Date: November 22, 2024 Fri

Time: 11:50 am

Results for delinquency prevention

282 results found

Author: Victoria. Parliament. Drugs and cRime Prevention Committee Title: Inquiry into Strategies to Prevent High Volume Offending and Recidivism by Young People: Final Report Summary: The Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee of Parliament is to inquire into and report upon justice and crime strategies in high volume crimes such as theft and property-related offences, which often involve young people; with the Committee to provide recommendations on: (a) causal factors that may influence patterns of high volume crime, with particular emphasis on repeat offences committed by young people; and (b) strategies that may be effective in addressing the underlying causal factors or recidivist patterns of offending. Statement of Principles underlying the Recommendations The following principles are based on the deliberations of the Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee and the evidence it has received. These principles underlie and support the recommendations that follow.1 1. Young people make an important contribution to the well-being of the community. Only a small minority of young people get involved in criminal or antisocial behaviour at the expense of the wider community. 2. Most young people deal successfully and responsibly with the challenges of adolescence and the transition to adult life without experiencing serious or lasting difficulties. Conversely, a small minority of young people due to a variety of factors are at risk of engaging in criminal or antisocial conduct. These factors must be understood and addressed in an effort to tackle the range and complexity of problems faced by the minority at risk. 3. There is no one cause or single factor contributing to juvenile offending. Criminal and antisocial behaviour by young people, as with adults, is a complex phenomenon that is attributable to a range of intersecting and overlapping factors. 4. Strategies developed to address youth offending and its causes should be grounded in a rights based framework that places the needs of the child as paramount. At the same time these strategies should address the need for young people to respect others within the community. 5. Policy and program interventions to address youth offending must be based on best evidence. An essential part of any policy development is the ability to rely and draw upon comprehensive and up-to-date data. 6. Strategies and program interventions are not of themselves enough. It is essential that any project developed to address youth offending and antisocial behaviour be subject to ongoing monitoring and evaluation. 7. Prevention and early intervention programs and approaches that address the needs of all young people are an essential component of any strategy to prevent or reduce youth offending. 8. Incarceration for young people should only be used as a last resort. For most young people alternative strategies such as diversionary programs have proven to be more successful. 9. Engaging young people in education, training, constructive leisure activities and/or meaningful employment empowers young people and assists in preventing youth offending. 10. There is a need for an 'all of community' approach by which the responsibility for preventing youth offending is shared by all levels of government, the private sector, parents, carers and the community at large. As part of such an approach a coordinated and appropriately funded strategy to reduce youth offending is essential. 11. A range of interventions, methods and approaches is necessary to address youth offending - a 'one size fits all' response is insufficient to tackle the complexities of the problem. Targeted approaches will need to be tailored to different groups of young people at risk in addition to more generalist methods that apply equally to all young people in the community. Details: Melbourne: Government Printer, 2009. 375p. Source: Parliamentary Paper; no. 218, Session 2006-2009. Accessed May 8, 2018 at: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/dcpc/high_volume_crime/DCPC-Report_HighVolumeCrime_2009-07-22.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia URL: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/dcpc/high_volume_crime/DCPC-Report_HighVolumeCrime_2009-07-22.pdf Shelf Number: 116652 Keywords: Community Interventions Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders (Australia) Juvenile Rehabilitation Recidivism (Juvenile Offenders) Repeat Offenders (Juveniles, Australia)

Author: Piquero, Alex R. Title: Effectiveness of Programs Designed to Improve Self-Control Summary: Gottfredson and Hirschi's general theory of crime has generated significant controversy and research, such that there now exists a large knowledge base regarding the importance of self-control in regulating antisocial behavior over the life course. Reviews of this literature indicate that self-control is an important correlate of antisocial activity. There has been some research examining programmatic efforts designed to examine the extent to which self-control is malleable, but little empirical research on this issue has been carried out within criminology, largely because the theorists have not paid much attention to policy proscriptions. This study evaluates the extant research on the effectiveness of programs designed to improve self-control up to age 10 among children and adolescents, and assesses the effects of these programs on self-control and delinquency/crime. Meta-analytic results indicate that: (1) self-control programs improve a child/adolescent's self control; (2) these interventions also reduce delinquency; and (3) the positive effects generally hold across a number of different moderator variables and groupings as well as by outcome source (parent-, teacher-, direct observer-, self-, and clinical report). Theoretical and policy implications are also discussed. Details: Stockholm: Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, 2009. 44p. Source: Year: 2009 Country: International URL: Shelf Number: 116628 Keywords: Anti-Social Behavior Delinquency Prevention General Theory of Crime Self-Control

Author: Cunningham, Wendy Title: Supporting Youth at Risk: A Policy Toolkit for Middle Income Countries Summary: Youth at risk can be defined as individuals between the ages of 12 and 24 who face environmental, social, and family conditions that hinder their personal development and their successful integration into society as productive citizens. This toolkit was developed in response to a growing demand from its government clients and partners for advice on how to create and implement effective policies for at-risk youth. Highlighted are 22 policies (six core policies, nine promising policies, and seven general policies) that have been effective in addressing the following five key risk areas for young people around the world: 1) youth unemployment, underemployment, and lack of formal sector employments; 2) early school leaving; 3) risky sexual behavior leading to early childbearing and HIV/AIDS; 4) crime and violence; and 5) substance abuse. Details: Washington, DC: The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development - The World Bank, 2008. 134p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: International URL: Shelf Number: 118620 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Problem Youth

Author: Williams, Sarah Title: The City of Easton Weed and Seed Initiative: Evaluation 2008 Summary: This report is an evaluation and needs assessment of Easton Weed & Seed carried out between September snd November 2008. It includes background on the program and target neighborhood, a description of the Weed & Seed programs, the results of focus groups conducted with target residents and surveys of community residents. It concludes with overall impressions and recommendations. Details: Bethelmen, PA: Lehigh Valley Research Consortium, 2008. 23p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 119151 Keywords: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Correctional Education Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Drug Abuse and Addiction Juvenile Inmates Juvenile Offenders Juvenile Rehabilitation Weed & Seed Program

Author: Burke, Cynthia Title: Breaking Cycles Evaluation: A Comprehensive Approach to Youthful Offenders Summary: The prevention component targets youths who are not yet involved in the juvenile justice system but who exhibit problem behavior such as disobeying their parents, violating curfew, repeated truancy, running away from home, or experimenting with drugs or alcohol. Youths can also self-refer if they experience parental neglect or abuse or they have other problems at home. Community Assessment Teams (CATs)—consisting of a coordinator, case managers, probation officers, and other experts—assess the needs of the youth and his or her family and then provide direct services or referrals to resources in the community to reduce the high-risk behaviors. CATs speak many different languages to communicate directly with their clients. Whenever possible, services are brought directly to the client and family. This final report describes the program and evaluation efforts that took place in San Diego County. Details: San Diego: SANDAG (San Diego Association of Governments), 2001. 208p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2001 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 119411 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Family Interventions Juvenile Offenders (San Diego) Rehabilitation, Juvenile Offenders

Author: Percy, Stephen L. Title: Evaluation of the Safe and Sound Initiative in Milwaukee Summary: The Safe & Sound Initiative contracted with the Center for Urban Initiatives and Research (CUIR) at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the Safe & Sound Initiative. The three prongs of the Initiative include: (1) Safe Places that offer programs and support for youth after school and in the early evening, (2) Community Partners who work in Milwaukee’s neighborhoods as organizers to learn resident concerns about crime and share crime information with law enforcement agencies, and (3) Area Specific Law Enforcement where the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD), Safe & Sound, and Milwaukee High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) work together to produce a reduction in violent crime. This comprehensive assessment of the Safe & Sound Initiative utilized an extensive and diverse array of data collection strategies in order to garner knowledge on many different facets of the Initiative and obtain information from a large set of stakeholders. Data collection strategies include: (1) information abstracted from proposals for Safe Places funding, (2) interviews with key staff in Safe Places, (3) interviews with Community Partners, (4) interviews with community leaders, (5) interviews with law enforcement officials, (6) interviews with local elected officials, (7) interviews with neighborhood residents living near Safe Places, (8) focus groups with youth who attend Safe Places, (9) “quick”, on-the-street surveys with youth, (10) on-site observations at Safe Places, and (11) examination of crime data. For Safe Places, this evaluation is conducted at two levels of analysis. The first level explores the full array of 35 Safe Places operating during 2007 and the second examines, more intensely, eight selected Safe Places that together represent diversity with regard to type of organization (i.e., some operated as branches of larger organizations and some were single entity nonprofits), geographic location within the city, programming, and size of budget. The eight intensive study sites are: Running Rebels, Latino Community Center, Mary Ryan Boys and Girls Club, Agape Community Center, Parkland YMCA, Silver Spring Neighborhood Center (at the John Muir Community Learning Center), COA Golden Center, and Davis Boys and Girls Club. Details: Milwaukee, WI: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Center for Urban Initiatives and Research, 2008. 257p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 119517 Keywords: Community Participation Delinquency Prevention Drug Trafficking Juvenile Crime Juvenile Offenders Violent Crime (Milwaukee)

Author: Raguski, Mike Title: From Wannabes to Youth Offenders: Youth Gangs in Counties Manukau Summary: This research is part of a cross-sectoral, multi-faceted response to a call for significant government intervention in Counties Manukau after increased reports about escalating youth gang activity and violent assaults in the area. The first section of the research report outlines the methodology for the research, while the second section sets the context by looking at the demographic profile of Counties Manukau, and at definitions of youth gangs and the history of youth gangs in New Zealand. The third section looks specifically at youth gangs in Counties Manukau by profiling youth gangs, discussing whether the prevalence of youth gangs can be determined, and discussing factors that may contribute to youth gangs and youth delinquency. This third section also lists participants' suggested responses to the issues associated with youth gangs and youth delinquency. The report ends with an addendum that focuses on a plan of action, which is a key part of government's longer-term response. The plan sets out 26 actions that government is undertaking now to improve outcomes for young people in Counties Manukau and other key areas across Auckland, to better support young people to succeed. Details: Wellington, NZ: Centre for Social Research and Evaluation; Ministry of Social Development, 2006-2008. 24p.; 62p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: New Zealand URL: Shelf Number: 119556 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Gangs (New Zealand) Juvenile Offenders

