LESSONS FOR PARENTS, TEACHER, AND JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICERS - 7 IDEAL CRITERIA FOR CONSTRUCTIVELY EVALUATING DISCIPLINE

By delineating a basic set of terms, this appear seeks to enhance the appreciation, understanding, and discussion of constructive discipline . Advocating initiative by our nation's juvenile probation officers, t he author views this cadre of some 18,000 JPOs as an important catalys t int eh never-ending task of delinquency prevention. In an era of gro wing harshness toward youthful offenders, we must remain cognizant tha t much of the chronic violence which we justly abhor has roots in prio r parental malpractice. Our approach provides a model to place three m ajor role-players - parents, teachers, JPOs - all ''on the same page,' ' to borrow a popular metaphor. We focus on seven criteria for evaluat ing discipline by each participation, while furnishing a supplementary framework to amplify task awareness. Despite already having excessive caseloads, JPOs are encouraged to serve as outreach agents in a commo n cause. The tables seek to provide officers a basic set of ''handouts '' for distribution at panels, workshops, seminars, school visits, and parent conferences. parents should especially appreciate that the sev en criteria give guidelines not only for their disciplinary practices, but also for those of teachers and JPOs.