ASSESSMENT OF EMPLOYEES’ COOPERATION NEEDS BETWEEN JUVENILE PROBATION SERVICES AND DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR ADOLESCENCES: THE CASE OF THESSALONIKI

Dimitrios Theodoridis¹

¹Psychologist – Systemic Therapist, MSc in Legal Criminal Law & Dependencies, Head of Family Support Center of KETHEA ITHAKI Contact details: theodoridis@kethea-ithaki.gr

Abstract

Delinquency and substances use in adolescence are permanent social issues and cause concern in societies as well as in different scientific areas. The causes of such phenomena, their dimension and their interaction, as well as their coping with pedagogical, legal, psychological and any other scientific perspective, are challenging both in theoretical and interventional contexts. A key factor in addressing such phenomena is the employees of the services that welcome minors with corresponding behaviors and the cooperation between them.

The present research was carried out within the framework of the Diploma thesis of the signatory within the Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Program entitled “Criminal Law and Dependencies” of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Law Department of the University of Nicosia under the supervision of the Associate Professor of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Mr. Angeliki Pitsella. It has as its main objective to investigate and record the needs for co-operation between juvenile curators and teenage detoxification therapists. In the survey participated the employees of the Department of Juvenile Depersonals of Thessaloniki and the Therapeutic Program “KETHEA ANADYSI”.

As far as the methodology is concerned, a qualitative survey was conducted through individual semi-structured interviews with the staff of the two services. Content analysis was used to process and analyze the data.

The research findings show significant advantages of cooperation and the disadvantages that can be addressed by the establishment of an institutionalized cooperation. All employees report needs for specialized interdisciplinary training and consider the evaluation of cooperation fruitful and imperative, both in quantitative and qualitative terms.

Key words: Juvenile Probation Service, juvenile delinquency, law on Juvenile Justice, reformatory measures, therapeutic measures, Therapeutic Program KETHEA ANADYSI, drug treatment, services cooperation protocol, networking.