Vera Institute of Justice

Overview

This report details Vera's Serious Juvenile Deliqnency project in 1979. It discusses the need for community protection from in-program offenses committed by program participants. While in the long run community-based treatment services can help deter illegal behavior through engaging the participants, often they are not effective in the short run at deterring in-program offending that can endanger a community. Helpful control mechanisms might include intensive supervision between program staff and youths. Program rules which restrict certain types of activities, or the use of temporary detention. In effect, these mechanisms would serve to restrain juveniles from committing new delinquent acts while in the community.