Author: Petrosino, Anthony Title: "Scared Straight" and Other Juvenile Awareness Programs for Preventing Juvenile Delinquency Summary: Programs like 'Scared Straight' involve organized visits to prison facilities by juvenile delinquents or children at risk for becoming delinquent. The programs are designed to deter participants from future offending by providing first-hand observations of prison life and interaction with adult inmates. Results of this review indicate that not only does it fail to deter crime but it actually leads to more offending behavior. Government officials permitting this program need to adopt rigorous evaluation to ensure that they are not causing more harm to the very citizens they pledge to protect. Details: Oslo: Campbell Collaboration, 2002. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Campbell Systematic Review, 2004:2: Accessed August 24, 2010 at: http://campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/13/ Year: 2002 Country: United States URL: http://campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/13/ Shelf Number: 119681 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders

Author: Piquero, Alex R. Title: Self-Control Interventions for Children Under Age 10 for Improving Self-Control and Delinquency and Problem Behaviors Summary: Self-control improvement programs are intended to serve many purposes, most notably improving self-control. Yet, interventions such as these often aim to reduce delinquency and problem behaviors. However, there is currently no summary statement available regarding whether or not these programs are effective in improving self-control and reducing delinquency and problem behaviors. The main objective of this review is to assess the available research evidence on the effect of self-control improvement programs on self-control and delinquency and problem behaviors. In addition to investigating the overall effect of early self-control improvement programs, this review examines, to the extent possible, the context in which these programs may be most successful. The studies included in this systematic review indicate that self-control improvement programs are an effective intervention for improving self-control and reducing delinquency and problem behaviors, and that the effect of these programs appears to be rather robust across various weighting procedures, and across context, outcome source, and based on both published and unpublished data. Details: Oslo: Campbell Collaboration, 2010. 117p. Source: Internet Resource: Campbell Systematic Review, 2010:2: Accessed August 28, 2010 at: http://campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/792/ Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/792/ Shelf Number: 119703 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile Offenders Self-Control Treatment Programs

Author: National Centre for Social Research Title: ASB Family Intervention Projects: Monitoring and Evaluation Summary: Family Intervention Projects (FIPs) work with the most challenging families and tackle issues such as antisocial behaviour, youth crime, school absenteeism, drug and alcohol addiction, domestic violence, poor mental health and inter-generational disadvantage. Families are supported by a dedicated ‘key worker’ who coordinates a multi-agency package of support and works directly with family members to help them overcome their problems. The different FIP models are aimed at reducing antisocial behaviour, preventing youth crime and tackling child poverty. Family Intervention Projects (FIPs) work with the most challenging families and tackle issues such as antisocial behaviour, youth crime, school absenteeism, drug and alcohol addiction, domestic violence, poor mental health and inter-generational disadvantage. Families are supported by a dedicated ‘key worker’ who coordinates a multi-agency package of support and works directly with family members to help them overcome their problems. The different FIP models are aimed at reducing antisocial behaviour, preventing youth crime and tackling child poverty. This report provides an evaluation of the FIPs and is the first report to include information on families who have been followed up 9 to 14 months after they exited from a FIP intervention. The next monitoring report will be published in Autumn 2010 and, for the first time, will include outcomes for all types of FIPs. Details: London: Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2010. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 23, 2010 at: http://www.natcen.ac.uk/pzMedia/uploads/Downloadable/e3e97aca-4d52-40fd-8ccb-5c11b7bd49a8.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.natcen.ac.uk/pzMedia/uploads/Downloadable/e3e97aca-4d52-40fd-8ccb-5c11b7bd49a8.pdf Shelf Number: 119846 Keywords: Antisocial Behavior Delinquency Prevention Domestic Violence Drug Abuse and Addiction Family Interventions

Author: Allard, Troy Title: The Efficacy of Strategies to Reduce Juvenile Offending Summary: The purpose of this report was to examine the national and international research literature relating to the efficacy of a range of strategies to reduce juvenile offending. These strategies were categorised according to Tonry and Farrington’s (1995) framework of four groupings of crime prevention strategies: (i) developmental and early interventions, (ii) law enforcement and criminal justice approaches, (iii) community crime prevention, and (iv) situational crime prevention (SCP). Specifically, the Tender Document (Appendix 1, p. 167) asked the consultants to: (i) Summarise the strategies that are available to reduce juvenile offending/recidivism as identified by Tonry and Farrington (1995). (ii) Examine the key features of programs that have been implemented within each strategy. (iii) Explore the evidence base of each strategy by examining the effectiveness of programs in terms of reducing juvenile offending/recidivism. (iv) Note the cost of programs and outcomes of any cost-benefit evaluations that have been undertaken (if available). (v) Comment on the feasibility of conducting meta-analyses on the various program options. (vi) Based on available evidence, provide a summary of the effectiveness of each strategy. (vii) Where possible, provide an assessment about the effectiveness of programs for Indigenous young people. Studies included in the review were based on the researchers’ knowledge about intervention programs that had been undertaken, recent reviews that had been conducted, and a search of websites that contained some Australian evidence. Research incorporated in the review was focused on preventing juvenile offending and was scientifically robust, usually having a treatment and control group. While focus was placed on interventions that reduced juvenile offending, many interventions discussed are also likely to result in reductions in adult offending. This is not surprising given the high proportion of young people who initiate offending during their teen years which continues into adulthood. It must be acknowledged that while this review focuses on preventing the initiation of offending and recidivism, there may be other positive outcomes to intervention programs. Examining these other outcomes was beyond the scope of this review. A consistent theme throughout this report is the lack of scientifically rigorous Australian research to determine the efficacy of the interventions examined. In Chapter 1, an overview of the methodologies that have been employed to evaluate programs is provided. While systematic reviews and meta-analyses have been conducted on developmental/early intervention and criminal justice approaches, there was little evidence of the evaluations in other areas reaching the standards required for meta-analyses. For our knowledge of ‘what works’ in preventing juvenile offending and re-offending to advance, it is imperative that programs are rigorously evaluated. Details: Mt. Gravatt, Australia: Griffith University, Justice Modelling@Griffith, 2007. 169p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 23, 2010 at: http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/208120/Efficacy-of-Strategies-to-Reduce-JJ-Offending-2007-Report.pdf Year: 2007 Country: International URL: http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/208120/Efficacy-of-Strategies-to-Reduce-JJ-Offending-2007-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 120060 Keywords: Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Recidivism Treatment Programs

Author: Hemphill, Sheryl A. Title: Preventing Youth Violence: What Does and Doesn't Work and Why? An Overview of the Evidence on Approaches and Programs Summary: This paper is designed to inform the development of strategies aimed at preventing violent and antisocial behaviours among young people. The paper summarises the evidence across disciplines and sectors on: • the nature and magnitude of youth violence and antisocial behaviour in Australia (incidence, demographic indicators, trends) • factors that are known to contribute to youth violence and antisocial behaviour together with the strength of the associations with these factors and • policies, programs and strategies that have been proven to work in preventing violent and antisocial behaviour among young people, including the principles upon which they are based and key factors associated with their success. Details: Canberra: Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, 2010. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 28, 2010 at: http://www.aracy.org.au/publicationDocuments/Preventing_Youth_Violence_final.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aracy.org.au/publicationDocuments/Preventing_Youth_Violence_final.pdf Shelf Number: 120116 Keywords: Antisocial Behavior Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Youth Violence

Author: Pitts, Wayne J. Title: The District Attorney General's Truancy Reduction Program: 2008-2009 Evaluation Summary: In the United States, truancy is a major cause for concern among law enforcement, politicians, educators, and communities at large. Although states differ on their definition of truancy a common theme remains; most emphasize frequent, unexcused absenteeism from school. Research on the subject indicates truancy is a risk factor for future delinquent behavior and can be linked to substance abuse and gang activity among other criminal acts. The Shelby County District Attorney General’s office determined that juvenile delinquency prevention and deterrence could be achieved by firmly addressing truancy directly. In Tennessee, truancy is defined as having five unexcused absences. While parental responsibility is a key point of the DA’s Truancy Reduction Program, students are held accountable for their behavior. The Truancy Reduction Program is an intentional effort to provide support to students, parents and schools to decrease truancy. The Truancy Reduction Program relies on existing resources within the DA’s office although additional funding through the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth is provided to supplement salaries for Advocates. The Advocates are responsible for creating alliances between school administrators, teachers and the District Attorney General’s office. Advocates work to confirm attendance records and to inform students of the seriousness of unexcused absences. Throughout the year, Advocates meet with students, parents, teachers, administrators, mentors, program evaluators, and other District Attorney General’s office staff to promote school attendance and positive behavior among the student population. The Advocates serve as a type of case manager and central repository for all information regarding the students at their particular schools. Advocates gather information about habitual truants and share observations about behavior with the Assistant District Attorneys. Researchers from the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Memphis were key participants in the design and implementation of the evaluation method since the beginning of the DA’s Truancy Reduction Project in 2006. The first step was to standardize efforts through the use of two data collection instruments: a comprehensive Intake Form and an Academic and Behavioral Tracking Form. Both were designed to capture as much information as possible while considering the limited resources available to collect, enter, and analyze the data. The Advocates are responsible for completing the Intake Form during an initial interview that is designed to provide the Advocate with a variety of pertinent case management details. The Academic and Behavioral Tracking Forms are completed by the Advocates every month for each student and provide a summary of contact and services provided to the student as well as a count of absences and behavioral concerns. The information gathered on the paper files are then entered into an electronic database by the evaluation team for analysis. This report includes data for 91 students referred to the DA’s Truancy Reduction Program during the 2008-2009 school year. This includes students from Chickasaw, Cypress, Hamilton, Hickory Ridge, and Sherwood Middle Schools and Cordova High School. The Intake Form includes a variety of factors that may help explain incidents of truancy including: demographic factors, attitudes towards education, gang involvement, home-life, peer influences, substance use, and other risk factors. The Tracking Form measures intervention and contact frequency as well as attendance records and school behavior reports. The evaluation team also receives official data directly from Memphis City Schools regarding attendance and behavioral reports. Details: Memphis, TN: University of Memphis, School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 2010. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 29, 2010 at: http://www.scdag.com/Portals/0/pdfs/mentoringreport.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.scdag.com/Portals/0/pdfs/mentoringreport.pdf Shelf Number: 120128 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Mentoring Truancy

