| Purpose. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the factors in the resocialization program that reduce or fail to reduce the recidivism rate among juveniles in the thirteen Texas Youth Commission (TYC) residential facilities.;Methodology. This study was conducted during the Spring of 2000 (February through June). The population was 26 Phase IV juveniles from 11 Texas Youth Commission residential facilities.;Interviews were conducted at the residential facilities of the juvenile offenders; and eight were phone interviews. The interviews were used to report the factors and influence of the resocialization program as perceived by the Phase IV juveniles.;Major findings. The major findings were as follows: (1) The family factors most consistently identified regarding the home of delinquents are one or more criminal parents, poor supervision, lack of discipline, lack of attention, and divorce. (2) The juvenile attitude towards school was a factor that preceded their initialcommitment to the Texas Youth Commission. (3) The activities in which the juvenile offenders participated were as follows: sports, hanging out with friends, attending parties, selling and using drugs, participation in gang activities, drinking alcohol, and working. (4) Some of the events that led the juveniles to TYC were not following rules set by authority, drugs/alcohol, gang activity, fighting, and negative influences from peers. (5) The core curriculum reduces the recidivism rate among Phase IV juvenile offenders. (6) The education component also reduces the recidivism rate of the Phase IV juvenile offenders. The education component covered their progress at school. (7) The discipline training, which covered self-discipline and physical training, also assisted in reducing the recidivism rate. (8) The behavior changes of the juveniles assisted in reducing the recidivism rate among the male juvenile offenders. |
