Rethinking Juvenile Probation: The Desktop Guide to Good Juvenile Probation Practice Revisited.

Source: (2000) inFOCUS. 2(1). November. Pittsburgh: National Center for Juvenile Justice. Downloaded 11 August 2005.

In June 2000, a group of about 30 juvenile probation officers, supervisors, administrators, victims advocates, and researchers from across the country assembled in Pittsburgh to begin developing a concept of “good juvenile probation practice.” The workshop came to a consensus that envisions the role of juvenile probation as that of a catalyst for developing safe communities and healthy youth and families. Workshop participants believe this role can be fulfilled by holding offenders accountable, building and maintaining community-based partnerships, and implementing results-based and outcome-driven services and practices. Juvenile probation agencies should also advocate for and address the needs of victims, offenders, families, and communities, obtain and sustain sufficient resources, and promote growth and development of all juvenile probation professionals. Workshop participants proposed revisions to the “Desktop Guide” in the areas of format and organizational content. A new section on adolescent development was mentioned in the workshop, and material on juvenile probation’s role in the prevention of juvenile crime will be included. Existing chapters will be revised. Abstract courtesy of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, www.ncjrs.gov.