Author: Wang, Shun-Yung Kevin Title: Contingencies in the Long-Term Impact of Work on Crime Among Youth Summary: The impact of jobs on working American youth has not been examined thoroughly and the mechanism between employment and delinquency is not fully understood. Many prior studies that addressed the issue of youth employment and crime emphasized one variable, work intensity, and left plenty of unknown pieces in this puzzle. This study introduces the concept of “ladder jobs” that arguably deter job holders from committing delinquent and criminal behaviors. In this dissertation, “ladder jobs” are those with significant upward-moving occupational positions on a status ladder, and, to adolescents, these jobs encompass potential to be the start of an attractive career. Three promising mediating factors, job income, job stability, and parental control, are also examined. Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 97 and structural equation modeling are used to test hypotheses. Results indicate that “ladder jobs” demonstrated a significant crime-decreasing effect, while employment exhibited a crime-increasing effect. In addition, the magnitude rate of “ladder jobs” versus employment increased as youth aged; that is, the advantages of “ladder jobs” gradually outweigh the disadvantages of employment in the sense of crime prevention. Furthermore, job income partially mediates the crime-increasing effect of employment on delinquency, and job stability partially mediates the crime-decreasing effect of “ladder jobs” on delinquency. However, parental control, which is measured as direct supervision, does not play a mediating role between employment and delinquency. In sum, from a crime-prevention standpoint, a job that pays little now, but improves the chances of a long-term career appears to better than a dead-end job that pays comparatively well in the short-term. The findings also imply that the discussions of employment and of internships among youth should address the importance of future-oriented feature of occupations, and not just the immediate monetary gains from the employment. Details: Tallahassee, FL: Florida State University, College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 2010. 215p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed December 2, 2010 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/232222.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/232222.pdf Shelf Number: 120336 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Employment Juvenile Offenders

Author: Burns, Jane Title: Preventing youth Disengagement and Promoting Engagement Summary: This review evamines the evidence on how young people could best be supported to engage with society in healthy, constructive ways. As part of this review, youth violence and antisocial behaviour were identified as major, inter-related problems that were threatening the development and social prospects of increasing numbers of young people. Details: Perth, Western Australia: Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, 2008. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 2, 2010 at: http://www.aracy.org.au/cmsdocuments/Preventing_Youth_Disengagement_and_Promoting_Engagement-BurnsJ_et_al_August2008.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aracy.org.au/cmsdocuments/Preventing_Youth_Disengagement_and_Promoting_Engagement-BurnsJ_et_al_August2008.pdf Shelf Number: 120337 Keywords: Antisocial Behavior Delinquency Prevention

Author: Johnson, Byron R. Title: The Great Escape: How Religion Alters the Delinquent Behavior of High-Risk Adolescents Summary: Does individual religious commitment serve as a buffer in supporting high-risk youth (such as those living in poor inner-city areas) escape drug use and other illegal activities? Inadequacies of support structures in poor inner-city black communities lead many black youth into criminal and other delinquent activities. However, there are protective factors which help numerous youth in those communities stay out trouble. We predict that individual religiosity will demonstrate itself to be one of those shielding factors. We expect that all other things being equal, religious commitment will act as a safeguard in protecting at-risk youth living in poor, inner-city black communities from socially undesirable activities. To test this proposition, we use data from an interview survey of 2,358 young black males from poor neighborhoods in Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia. After analyzing the data, our results indicate that behavioral measures of religious commitment (the frequency with which one attends religious services) significantly reduce non-drug illegal activities, drug use, and drug dealing among disadvantaged youth. However, attitudinal measures of religious devotion (one's response to how important of a role religion plays in his or her life) is not significantly linked to reductions in juvenile delinquency. In this study, we discuss the theoretical and methodological implications of our findings, indicate the shortcomings of previous research, and provide direction for further investigation to focus on individual religiosity as a potentially important protective factor for high-risk disadvantaged youth. Details: Waco, TX: Baylor University, Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion, 2008. 16p. (Originally published: 2002) Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 2, 2010 at: http://www.isreligion.org/wp-content/uploads/ISR_Great_Escape.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.isreligion.org/wp-content/uploads/ISR_Great_Escape.pdf Shelf Number: 120354 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Rehabilitation Religion

Author: Johnson, Byron R. Title: The Role of African-African Churches in Reducing Crime Among Black Youth Summary: This paper examines the hypothesis that the religious involvement of African-American youth significantly shields them from the deleterious effects of neighborhood disorder and decay on youth crime. This hypothesis is tested by examining the fifth wave of data from the National Youth Survey (nys), focusing on black respondents given the historical as well as contemporary significance of the African-American church for black Americans. Results from a series of multivariate analyses indicate that: (1) the effects of neighborhood disorder on crime among black youth are partly mediated by an individual’s religious involvement; and (2) involvement of African- American youth in religious institutions significantly buffers or interacts with the effects of neighborhood disorder on crime, and in particular, serious crime. Theoretical and methodological implications of the present findings are briefly discussed. Details: Waco, TX: Baylor University, Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion, 2008. 20p. (Originally published: 2002) Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 2, 2010 at: http://www.isreligion.org/wp-content/uploads/ISR_Role_African_American.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.isreligion.org/wp-content/uploads/ISR_Role_African_American.pdf Shelf Number: 120355 Keywords: African Americans Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Religion

Author: Regnerus, Mark D. Title: Living Up To Expectations: How Religion Alters the Delinquent Behavior of Low-Risk Adolescents Summary: Several recent studies of resilient youth have documented the helpful influence of religion in their lives. In the absence of positive influences enjoyed by low-risk youth, religion and religious organizations in particular often serve to promote prosocial outcomes. This study, however, examines low-risk youth (kids who have the resources to avoid drinking, drug use, delinquencyk and school problems but fail to do so) and seeks to establish if religion and religious change is a comparable influence in preventing them from such trouble. Two-stage regression analysis using two waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health indicate that for each type of behavior, there is at least one influential aspect of religion serving as a protective effect. I discuss the findings and consider the variable influence of religion on youth. Details: Waco, TX: Baylor University, Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion, 2002. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 7, 2010 at: http://www.isreligion.org/wp-content/uploads/ISR_Living_Expectations.pdf Year: 2002 Country: United States URL: http://www.isreligion.org/wp-content/uploads/ISR_Living_Expectations.pdf Shelf Number: 120399 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Religion

Author: Lussier, Patrick Title: The CRACOW Instrument: A New Framework for the Assessment of Multi-Problem Violent Youth Summary: This report presents the results from a study that examined whether the risk/needs factors included in the CRACOW instrument helped to identify the most physically aggressive preschoolers. The CRACOW was designed to be a multi-stage instrument representing the risk/needs factors for multi-problem violent youth at various developmental stages, starting at the pre/perinatal period and extending to adolescence to account for exposure and accumulation of a number of dynamic risk factors that may influence the risk of youth violence. Details: Burnaby, BC: School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, 2010. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 8, 2010 at: http://198.103.108.131/res/cp/res/_fl/crawcow-cracovie-eng.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: Shelf Number: 120412 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Early Child Development Longitudinal Studies Physical Aggression

Author: Swaner, Rachel Title: Drifting Between worlds: Delinquency and Positive Engangement Among Red Hook Youth Summary: Starting in the fall of 2007, the Red Hook Community Justice Center, a community court located in Red Hook, Brooklyn, implemented an experimental after-school program designed to change positive perceptions of youth crime that were thought to be held by many young people residing in the Red Hook Houses, a local public housing project. Known as Youth ECHO, the program engaged teenagers from the Houses in designing community education campaigns for their peers around problems that were identified by the participants themselves: drug dealing and dropping out of school. Using guerilla marketing techniques, the young people designed unique ways to get their core messages – “Dealing Drugs: It’s Not Worth It” and “Fast Money is Trash Money. Get it in now. Get it back later. Stay in School” – to other Red Hook teenagers. This report describes findings from a study that sought to evaluate the program and, more broadly, to understand how and why young people in Red Hook and, perhaps, beyond think about and engage in delinquent behavior. The research involved a multi-method approach. Data were collected between January 2008 and June 2009 through individual interviews with 23 Red Hook youths, and through focus groups, surveys, and program observations of Youth ECHO and the 21 youths involved over its two program years. These 44 teenagers ranged in age from 13 to 18, 60% were female, 91% lived in Red Hook, and 79% lived in public housing. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, 2010. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 9, 2010 at: http://www.courtinnovation.org/_uploads/documents/Youth_ECHO.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.courtinnovation.org/_uploads/documents/Youth_ECHO.pdf Shelf Number: 120426 Keywords: After-School Programs Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency

Author: Esbensen, Finn-Aage Title: Evaluation of the Teens, Crime and the Community and Community Works Programs Summary: This report presents the methodology and findings of the process and outcome evaluation of the school-based Teens, Crime, and the Community and Community Works (TCC/CW) program, which is a law-related classroom curriculum intended to prevent teen victimization and delinquency; engage youth in education and positive action; increase knowledge about crime, victimization, and crime prevention; and increase bonds between youth and community and school. Details: St. Louis, MO: Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Missouri - St. Louis, 2009. 245p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 13, 2010 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/228277.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/228277.pdf Shelf Number: 120448 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Law-Related Education

