Evaluating the Effectiveness of Juvenile Probation Officers

Abstract

ABSTRACT The central question of this study was: Do the juveniles referred to the Israeli Probation Service reduce their delinquent behavior, increase their non-delinquent behavior, and improve their psychological functioning? The results show that the adolescents who received the standard treatment of probation officers increased their involvement in delinquent behavior. In addition, there was no significant improvement in their self-esteem, peer relations, their ability to control their anger and their relations with their fathers. The results of this study suggest, however, that the standard treatment given by probation officers may be more effective if it is accompanied by a consistent treatment evaluation: Approximately one year after the end of treatment, the adolescents whose treatment was assessed by the evaluation method single-case-design decreased the rate of criminal acts in which they were involved, improved their self-esteem, their feeling of control over their lives, their ability to control their anger and their relationships with their peers. Implications for practice are discussed.