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0 0 I I~o 6oF RAISING OUR CITIES' CHILDREN: SAFE PRODUCTIVE PLACES IN THE ~R-SCHOOL HOURS Marcia R. Chaiken Report on Research for Understanding and Responding to the Effects of Crime on After-School Youth Development Programs cosponsored by : The Carnegie Corporation of New York (Award B6025) and National Institute of Justice (Grant 94IJCX0015) May 1996 P.O. BOX 924. ALEXANDRIA. VIRGINIA 223 l~ (703) 549-8221 CONTENTS RAISING OUR CITIES' CHILDRENI SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE PLACES IN THE AFTER-SCHOOL HOURS Preface ........................................................................ i Contents ..................................................................... iii List of Tables ................................................................ vi Executive Summary ............................................................. vii &cknowlodgem@nts ............................................................ xvii OVERVIEW eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeoe.eeeeeeeeeeeleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeoaeeeeeeooeeeeteeee°e. 1 The need for safe and constructive places for ell school-age children in the nonschool hours ........................................ 2 Comnunitles where the need As most pressing ............................. 3 National youth organizations reportedly are conitted to Resting this need ee°eee=eeeeeoeeeeeeeeeeeeeoeeleeeeoeeeeeeetjeeeeeeeoee 5 Crime as • perceived harrier to serving communities most in need of programs ....................................................... 6 SURVEY FINDING8 ................................................................ 7 The more the need, the more they served ................................ 7 A relatively large proportion of children served were at risk for delinquency ........................................................ 8 The highest levels of crime were rlported by organizations involving youth in neighborhoods most in need of services .............. 9 More organizations reported offenses by children and teens than by adults ........................................................ 11 The large numbers of children served explains much of the relatively high crime rates experienced by youth centers in econo~ically disadvantaged areas ...................................... 12 Compered to other settings serving youth, adult respondents appeared to be relatively safe from crile ............................. 13 The costs of crim dimlnish program resources ......................... 14 Many steps ere taken by youth organizations to combat crime.14 Few crime prevention leasures -- other than police responsiveness seem to be effective ................................... 15 iii/~iming Our Cities' Children Touth organizatlons and police interact in many Positive ways .................................................................. 17 EXEMPLARY APPROACHES IN THREE CITIES eeeeaeeeeeeeeeeeeeeolleo0o0oee0e0,e0,e,.0. ~0 Site selection ................. • eee°eeeeeeooeeoeeeeeeeoeeeoeeeoeoeeeee 20 The local organizations studied wore both typical and atypical of other national affiliates ................................. 22 The study sites "eeeeeeooooeoooeeooeoeoooeoooeeeoeeeeeee,eeeee,.oe.e.e, ~ Bristol (Connecticut) Family Center for Girls and Boys.24 Arlington (Texas) The Teen Center ............................... 25 Spokane (Washington) West Central Conunity Center, Family Focus, Nevawood C.O.P.S. Touth Volunteers and C.O.P.S. West ................................................... 28 CROSS SITE FINDINGS ABOUT SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE AFTER-SCHOOL APPROACHES a°eJ°°teeeeeeeeeeoeeee,eoeaeeooo0oeooeooeeeeoeoeeo0eeeeeoe0joeeeo,ee 36 The three cities have identified similar needs for youth that can be addressed most effectively by progr~ in the nonschool hours eeooeoeeeeoeeoseeeoeeeeoeoeoeeoooeoeoeeooeooeooeoe,eeeej,.,seeeoo 36 To address these concerns the cities developed close collaboration between public and private sector organizations for a comprehensive youth approach .................................... 40 For a variety of reasons, seasoned youth organizations were recognised as the moot logical choice for addressing concerns .............................................................. 44 Processes integral to successful youth organizations w~re readily evident ....................................................... 45 Facilities are conducive to enjoyable constructive activities ...................................................... 45 Rules are clearly stated; consequences are explicitly defined °°°°e°oee°°°°°°ee°°°eooeeeeoeeeoeeoooooeooeoeooeoooeeeooo 46 Activities are varied, active and interactive, challenging, goal-directed, and humorous ........................ 47 Teen members exemplify leadership qualities for which the organizations strive ........................................ 