Author: Howell, James C. Title: Gang Prevention: An Overview of Research and Programs Summary: This bulletin presents research on why youth join gangs and how a community can build gang prevention and intervention services. The author summarizes recent literature on gang formation and identifies promising and effective programs for gang prevention. The following are some key findings: • Youth join gangs for protection, enjoyment, respect, money, or because a friend is in a gang. • Youth are at higher risk of joining a gang if they engage in delinquent behaviors, are aggressive or violent, experience multiple caretaker transitions, have many problems at school, associate with other gang-involved youth, or live in communities where they feel unsafe and where many youth are in trouble. • To prevent youth from joining gangs, communities must strengthen families and schools, improve community supervision, train teachers and parents to manage disruptive youth, and teach students interpersonal skills. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2010. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Bulletin: Accessed December 17, 2010 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/231116.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/231116.pdf Shelf Number: 120543 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Gangs Youth Gangs

Author: McGee, Tara Renae Title: Antisocial Behaviour: An Examination of Individual, Family, and Neighbourhood Factors Summary: The present research is the first of its kind in Australia to simultaneously examine individual, family and neighbourhood predictors of adolescent antisocial behaviour. The study draws on two key data sources-Australian Bureau of Statistics census data and the Mater University Study of Pregnancy (MUSP). The MUSP is a prospective longitudinal study of mothers and their children in Brisbane, Australia; the current project draws on data from birth through to adolescence (age 14 years). The study found that less than one percent of variation in antisocial behaviour was attributable to the statistical local area (SLA). Subsequent models of both SLA-level variables (neighbourhood disadvantage, immigration concentration and residential mobility) and individual and familial variables, showed that the strongest predictors of adolescent antisocial behaviour are those which measure disruptions in parenting processes, poor school performance and early childhood aggression. The findings suggest that programs that aim to enhance parenting practices, including improving communication, supervision and monitoring of children, are important in reducing adolescent antisocial behaviour. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 410: Accessed February 28, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/F/6/5/%7BF6506CB0-7D65-4EB9-B1A7-06FD80748B1C%7Dtandi410.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/F/6/5/%7BF6506CB0-7D65-4EB9-B1A7-06FD80748B1C%7Dtandi410.pdf Shelf Number: 120878 Keywords: Antisocial Behavior Delinquency Prevention Parenting

Author: Duffy, Anne Title: Copping On: Evaluation Report Summary: The focus of Copping On is the implementation of a national crime awareness programme with young people at risk, and the development and support of local multi-agency responses to the issue of youth offending. The evaluation includes a survey of those in school retention, second chance education, justice projects, justice agencies, Health Service Executive and youth work who have participated in Copping On training and gives their experiences with and suggestions for change in the programme. The ethos of Copping On is about tackling the roots of youth crime instead of just the symptoms and this has helped to change the lives of many young people. This report adds to the small, but growing body of publications relating to young people at risk of offending and will help to raise the profile of Copping On. Details: Lexlip, Ireland: Copping On, 2005. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 15, 2011 at: http://www.coppingon.ie/PDF%20&%20Word%20Files/Copping%20On%20Report-WEB.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Ireland URL: http://www.coppingon.ie/PDF%20&%20Word%20Files/Copping%20On%20Report-WEB.pdf Shelf Number: 121012 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Justice Juvenile Offenders (Ireland) Rehabilitation Programs

Author: Perez, Adriana Title: The Safety Networks Initiative: Examining the Role of the Community Coalition in Strengthening Neighborhoods Summary: Safety Net Works (SNW) is a state-sponsored initiative designed to promote collaboration among local community groups with the goals of preventing youth violence and fostering youth development. Seventeen Illinois communities, including 12 in Chicago, were originally selected in 2008; each having a lead agency that coordinates a SNW coalition to provide direct services to at-risk individuals ages 10 to 24. This report introduces the premise behind the community coalition model on which Safety Net Works was conceived, summarizes the initiative’s activities and services, and considers the extent to which the coalition approach employed contributed to the goals of the initiative. Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2011. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2011 at: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/ResearchReports/Safety_Net_Works_Initiative_March_2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/ResearchReports/Safety_Net_Works_Initiative_March_2011.pdf Shelf Number: 121084 Keywords: Community Participation (Chicago) Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquents Neighborhoods and Crime

Author: Jannetta, Jesse Title: The District of Columbia Mayor's Focused Improvement Area Initiative: Review of the Literature Relevant to Collaborative Crime Reduction Summary: In March 2010, the Executive Offce of the Mayor/Offce of the City Administrator asked the District of Columbia Crime Policy Institute (DCPI) to assess the Mayor's Focused Improvement Area Initiative. The Focused Improvement Area (FIA) Initiative, launched in November 2007, is a community-based initiative that aims to reduce criminal activity and increase the quality of life in at-risk communities by combining community policing with human and social services delivery. In an effort to make recommendations on how to strengthen the FIA Initiative, DCPI conducted an assessment based on: - Interviews with the Initiative's stakeholders-past and present-on the Initiative's mission and background, design, and actual implementation; - Reviews of programmatic materials and administrative records and field observations of the Initiative's processes and procedures; and - An exhaustive review of the theoretical and empirical literature on best and promising practices in crime reduction, prevention, and suppression strategies and effective comprehensive community initiatives. Based on the assessment, DCPI has produced three documents to help guide District stakeholders on a redesign of the FIA Initiative, including: - An examination of past challenges and successes; - A review of research literature relevant to collaborative crime reduction; and - A strategic plan to guide future efforts. This document summarizes the results of a literature review on multifaceted approaches to reducing crime and improving neighborhoods; in other words, of literature on efforts like the District's FIA Initiative. To that end, this literature review focused on efforts that were intended to produce community-level impacts, involved multiple approaches, and were carried out by partnerships spanning agency boundaries. The literature review focused further on two major categories of interventions: 1) those focused on reducing or preventing crime and, 2) those with broader goals of improving neighborhoods or resident well-being, sometimes called "Comprehensive Community Initiatives" (CCIs). Both types of interventions are place-based and intended to improve neighborhoods, but they usually involve different public agencies, funding sources, and community-based organizations with diverse missions. While the two sets of interventions share the broad goal of improving distressed neighborhoods, their specific goals usually do not overlap. Crime prevention/reduction efforts typically focus on reducing homicides, arrests, gang activity, or other public safety indicators. Activities to improve other measures of well-being such as school attendance or employment are typically subordinate to the crime prevention efforts and are not tracked as closely. Meanwhile, comprehensive community initiatives or other place-based efforts focused on employment, economic development, or housing may expect reduced crime as an indirect benefit, but do not generally target activities specifically towards crime reduction, and if they do, it is a subordinate activity. While many sections of this document focus on crime-reduction efforts, lessons from CCIs and other community initiatives are incorporated as relevant. For public safety interventions, this literature review is based on evaluations indicating that crime reduction /prevention efforts produced targeted outcomes in at least one location in which they were implemented. The review of the public safety literature sought to determine which aspects of existing violence or crime prevention programs were successful. Because the goals and activities of CCIs and other broad neighborhood improvement efforts focused on social services or physical revitalization are so varied, it is notoriously dfficult to structure evaluations and draw conclusions about what works in the field. Therefore, this review pulls from information on specific CCIs as well as state-of-the-field assessments to highlight what such initiatives can and cannot accomplish and what structures and actions are most effective. This literature review was not designed to rank intervention programs in general, since extant research thoroughly documents best and promising practices in public safety and prevention. However, this document does pull out and highlight lessons for policy and practice in the District, aligned with the study team's recommendations for moving forward in the strategic plan. The literature review is divided into two broad sections. The first covers programmatic elements of initiatives: the strategies, interventions, and activities that successful efforts have employed. The second section covers process and structural elements, with subsections devoted to interagency collaboration, community engagement, and sustainability. Evaluations consistently find that how a collaborative effort structures itself and carries out its work is as important to its success as what programs or activities it uses. This insight is reflected throughout this review, both in the elevation of structural elements as a subject for consideration in their own right, and in discussion of implementation practices in the tactical elements section. Several challenges encountered in summarizing the literature in this way should be noted. Research on collaborative crime- and violence-reduction initiatives varies considerably in attention paid to anything other than overall outcomes. The importance of partnership design elements is often slighted, and the contribution of specific elements of multi-pronged approaches may not be discussed. Even when specific elements are discussed, there may be little detail regarding what specific models were used. For example, an evaluation may state that an initiative provided case management without specifying what model was used, how large caseloads were, whether formal case plans were created, or any number of details that would be useful to a practitioner seeking to replicate the approach. As Roehl et al. write about the SACSI sites, - The list of prevention/intervention services provided through SACSI is long, and includes -- Summary descriptions and lists were common, since a variety of different programs implemented at different levels were involved in these comprehensive programs. Perhaps most importantly, it is difficult to discuss the various models and approaches discussed in this literature review due to the way that they evolved from or were informed by one another. For example, Irving Spergel's Little Village Gang Violence Reduction Project gave rise to what is generally known as the "Spergel Model,"� which was replicated in multiple sites to varying degrees of success, and became the Offce of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)'s Comprehensive Gang Model. In addition, some programs, such as Weed and Seed and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), tend to work in concert when present in the same communities because of the shared goals and objectives. Past research on collaborative efforts to reduce crime and improve communities contains a multitude of valuable lessons. The key lessons that are supported across several sources are summarized in table 1.1. For a quick summary of the crime prevention and reduction initiatives discussed frequently in this literature review, see summary tables 2.1 and 2.2. Detail on the initiatives and sources used for this review are included in the annotated bibliography. Details: Washington, DC: District of Columbia Crime Policy Institute, Urban Institute, 2010. 102p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 28, 2011 at: http://www.urban.org/uploadedpdf/412320-Improvement-Area-Initiative.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/uploadedpdf/412320-Improvement-Area-Initiative.pdf Shelf Number: 121147 Keywords: Codmmunity Crime Prevention Communities Crime (Washington, D.C.) Delinquency Prevention Gangs Neighborhoods and Crime

