An Experiment in Intensive Probation with Boys

Abstract

For the past two years an experiment in intensive probation among boy probationers has been in progress at the Cleveland juvenile court; recently it was deemed successful enough to warrant establishment of the service on a quasi-permanent basis. The broad eligibility criterion is that the boy must present difficulties so serious that he seems unlikely to respond to con ventional probation service but might be amenable to excep tionally intensive and skillful probation. Typically, intensive probation service has involved approximately three times as much service per case as conventional probation. Returns to date indicate that approximately 60 per cent of the youngsters treated on the intensive probation program have shown ap preciable progress toward rehabilitation.