47 iv/Raising Our Cities' Children Innovative practices involving children and teens host at-risk build on existing approaches solidly based in knowledge about child and adolescent development ................................ 48 Spokane's Nevawood Youth Volunteers and Girl Scouts ............. 49 Spokane's 4-H Club Programs ..................................... 50 The Bristol Family Center Young Parent Program .................. 50 The Bristol Juvenile Diversion Program .......................... 52 The Arlington Teen Center Youth Development Activities .......... 54 Affiliates of different national youth organizations cooperate to provide full services eeeee°oeoeeoeooIieolloo0ee0eoe...e0e 56 Partnerships with other agencies are formed to meet individual needs eIIOeeeeeeeJ°OOOeOe0eeeJ°°oe.eooeee°eoooeo,oo,ooooo.o, 58 How police provide support ............................................ 59 COHCLUSIONS "'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''°'''''-....-..-.............. 65 APPENDICES Appendix A. S~uple Design Appendix B. Response Rates and Patterns Appendix C. Followup questionnaire Appendix D. Tables Appendix E. Example instruction sheet for primary questionnaire Appendix F. Prlmary questionnaire v/Raising Our Cities' Children LAst of Tables Table I: Variations in Numbers of Participants end Hours of Operation among Youth Organizations in Different Locations ..................... 7 Table 2: Variations in Numbers of Participants and Hours of Operation among Youth Organizations in Different Settings in Poor/Working-class Neighborhoods ...................................... 8 Table 3: Percent Large City Youth Organizations Experiencing Crime by Economic Level of Neighborhood .................................... 10 Table 4: Percent Largo City Youth Organizations Experiencing Crime by Extent of Urban Blight .......................... • *o°0. 0...-0,o.o.. 10 Table 5: Variation in Levels of CriN between Youth Organizations in Different Types of Locations ...................................... 11 Table 6: Variation in Levels of Crimes aRong Youth Organizations in Different Types of Settings in Poor/Working-Class Neighborhoods ....................................................... 11 Table 7: CriEs Prevention Measures Instituted and Recouended by Youth Organizations ............................................... 16 Table 8s Organizations' Requests to Police and Police Responsiveness When Contacted e°ee°eooeeoleeolooleo0eJooeoomeeleQooe.oeooe.ea.e0oe,eo 18 Table 9: Average Nu~ber of Offense Incidents at Program Location and Responsiveness of Police When Contacted .......................... 19 Tables Appended Table D-I: Variation in Type of Offenders Comaltting Crlmes by Type of Location and by Characteristics of Participants Table D-21 Correlations between Numbers of CriEs Experienced in 1993-1994 and Ru~r of Program hours/Particlpants, Setting, Steps Taken For Preventing Crime before 1993 end Police Responsiveness When Contaoted Table D-3: Results of Stel~wise Multiple Regressions vi/Raising Our Cities' Children RAISING OUR CITIES' CHILDRENs SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE PLACES II THE AFTER-SCHOOL HOURS Executive Summary With children increasingly at risk of violence on our cities' streets, youth- serving organizations around the country are attempting to provide constructive activities in the after-school and evening hours. To support these efforts, many Federal agencies and private foundations are sponsoring research to learn how best to decrease the number of children and teens involved in criminal incidents while increasing the number involved in productive activities in wholesome environments. This report, based on research cosponsored by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), U.S. Department of Justice, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, addresses two questions that have been asked by those who are attempting to create safer places for youth: o What are the dimensions of crime affecting organizations serving youth in the nonschool hours? o What approaches can be taken to prevent such crimes? A major finding of the study was that the key factor associated with preventing or reducing crime by or against participants in youth programs was the involvement of law enforcement in these programs -- not just in responding to calls for service but also in participating in the programs themselves. The study was carried out in collaboration with seven national youth-serving organizations: Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Boy Scouts of America, Girls Incorporated, Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., National Association of Police Athletic Leagues, National 4-H Council and USDA 4-H and Youth Development Service, and YMCA of the USA. The research involved a national survey of affiliates and charter members of these organizations and onsite observations