Author: Rhoades, Philip W. Title: Weed and Seed Evaluation: A Report for The Weed and Seed Program, Park and Recreation Department, City of Corpus Christi Summary: This report describes the findings of an evaluation of the Weed and Seed Program of the City of Corpus Christi. The Weed and Seed Program is managed by the Park and Recreation Department and is aided by an advisory board of citizens. The Weed and Seed Program is operated in two sites located in the west-central part of the City. In 1994, the City of Corpus Christi began preparation for implementation of the Weed and Seed project. The first target site for the program was officially defined in 1996 and the “weed” aspects of the program began. As defined by the Weed and Seed Staff to the Evaluation Team, Site I is bounded on the east by IH-37 and North Staples and on the west by Omaha and Baldwin Streets. It extends from the beginning of residential areas on the north next to the port area to Agnes Street on the south. In 1997, the second target site for the Weed and Seed program was officially defined and funding was received to establish “seed” programs. This site was defined to the Evaluation Team as being bounded by Baldwin-Airport-Greenwood-Horne-Old Brownsville on the west, Brownlee and South Staples on the east, Agnes on the north, and Saratoga Boulevard on the South. One neighborhood to the west of Old Brownsville Road and north of Bear Lane was included in Site II. Actual programming for the “seed” aspects of the project began in 1998. Initial negotiations to begin the present evaluation began in the fall of 2000. The actual contract and evaluation itself began in March 2001. Data collection for the indicators began at that time and extended through September 2001. The survey of residents occurred in June and July 2001. The evaluation and this report were divided into two parts. First, the evaluation examined the general goals of the Weed and Seed Program in relationship to indicators derived from official government sources of data. The Weed and Seed staff indicated that the Program’s objectives included the a. reduction of crime and juvenile delinquency, b. reduction of child abuse, c. improvement of academic performance, and d. improvement of economic conditions. These objectives were examined by indicators of crime, delinquency, child abuse, academic performance, and economic conditions. Second, the Program was examined in the light of a public opinion survey conducted by phone and in-person. The survey was administered only within the two sites. It contained questions concerning citizen’s satisfaction with their neighborhood, perceptions and experience with crime, perceptions of police services, opinions and evaluations of services in the neighborhood, and knowledge and evaluation of specific Weed and Seed funded programs. For much of the survey data, no base-lines are available for comparison. Thus, much of the results reported here must be seen as creating that base-line for future comparisons in later evaluation efforts. Details: Corpus Christi, TX: Texas A&M University, 2002. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2011 at: http://ssrc.tamucc.edu/PublicationsOther/weed%20seed%202002%20report.pdf Year: 2002 Country: United States URL: http://ssrc.tamucc.edu/PublicationsOther/weed%20seed%202002%20report.pdf Shelf Number: 121207 Keywords: Child Abuse, Prevention of Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Economic Conditions and Crime Neighborhoods and Crime Weed and Seed Program (Texas)

Author: Richards, Kelly Title: Promising Interventions for Reducing Indigenous Juvenile Offending Summary: Indigenous juveniles (those aged 10 to 16 years in Queensland and 10 to 17 years in all other jurisdictions) are over-represented at all stages of the criminal justice system, and their over-representation becomes more pronounced at the most severe end of the system (ie in detention). Recent figures show that Indigenous juveniles are 24 times as likely to be detained in a juvenile correctional facility as non-Indigenous juveniles. A variety of explanations for this over-representation have been proposed, including: • lack of access or disparate access to diversionary programs; • systemic discrimination against Indigenous juveniles (eg police bias against Indigenous juveniles); • inadequate resourcing of Aboriginal legal services; and • genuinely higher levels of offending by Indigenous juveniles. A range of measures (including diversion and juvenile conferencing programs) has recently been implemented to reduce the over-representation of Indigenous juveniles in detention, and minimise the contact of juveniles with the formal criminal justice system. Diversionary measures can only have a limited impact, however, and reducing offending and reoffending have been identified as critical factors to address if the over-representation of Indigenous juveniles is to be reduced. While acknowledging that other measures designed to reduce the over-representation of Indigenous juveniles are important, this paper reviews the evidence on policies and programs that reduce offending by Indigenous juveniles in Australia. Where relevant, research from comparable jurisdictions, such as New Zealand and Canada, is also discussed. Details: Sydney: Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, 2011. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Brief No. 10: Accessed April 7, 2011 at: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/briefs/brief010.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/briefs/brief010.pdf Shelf Number: 121267 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Discrimination Indigenous Peoples (Australia) Juvenile Detention Juvenile Offenders Rehabilitation Programs

Author: Guerra, Nancy Title: Youth Crime Prevention Summary: Violence is one of the most pressing social problems in the Americas, with far-reaching social and economic costs. These costs include the direct value of goods and services used in treating violence, non-monetary costs such as pain and suffering, economic costs from reduced productivity, lower earnings, and decreased investments, and the social impact on interpersonal relations and the quality of life. Because adolescents and young adults are at a particularly high risk for both violence perpetration and victimization, it is essential that we design and implement effective violence prevention strategies for this age group. In this module, we will discuss the problem of youth violence in Latin America and the Caribbean. We will examine changes in youth violence rates over the last two decades, with examples from the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. We will review some of the major causes and consequences of youth violence and describe best practices and effective programs. Finally, we will explore local efforts to develop comprehensive strategies for youth violence prevention. Two case studies will be presented. As we point out, there are many causes of youth violence. Because complex problems demand sophisticated solutions, we do not provide simple answers or specific program recommendations, but focus on the importance of understanding the complexities of the youth violence problem and the need for a broad range of solutions. We focus on prevention rather than control, although they are both part of a continuum of action against violence. Details: Washington, DC: World Bank, 2005. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 8, 2011 at: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTLACREGTOPURBDEV/Resources/841042-1219076931513/5301922-1250717140763/Youth.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Central America URL: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTLACREGTOPURBDEV/Resources/841042-1219076931513/5301922-1250717140763/Youth.pdf Shelf Number: 121281 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Violent Crime Youth Violence (Latin America and Caribbean)

Author: Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California Title: California's After-School Commitment: Keeping Kids on Track and Out of Trouble Summary: Research has long shown the after‐school hours are the “prime time” for juvenile crime and other dangerous behaviors. We know one out of four students is regularly left home alone after school. With no responsible adults present to mentor these children and engage them in positive activities, it’s no wonder so many get into trouble. Quality after‐school programs can fill these hours with safe, constructive activities that promote learning and keep kids on track and out of trouble. They provide positive alternatives to gangs, drugs and crime. This report highlights California’s groundbreaking commitment to after‐school programs. California invests more state funding in after‐school programs than any other state; its investment is concentrated in schools in low‐income neighborhoods with the greatest needs; and state dollars are being leveraged to attract tens of millions in local dollars and resources each year. Details: San Francisco: Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California, 2010. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2011 at: http://www.fightcrime.org/sites/default/files/reports/CA_AS_Commitment_1.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.fightcrime.org/sites/default/files/reports/CA_AS_Commitment_1.pdf Shelf Number: 121452 Keywords: After-School Programs (California) Delinquency Prevention

Author: Sum, Andrew Title: The Consequences of Dropping Out of High School: Joblessness and Jailing for High School Dropouts and the High Cost for Taxpayers: 22% Daily Jailing Rate for Young Black Men Who Drop Out of High School Summary: The economic, social, and moral case for addressing the nation’s existing high school dropout problems was made in a report titled Left Behind in America: The Nation’s Dropout Crisis. This report called upon the U.S. Congress and the Obama Administration to enact legislation to support programs at the local and state level to re-enroll existing high school dropouts to enable them to improve their academic achievement skills, obtain their high school diplomas or their equivalents, and bolster their employability through work experience and training. The nation’s young dropouts experience a wide array of labor market, earnings, social and income problems that exacerbate their ability to transition to careers and stable marriages from their mid-20s onward. This new research paper was prepared to outline the employment, earnings, incarceration, teen and young adult parenting experiences and family incomes of the nation’s young adult high school dropouts and their better educated peers in 2006 to 2008. Young high school dropouts confront a number of labor market problems in their late teens and early 20's. They are less likely to be active labor force participants than their better educated peers, and they frequently experience considerably higher unemployment rates when they do seek work. As a consequence, they are much less likely to be employed than their better educated peers across the nation, and gaps typically widen as national labor markets deteriorate such as during the current recession. The employment rates of the nation’s 16-24 year old, out-of-school youth by their educational attainment in 2008 are displayed in Chart These estimated employment rates are annual averages. Slightly less than 46 percent of the nation’s young high school dropouts were employed on average during 2008. This implies an average joblessness rate during 2008 of 54% for the nation for young high school dropouts. Their employment rate was 22 percentage points below that of high school graduates, 33 percentage points below that of young adults who had completed 1-3 years of post-secondary schooling, and 41 percentage points below that of their peers who held a four year college degree. Young high school dropouts were only about one-half as likely to be working as those youth holding a bachelor’s or higher degree in 2008. Details: Boston, MA: Center for Labor Market Studies, Northeastern University, 2009. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 29, 2011 at: http://www.clms.neu.edu/publication/documents/The_Consequences_of_Dropping_Out_of_High_School.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.clms.neu.edu/publication/documents/The_Consequences_of_Dropping_Out_of_High_School.pdf Shelf Number: 121577 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Education School Dropouts Socioeconomic Status

Author: Rigby, Paul Title: Girls and Young Women in the Youth Justice System - Vulnerable or Risky? Summary: This short briefing paper examines the complexities around identification and effective intervention for girls and young women viewed as vulnerable and who may be at risk of future offending. The CJSW Development Centre’s National Development (Champions) Group for vulnerable girls and young women undertook a profiling exercise in an attempt to obtain a better understanding of the needs and vulnerabilities of girls and young women involved in, or on the periphery of, the youth justice system. While limitations of the data collection tool and methodology preclude wide generalisations, the complexities in attempting to identify individuals who may be at future risk of offending based on assessment of present and past needs and vulnerabilities is apparent. Despite the identification of often substantial vulnerabilities and needs in a sample of 12 to 16 year olds, it appears the majority of girls and young women were not involved in serious or persistent offending behaviour. The findings have implications for policy and practice development, which are now focussed on the development of effective and early interventions for all young people considered to be at risk of future offending. Details: Edinburgh: Criminal Justice Social Work Development Centre for Scotland, 2011. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Towards Effective Practice Paper 12: Accessed April 29, 2011 at: http://www.cjsw.ac.uk/cjsw/files/TEP%2012.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cjsw.ac.uk/cjsw/files/TEP%2012.pdf Shelf Number: 121561 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Female Juvenile Offenders (Scotland) Female Offenders

