---
7
KU program aids troubled youths
By RON COHN
Staff Writer
Juvenile offenders are being trained to accept more responsibility and to have a relationship of mutual trust with their families. The program of the KU Bureau of Child Research.
The youths in the program are juveniles that have committed an offense and been referred to a local juvenile court, Edward B. Sternberg, the family training program, said recently.
"Our job is to take the place of the probation officer." Christopbersen said.
"The youth and the parents can withdraw from school at any time," Christophson said.
He said that an officer from the court then met with the adolescent and his parents to discuss the case, where the crime in what is known as an intake interview. An official from the family training program is be present at that meeting and informs the child if the child is to be placed on probation.
"We work very closely with the court," he said. "All youths are assigned with the consent of the chief probation officer. At least they might meet with the probation officer."
James Barnard, associate director of the family training program, said that there are a lot of differences in the program at any one time. They are randomly selected from 50 families who have been given objective tests in an attempt to find out which the parents are doing that makes them more likely to learn.
He said that a form authorizing the family's participation had to be signed by
Christopherensen said the only qualifications a family entering the program, had to have were that the family must live within a 10-mile radius of the
University of Kansas Medical Center and that the child must be between 10 and 16 years old.
"Our philosophy is that you've got two parents and a child and you've got to work with both parties," he said. "You can't go on the assumption that it's the parents' child's fault. In most cases someone does something wrong. That's where we start."
He said the parents were sometimes ineffective. Grounding the youth for a month or yelling and screaming at him would be worse, and will probably only make life rougher.
Barnard said that the program therapy took place in the family's home except for occasional visits to schools when it is helpful to contact the child's school officials.
"And the youth may be doing things which are unnecessary," he said. "He might stay out late every night just because he feels like it and then some night when he wants to go to a concert or something his parents won't let him go."
"It's much more logical and ethical to work in the home," Barnard said. "There is no evidence that any programs outside the home exert a positive influence. The home level program makes sense because it directly addresses the problem."
Barnard said that the training program lasted from one to 14 months. He said the average program lasted from three to four and included 40 to 60 hours of training.
"We try to make them work together reasonably."
The family training program has two teams of therapists which circulate among the 25 participating families. The teams are members of the history therapist and a graduate therapist.
Barnard, the supervisory therapist for
Christopherhesen said that the program's work was analogous to that of a laborer in a factory.
one of the teams, said the program was triving to attain funds for a third team.
"We have no vested interests," he said. We just trying to get cooperation betw
"We've got to make sure the parents are willing to budge."
He said that the program was built on the idea that the parents were the most effective change agent for the child and the most effective change agent for the parents.
Most of the youths involved in the program were first-time offenders, he said.
Barnard said that the purpose of the family training program was to effectively reduce the rate of recitivism, which is the commission of a crime a second time.
"The federal government estimates that the majority of crime is committed by juveniles and that the national figure on the rate of recitivism is about 50 per cent." he said.
Christopherelsen and Barnard said that the program, which will begin its third year June 1, hadn't run long enough for an effective evaluation of it to be made.
Barnard said that none of the youths who completed the training had been sent to a jail.
Both men said the program seemed to be a better alternative for the adolescent than an out-of-home placement, which didn't permit participation in community placement training school.
Christophersen said that one of the main benefits of the program was that it reduced CO2 emissions.
"The program never requires out-of-home training," he said. "Thus, we can shoot for a cost of $3,000, which is half of the group community placement."
LARRY'S TEAM
WISHES K.U. TEAM GOOD LUCK at the
K. U. RELAYS
LARRY'S AUTO SUPPLY 1502 W.23rd 842-4152
2 bedroom apts. on KU campus utilities paid furnished or unfurnished laundry facilities swimming pool air-conditioned covered parking on bus line security guards bonded lock system roommate service
Now Taking Applications for Summer and Fall
Office Hours: Till 8 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.
Till 5:30 Fri. 10-4 Sat. 2-5 Sun.
LRE
Lawrence, Kansas 1603 W.15th
913-843-4993
KANSAS UNION BOOKSTORE
Kansas beret $4.20
Jayhawk bank $4.50
Jayhawk footstool $5.95
Stuffed Jayhawks $4.15 and $6.65
T-shirts $3.00 and up
Glassware $1.35 and up
Plastic pitcher $3.75 and 4 glasses
Also many other gifts and souvenirs