders. There was a lot of interruption along the participants’ educational pathway, as well as removal from family and community life. Furthermore, it would appear that no department accepted responsibility for the rehabilitation of the youths, because they were moved back and forth between the institutions of the different departments. There should be better collaboration and liaising between departments that are involved with young offenders and the implementation of programmes should be monitored effectively and evaluated regularly. Programmes should also be reviewed regularly and constantly adjusted to establish whether is the programmes and institutions are sustainable. The youth in youth centres are not a homogenous group and come from different backgrounds with diverse educational needs that should be met. The youths also voiced their educational needs, which included workplace skills, social and moral development. Furthermore, the reasons why the youths continue to be involved in crime were investigated. They said that it was because of peer pressure, drugs and poverty. The youths also made suggestions of alternative programmes and support. According to them it should entail inclusion in the community, positive free-time spending, recognition by others and resilience.

The judicial system is moving away from a retributive justice system to a more rehabilitative, restorative justice system. Diverting youth offenders from the justice system by alternative sentencing options such as diversion programmes is one way of doing this. Jt was found that a need exists for the development of a therapeutic programme for the rehabilitation of youth offenders in South Africa. The purpose of the study was to detennine the content of therapeutic rehabilitation programme and subsequently to develop a provisional therapeutic programme for youth offenders. The first part of the literature study summarized a number of theories used to explain the incidence of youth offence. The second part of the literature study discussed various risk factors that could lead to youth offence. Thirdly, the juvenile justice system in South Africa was discussed. Finally, the characteristics of effective rehabilitation programmes were discussed and a number of international and South African rehabilitation programmes were evaluated in tenns ofthese characteristics. In the literature study certain aspects for inclusion in a rehabilitation programme were identified. A list of topics that should be addressed by a rehabilitation programme was drawn up. A provisional therapeutic programme was compiled using the information gained from the literature study and the needs for a programme as identified by staff members at the facility where the programme was to be conducted. The programme was based on experiential learning. lt included a number of activities that addressed the topics identified by the literature study. The provisional programme was evaluated in tenns of its short-term effectiveness and adjustments to the programme were made. The adjusted programme was conducted at two other facilities and evaluated in tenns of its short-term effectiveness by the researcher, the staff at these facilities and the youth who took part in the programme. Staff at the two facilities where the empirical study took place were asked to complete questionnaires to identify their needs with regards to a rehabilitation programme as well as background questionnaires on the youth who were taking part in the programme. Recommendations for further improvements of the programme were made. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

A qualitative research design that is explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature was employed in order to understand and describe the factors that predispose children to be in conflict with the law and to develop guidelines to support these children. The data-collection techniques were individual semi-structured interviews and field notes. The sample consisted of eight (8) children who volunteered to be interviewed. The theme that emerged during data collection and analysis was the factors that predispose children to break the law. Five categories were identified in this theme, namely * Personal factors * Family factors * Community factors * Police service factors and * Education factors It is recommended that all the institutions involved in the provision and maintenance of the child's mental health be involved in the implementation of the guidelines. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)