Author: Cohen, Marcia I. Title: Final Report on the Evaluation of the Boys Town Short-Term Residential Treatment Program for Girls Summary: Few studies have carefully examined the effectiveness of short-term care facilities for juvenile offenders. Even fewer have concentrated on female offenders. This study examines the effect of the Boys Town Short-Term Residential Treatment Program on female juvenile offenders. The impact on six classes of outcomes was assessed using a quasi-experimental design with a nonequivalent comparison group. The principal outcome was recidivism; others were substance use, academic commitment, high-risk sexual behavior, employment attitude, and cognitive functioning. The process evaluation used both quantitative and qualitative methods to examine the context of the program treatment and structure. The comparison group was composed of girls on standard probation. The sample consisted of 365 (treatment=235;comparison=130) participants across three sites. Program impact was assessed through a series of sequential analyses: 1) exploring the differences in means between the two groups on pretreatment characteristics; 2) performing a series of difference-of-means analyses to test for the main effects of the intervention; 3) using regression models for factors other than the intervention that may affect the outcomes, and 4) using survival analysis to predict time until a new arrest. The process evaluation found the Boys Town Model was well documented and theoretically based. There were clearly delineated job responsibilities, a strong emphasis on staff training, and the number of daily interactions met or exceeded program guidelines. Despite frequent fidelity review, the sites’ fidelity clustered slightly below average. Program utilization was reduced by a national shift in juvenile justice philosophy away from out-of-home placement toward community-based interventions. The outcome results support the conclusion that the Boys Town girls may be expected to have superior delinquent and sexual behavior outcomes 1 year after enrollment compared with girls who received traditional probation. As the level of program exposure was increased — whether through increased staff interactions, length of stay, or both — the propensity of girls to engage in subsequent delinquency was reduced. No significant impact for substance abuse, academic commitment, and employment attitude was found. As one of the more rigorous evaluations on short-term care for female offenders, this study provides evidence that such programs can be effective in improving certain behaviors. The authors recommend altering expectations of short-term residential programs so that such placements are used to, first, stabilize the youth and their family, and, second, to conduct assessments for recommendations on future interventions and treatment. They also suggest using the Boys Town Model to develop a community-based day treatment program. Details: Bethesda, MD: Development Services Group, Inc., 2010. 379p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2011 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/234514.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/234514.pdf Shelf Number: 121877 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Female Juvenile Offenders Juvenile Aftercare Juvenile Probation (U.S.) Recidivism Rehabilitation

Author: Blazek, Matej Title: Plusone Mentoring: Evaluation Summary: plusone mentoring is an early intervention programme that uses a voluntary mentoring approach to engage with young people aged mainly 8 to 14 years who are deemed at high risk of future offending. It combines the School, Social Work, Police and Community model with a youth work model which emphasises community involvement and responsive practice in work with young people. plusone mentoring operates with a theory of change that draws on evidence that there are key risk factors for future offending that can be tackled at a young age (such as aggression and violent behaviour, disruptive family and personal relationships, perception of self and others, poor self-esteem, or challenging behaviour in home, school or community). The nature of such risks means that long-term and client-centred approaches to mentoring are required. Multiagency referral groups in three locations in Scotland (Bellshill, Perth and Kirkaldy/Levenmouth), which comprise Police, Social Work, NHS, Education, Community Wardens and other agencies refer young people who are assessed as having high or very high risk of future offending to the plusone mentoring programme, which is based at local YMCA centres. Programme managers for plusone mentoring, based at the YMCA, recruit and trains volunteer mentors, match them to work with young people and supervise the mentoring process. Over the first full year of plusone mentoring: • 47 young people had been involved in mentoring; • Young people gave the experience of mentoring a high value and identified mentors as having important roles in providing support, undertaking activities which provided alternatives to boredom and antisocial behaviour, providing advice, and acting as mediators to other institutions; • Among young people who had been involved in plusone mentoring for at least six months, there was evidence of considerable improvement across the range of risk factors, with improvement particularly marked in relation to young people’s behaviour, their attitudes to offending, the risk for the young people associated with their neighbourhood, and the young people’s skills and positive relationships; • 80 adults had been recruited and trained as volunteer mentors; • Volunteer mentors have been drawn from a range of social and geographical backgrounds to work with the young people; • Mentors valued opportunities to develop their skills in working with young people, to deepen their understanding of the complex situations in which many young people find themselves, and to develop their attitudes in a non-judgemental way. Undertaking volunteer mentoring was also a means by which many volunteers developed skills which they saw as being of positive use in a variety of social and caring professions; • Established networks and local reputation of the YMCA were central in recruiting volunteers and in encouraging families to let the young person participate in plusone mentoring. Our evaluation of plusone mentoring is that it has had a positive impact on the lives of young people at a high level of risk of offending. It has effectively adopted a youth work approach using volunteer mentors, and demonstrates a range of best practice in mentoring, including: • Long-term, frequent and regular engagement • Careful attention to how mentors and mentees are matched • Young people understand the voluntary nature of their participation and the focus on their needs • Detailed monitoring and supervision of mentors • Successful targeting of young people fitting the scope of the programme so mentoring does not aim to replace other specialised services where these are more appropriate. Details: Dundee, UK: University of Dundee, 2011. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 5, 2011 at: http://lx.iriss.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/plusone_evaluation1.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://lx.iriss.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/plusone_evaluation1.pdf Shelf Number: 122314 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Mentoring (U.K.) Volunteers

Author: Laureus Sport for Good Foundation Title: Teenage Kicks: The Value of Sport in Tackling Youth Crime Summary: This report assesses the economic value of three sports projects aimed at tackling gang violence and youth crime in the UK. Each project is using sport to reach out to and engage young people at different stages along the criminal pathway. The results of the study clearly demonstrate that sport is not only a successful mechanism; it is also a cost-effective way to tackle the problem of youth crime and gang violence. Take the Boxing Academy in Tottenham, which is a sports-based alternative to ‘Pupil Referral Units’ (centres for children who are not able to attend a mainstream or special school). The ethos of the Academy is to instil discipline and respect through the experience of structured physical activity, shared goals and positive peer groups. It works in partnership with other youth support and social welfare organisations in the area and there are a number of local mentors and role models in the coaching team. Our new report found that young people attending this project are more likely to achieve qualifications than their peers in Pupil Referral Units, and less likely to reoffend. What’s more, the Boxing Academy costs half as much to run as a traditional Pupil Referral Unit, despite achieving better results. Details: London: Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, 2011. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2011 at: http://www.laureus.com/files/Teenage%20Kicks_Report_FINAL.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.laureus.com/files/Teenage%20Kicks_Report_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 122430 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile Diversion Sports (U.K.)

Author: Advancement Project Title: Test, Punish, and Push Out: How Zero Tolerance and High-Stakes Testing Funnel Youth Into the School-To-Prison Pipeline Summary: Our tragically low national high school graduation rates should shock the conscience of every American. Reform is clearly needed, but it should start with the policies and practices that have resulted in millions of children not receiving a full and equal chance to receive a high quality education. While there are many factors that contribute to this sad reality, this report explores the two policies that may pose the most direct threat to the educational opportunities of America’s youth: “zero tolerance” school discipline and high-stakes testing. While they are usually considered separately, these two policies are actually closely related. In fact, zero tolerance and high-stakes testing both share the same ideological roots, and together they have combined to seriously damage the relationships between schools and the communities they serve throughout the country. Rather than helping to provide all students with enriching learning experiences, zero tolerance and high-stakes testing lead to an impoverished education for many young people. Instead of supporting students who are struggling or in need, both needlessly punish young people and limit their opportunities to fulfill their potential and achieve their goals. Together, zero tolerance and high-stakes testing have turned schools into hostile and alienating environments for many of our youth, effectively treating them as dropouts-in-waiting. The devastating end result of these intertwined punitive policies is a “school-to-prison pipeline,” in which huge numbers of students throughout the country are treated as if they are disposable, and are being routinely pushed out of school and toward the juvenile and criminal justice systems. The first section of the report examines the common origins and ideological roots of zero tolerance and high-stakes testing. In the 1980s, a movement began to implement far more punitive policies in both the criminal justice and public education systems. Modern zero tolerance (throughout this report, “zero tolerance” is used as shorthand for all punitive school discipline policies and practices) and high-stakes testing policies are the direct result of that movement. Within criminal justice policy, it was zero tolerance-style policing strategies implemented starting with the “War on Drugs” that led to the massive expansion of the adult prison population. This “get-tough” approach was eventually exported to schools, leading to a huge increase in the police and security presence in schools and far more harsh responses to student behavior. The results have been devastating, as across the country there have been dramatic increases in the use of lengthy out-of-school suspensions, expulsions, referrals to alternative schools, referrals to law enforcement, and school-based arrests. In effect, these policies and practices have blurred the line between the education and criminal justice systems. In public education, the equivalent to the War on Drugs was the crackdown on so-called “failing schools” following the 1983 publication of “A Nation at Risk.” That led to a push for greater school accountability, which came to mean broader use of standardized tests to measure achievement. As with zero tolerance, over time policymakers began using these tests punitively, in this case against both students and educators. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was both a product of this movement and a catalyst for its growth, as it has ushered in a new wave of inflexible, test-based accountability. Since the passage of NCLB in 2002, both the use of highstakes tests and the severity of the consequences attached to them have risen dramatically, leading to a rapidly dwindling set of opportunities for students who do not score well on these exams. Moreover, this “test and punish” approach has had a devastating effect on the quality of education being offered at many schools. Because of the severe consequences attached to these tests, many schools have been turned into test-prep factories, with narrowed, distorted, and weakened curricula often dominated by mindless drilling, rote memorization exercises, and “teaching to the test.” This has suffocated high-quality instruction, and made it more difficult than ever for teachers to engage students and create authentic and sustained learning. Thus, this “get-tough” approach to accountability has created an education system that increasingly turns students off to learning and teachers off to teaching. Despite substantial evidence of the damage caused by zero tolerance and high-stakes testing and the overwhelming body of research supporting alternative approaches, these policies have spread like wildfire due to their easy political appeal. The promoters and defenders of these policies have used the same, undeniably persuasive arguments grounded in principles of accountability and personal responsibility that many Americans associate with success in other fields, such as business. Indeed, the driving ideology behind both high-stakes testing and zero tolerance comes right out of the corporate playbook, as it is based on the notion that problems are solved and productivity is improved through rigorous competition, uncompromising discipline, constant assessment, performance-inducing incentives, and the elimination of low performers. While these principles may work in the business world, they are simply a bad fit in the context of public education. They are based on faulty assumptions, fail to create real improvement in schools, ensure that large numbers of students will fail academically, and fall far short of the democratic purposes of our public education system. Nevertheless, zero tolerance and high-stakes testing have followed the same path on their way to being frequently – and inappropriately – substituted for meaningful education reform. The second section of the report examines the current state of zero-tolerance school discipline across the country, and includes local, state, and national data. School districts around the country have adopted extraordinarily severe discipline policies and practices in recent years. These punitive measures extend far beyond serious infractions; instead, the vast majority of punitive disciplinary consequences tend to result from relatively minor misbehavior or trivial student actions. In fact, the problem in most cases is not the student, but, rather, the adults who react inappropriately to youthful behavior. Details: Los Angeles: Advancement Project, 2010. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2011 at: http://www.advancementproject.org/sites/default/files/publications/rev_fin.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.advancementproject.org/sites/default/files/publications/rev_fin.pdf Shelf Number: 118080 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Education School Discipline School Dropouts Zero Tolerance Policies (Schools)

Author: Burton, Patrick Title: Walking the Tightrope: Youth Resilience to Crime in South Africa Summary: Crime has been identified by the South African government as a priority issue in the country. Of particular concern for policy makers, the police and social crime prevention practitioners is the fact that young people constitute a considerable component of both victims and perpetrators of crime in South Africa. Children and young people comprise a major sector in the country’s population: the 2001 census indicated that approximately 26% of South Africa’s population is 24 years of age or younger. Research indicates that the ages between 12 and 21 are the peak years for both offending and victimisation. If we consider that the 12–21 year age groups are the most likely to be involved in crime, then it is clear that a large proportion of South Africa’s population falls within this ‘high risk’ age cohort. Indeed, the number of young people in South Africa indicates that they are likely to be disproportionately perpetrators and victims of crime. The cost to government and to society of not adequately addressing youth offending is significant and should be given the requisite attention. For young people, the distinction between being a perpetrator and a victim of crime is often blurred. Indeed, young offenders themselves are often exposed to high levels of victimisation and may live under significant adverse social and economic conditions. Youth offending is clearly a social problem; however, discussions around the issue most often concentrate merely on the fact itself and its scale, and tend to ignore the factors that determine the situation. Research indicates that a young person’s decision to commit or refrain from committing crime is based on a range of complex and intersecting social, personal and environmental factors. As such, youth crime prevention programmes need to find ways of addressing this multiplicity. The social and environmental causes of youth offending and resilience need to be identified and addressed if the issue is to be successfully challenged and reduced. It is important to recognise that the social and environmental situations, as well as the local contexts in which youth operate and develop, need to be considered when planning youth crime prevention and reduction strategies. Circumstances not only of young persons themselves (both offenders and non-offenders) but also of the lives of their families and the communities in which they live will be improved if the youth can be prevented from offending in the first place – or from re-offending if they have already started – and if a better understanding of both risk and resilience factors that lead to youth involvement in, or deterrence from, criminal activity is acquired. In an attempt to bridge the gap in research identified above, the Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention (CJCP) embarked on a research study in 2006. On the whole, the study was intended to yield a more thorough understanding of the resilience factors among young people in the South African context. To do this, the correlates underpinning youth criminality were explored while simultaneously examining the factors that strengthen resilience to crime among the youth. The study juxtaposed two sets of samples, namely: an offender sample (comprising young offenders, their parents/primary caregivers and siblings); and a nonoffender sample (comprising young non-offenders, their parents/primary caregivers and siblings). It was presumed that young people who choose not to commit crime are best suited to provide information on the factors that discourage youth criminal behaviour. In both samples each respondent’s life history, community context, family and peer networks, access to resources and services, level of education, life opportunities and employment possibilities were explored. The objectives of the study were threefold, namely:  to identify factors of resilience to crime and violence among young people in order to better design interventions aimed at enhancing resilience and to inform policy initiatives addressing crime and safety;  to identify the most influential risk factors for crime and violence within the South African context; and  to prioritise these factors based on advanced analysis between the offender and non-offender populations. Details: Cape Town, South Africa: Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention, 2009. 140p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series, No. 7: Accessed November 11, 2011 at: http://www.cjcp.org.za/admin/uploads/tightrope-final.pdf Year: 2009 Country: South Africa URL: http://www.cjcp.org.za/admin/uploads/tightrope-final.pdf Shelf Number: 123308 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders (South Africa) Young Offenders Youthful Offenders

Author: Leoschut, Lezanna Title: Running Nowhere Fast: Results of the 2008 National Youth Lifestyle Study Summary: The Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention (CJCP) embarked on a National Youth Victimisation Study (NYVS) in 2005, which involved interviewing 4,409 young people between the ages of 12 and 22 years recruited from all nine provinces of South Africa. The study provided compelling evidence to suggest that young people in South Africa are disproportionately at risk of falling prey to crime compared to their adult counterparts. Since the initial study was intended to provide baseline data on the nature and extent of youth victimisation, the CJCP conducted a second sweep of the study in 2008. For the most part, the National Youth Lifestyle Study (NYLS) was an exact replica of the 2005 study except for two additional components to the questionnaire. A total of 4,391 young people in the specified age bracket responded to a survey questionnaire which explored, among other things, the nature and extent of crimes they may have experienced ever and in the past 12 months, their exposure to violence in different social contexts, self-reported offending and their engagement in risky behaviours – with the latter phenomenon having only received attention domestically in recent years. On the whole, the 2008 NYLS once again highlighted the plight of many children and youths in South Africa. The high incidence of violence exposure both in their family homes and in the communities in which they live suggests that violence is a characteristic feature of the social spaces that young people in South Africa occupy. With significant proportions of youths having ever witnessed other people (including members of their own family) being involved in physical fights either as victims or perpetrators, it is not surprising to find that young people grow up perceiving violence as a socially appropriate means of interacting with others and resolving interpersonal conflict. The high levels of violence exposure also increase young people’s vulnerability to direct victimisation. One in four youths interviewed had reportedly fallen prey to crime in the 12-month period between February 2007 and February 2008. Although the overall youth victimisation rates have decreased since 2005, young people are still being victimised at rates higher than that experienced by their adult counterparts, with the rates for violent crimes such as assault and robbery being more than double the rates observed among adults. The high incidence of assault among the youth could be attributed in part to the prevalence of corporal punishment which continues to be employed as a means of effecting discipline within South African schools and homes. These findings once again point to the lack of safe and violence-free spaces that young people have, and highlight the need for the creation of such spaces – and in particular safe and violence-free school contexts since quality learning cannot take place in an environment that elicits feelings of fear and apprehension. Also evident from the findings was the close proximity to which youths in this country live to criminal offenders. One in six youths had family members who had ever been incarcerated, while just less than a tenth of the youth sample reported having adult family members who in the year preceding the study had done things that could have gotten them in trouble with the police – factors that not only increase youths’ vulnerability to victimisation but also heighten their susceptibility to perpetrating criminal behaviours themselves. There is therefore a need for diversion programmes to be more readily available to young people at risk of perpetrating violence and other crimes. In addition to the social conditions described above that increase young people’s susceptibility to victimisation, youths were also found to engage voluntarily in activities that could potentially put them at risk of falling prey to victimisation. Substance abuse was widespread – with alcohol being the primary substance of abuse, followed by tobacco use and marijuana. These risk behaviours are not only known to be detrimental to young people’s health and well-being but were also found to be associated with their vulnerability to criminal victimisation. That is, data emerging from this study shows that young people who had ever consumed alcohol or used illicit drugs were significantly more likely than those who had never used any of these substances to have ever been the victim of any crime. What becomes apparent, therefore, is the need to reduce young people’s involvement in risky behaviour. Of particular concern is the early age at which young people initiate substance use and their personal reasons for maintaining these health-compromising habits. More specifically, the use of substances to relieve stress and the influence of friends on young people’s use of addictive substances became evident in this study. These findings point to the need for further investigation into the stressors that young people face in their daily lives. In addition, programmes aimed at educating young people about positive coping and stress management skills are imperative in the cessation of risky behaviour. Given the significant influence that friends have on young people’s behaviour, peers could play an instrumental role in this process through peer education programmes. Furthermore, an individual’s decision to engage or stop engaging in a particular behaviour is largely influenced by his/her perceptions of the specific behaviour. Although young people in this study recognise the harmful effects of substance use on their health, many perceive the behaviour to be beneficial to them in some way, including calming their nerves, helping them to relax and helping them to forget their troubles. Thus efforts aimed at reducing substance use and abuse among young people should also include components that address youths’ perceptions of these activities and educate them about alternative ways in which to calm their nerves, relax and resolve their problems. Young people also frequently engage in risky sexual behaviour, evident by the percentage of youths who had initiated sex prior to the age of 15 years, who had four or more sexual partners in their lifetime, who had ever consumed alcohol or other drugs prior to sexual activity, who had used condoms inconsistently and who had ever experienced a pregnancy. These findings point to the need for early interventions to raise awareness among children and youths about safe sexual practices, the importance of initiating sexual intercourse at a later age, and to provide them, particularly females, with the skills to enable them to negotiate safe sex practices within their intimate relationships. Although attempts have been made both at schools and via the media to educate young South Africans about the dangers of risky sexual behaviour, it seems that young people might still not know enough about this topic. Particularly pertinent is the finding that young people countrywide lack confidence in their futures and in their ability to achieve the goals and objectives they have set for themselves. What is needed, then, are programmes aimed at empowering the youth and increasing their sense of self-efficacy. An increased sense of self-efficacy and control over their future would result in youths making more positive choices about the activities and behaviours they engage in. Special attention should be paid to male children and youths given their propensity (as evidenced in this study) to engage in violent and other risk-taking behaviour. Details: Cape Town, South Africa: Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention, 2009. 152p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 6: Accessed November 11, 2011 at: http://www.cjcp.org.za/admin/uploads/NYLS-final.pdf Year: 2009 Country: South Africa URL: http://www.cjcp.org.za/admin/uploads/NYLS-final.pdf Shelf Number: 123309 Keywords: Crimes Against Juveniles Delinquency Prevention Victimization Surveys (South Africa) Youth as Victims of Crime

Author: Silverman, Carol Title: The Consequences of Structural Racism, Concentrated Poverty and Violence on Young Men and Boys of Color Summary: This brief examines the broader structural and institutional elements that research implicates as the root causes of violence among boys and young men of color. It includes policy solutions and emerging and promising practices that respond to the primacy of broader structural issues, including structural racism. The brief also highlights organizations seeking to change conditions in their communities. Details: Berkeley, CA: Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Law and Social Policy, University of California, Berkeley Law School, 2011. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Brief: Accessed November 29, 2011 at: http://www.boysandmenofcolor.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Youth-Violence-for-Boys-and-Men-of-Color-Research-Brief.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.boysandmenofcolor.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Youth-Violence-for-Boys-and-Men-of-Color-Research-Brief.pdf Shelf Number: 123464 Keywords: African Americans Delinquency Prevention Poverty Racism Restorative Justice Socioeconomic Status Violent Crime Youth Violence

Author: Day, Andrew Title: Review of Programmes in Youth Training Centres. Part 2: Consultation and Recommendations Summary: Over the last five years there has been much discussion in South Australia, and other parts of the country, about the ways in which government agencies can, and should, respond to the needs of those young people who are considered to be at risk, particularly those who are considered to be at risk of offending or re-offending. It is well known and widely accepted that young people who are categorised in this way are likely to have particularly high levels of unmet need across multiple areas of functioning, with ongoing difficulties related to substance use, mental health, family functioning, educational attainment, as well as specific needs in relation to their offending behaviour. The development of age and culturally appropriate services to meet this diverse range of needs in a timely manner presents a considerable challenge to government agencies and other service providers. Each Australian state and territory manages young offenders in a slightly different way. In South Australia, responsibility for the provision of juvenile justice services (remand, detention and the administration of all youth justice dispositions from the court) lies with the Department for Families and Communities, and specifically Families SA. There are two youth training centres in South Australia, Cavan and Magill, accommodating children and young people from the ages of 10 through to 18. In 2006-07 there were 1011 admissions to secure care representing 500 young people. Families SA has the lead responsibility for the provision of programmes to young offenders, through the relatively recently established Youth Justice Directorate. Since its inception the Directorate has shown a strong commitment to the delivery of interventions that are both needs focused and effective in preventing re-offending in the context of meeting its obligations to young people under the 1993 Young Offenders Act. This report has been prepared at the request of the Guardian for Children and Young People in South Australia. This is a statutory position that reports to the Minister for Families and Communities, and has a mandate for intervention that extends to all children and young people under guardianship or custody orders, including those in secure care on youth justice orders. The Guardian has an important role to play in informing the development of services in this area, and thus commissioned this review of programmes offered in youth training centres in South Australia. The need to review and develop programmes has, however, also been identified by the Youth Justice Directorate as a key improvement area in the Training Centre Action Plan, and by others such as the Social Inclusion Unit, and the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Youth Justice System (SA). Part 1 of this report is dedicated to a comprehensive review of the scientific literature relating to theories and practice in youth justice. This review has been written to provide an up to date account of the current status of evidence relating to programmes that are offered to clients of the Directorate that are intended to reduce the risk of further offending. In any organisation that aims to be ‘evidence-based’, it is important that decisions around the structure, management, and delivery of programmes are made in the light of what is currently known about programme effectiveness. Evidence can take two forms: theories and models about how to understand the reasons why young people offend, and hence their likely need for intervention; and evaluations and trials of programmes that have been used with juvenile justice clients. Developmental theories of crime consistently suggest that antisocial behaviour is the strongest underlying causal factor for criminal behaviour. These theories stress the socialisation process and subsequent social bonds that the young person forms as being paramount to the development of pro-social behaviour and, in our view, are particularly appropriate theories for accounting for juvenile offending. Part 2 of the review reports the findings of a series of consultations with a range of stakeholders, both government and non-government, about the current provision of services and programmes to youth justice clients. Representatives from a range of services and agencies (identified through discussion with the Guardian and the reference group) were invited to take part in the review. These included the Families SA Directorate of Youth Justice, Kumangka Aboriginal Youth Services, Victim Support Services, Social Inclusion Unit Department for Premier and Cabinet, Justice Strategy Unit Department of Justice, Breaking the Cycle (Families SA), Central Community Legal Services, Youth Affairs Council of SA, and Service to Youth Council. In addition focus groups were conducted with residents of both the Cavan and Magill Training Centres, and centre staff members were invited to respond to a questionnaire about the social climate of the centres. Whilst the primary focus of the consultations was on the provision of programmes and services within the youth training centres, it was immediately apparent that broader issues relating to the availability of community programmes, the legal context underpinning any work in youth justice, and the range of services offered by external agencies, were all of direct relevance to the types of programmes that might be both possible and appropriate within the centres. The term ‘programme’ as used in this report requires some clarification. It is used to refer to specific forms of intervention which aim to meet particular objectives, particularly those relating to the reduction in risk of re-offending. Programmes are therefore distinguished from ‘activities’ which are not necessarily goal directed. This definition is somewhat narrower than that proposed by Families SA in its draft Subprogram Development and Implementation Guidelines (November, 2007) which describes programmes as those services provided or coordinated by the agency as a result of the requirements of the juvenile justice system (although we note that one of the aims identified in the Training Centre Action Plan is to ‘engage children and young people in programmes and interventions which challenge and reduce their offending’). Details: Adelaide: Guardian for Children and Young People, 2008. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 20, 2012 at: http://www.sapo.org.au/pub/pub10623.html Year: 2008 Country: Australia URL: http://www.sapo.org.au/pub/pub10623.html Shelf Number: 123692 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Corrections Juvenile Offenders (Australia) Youth Training Centers

Author: Sumner, Michael D. Title: School-Based Restorative Justice as an Alternative to Zero-Tolerance Policies: Lessons from West Oakland Summary: In this report we examine a pilot restorative justice program at a school that primarily served students of color from low-income families. We document the implementation of the program at Cole Middle School in West Oakland, California, and the observations and perceptions of those who participated in it. We also draw lessons from Cole’s experiences that we hope will be helpful to those interested in implementing school-based restorative justice. Restorative justice is an alternative to retributive zero-tolerance policies that mandate suspension or expulsion of students from school for a wide variety of misbehaviors including possession of alcohol or cigarettes, fighting, dress code violations, and cursing. Although zero-tolerance policies have resulted in substantial increases in student suspensions and expulsions for students of all races, African American and Hispanic/Latino youth are disproportionately impacted by a zero-tolerance approach. Under zero tolerance, suspensions and expulsions can directly or indirectly result in referrals to the juvenile and adult criminal systems where African American and Hispanic/Latino youth are also disproportionately represented. This phenomenon, part of a process that criminalizes students, has been termed the school-to-prison pipeline. Proponents of restorative justice have begun to promote school-based restorative justice as an alternative to zero-tolerance policies. Restorative justice is a set of principles and practices grounded in the values of showing respect, taking responsibility, and strengthening relationships. When harm occurs, restorative justice focuses on repair of harm and prevention of re-occurrence. Although preliminary research suggests that school-based restorative justice reduces violence, school suspensions, expulsions, and referrals to the juvenile and criminal justice systems, little research looks at the impact of restorative justice programs as an alternative to zero-tolerance policies for youth of color. This research seeks to fill that gap. The findings presented in this report are based on a case study of a single school conducted by researchers at the Thelton E. Henderson Center for Social Justice at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Data are drawn from observations, openended interviews and a questionnaire along with statistics collected from published reports from the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) and the California Department of Education. Details: Berkeley, CA: Thelton E. Henderson Center for Social Justice, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, 2010. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 26, 2012 at http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/11-2010_School-based_Restorative_Justice_As_an_Alternative_to_Zero-Tolerance_Policies.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/11-2010_School-based_Restorative_Justice_As_an_Alternative_to_Zero-Tolerance_Policies.pdf Shelf Number: 123776 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Education Racial Disparities Restorative Justice School Crime School Discipline School Suspensions Student Expulsion Zero Tolerance

Author: Schmitz, Connie C. Title: Final Report and Summative Evaluation Plan for the Ramsey County ACE Program Summary: The Ramsey County ACE program is a long-term intervention program for children under 10 who are found to be at high risk for serious, violent, and chronic juvenile delinquency. Founded in late 1999, ACE serves our society’s most vulnerable population of children: that is, those who have committed a chargeable offense at a very young age and who come from multi-generational, multi-problem families. In working with ACE children and their families, ACE takes a broad public health, intensive case management approach. Through an inter-agency service delivery team, the resources of multiple county departments, police, schools, and community agencies are coordinated on an individual basis. Child and family case management is provided weekly by community workers from the time of the child’s initial screening until age 18. The goals of ACE are to reduce problem behaviors, to increase school bonding and success, and to prevent the children from entering the juvenile justice system. Details: Minneapolis, MN: Professional Evaluation Services and Professional Data Analysts, Inc., 2004. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 4, 2012 at http://www.co.ramsey.mn.us/NR/rdonlyres/82A097AE-978C-4F63-9C68-30B6829A7A2F/1752/ACE_Final_Report.pdf Year: 2004 Country: United States URL: http://www.co.ramsey.mn.us/NR/rdonlyres/82A097AE-978C-4F63-9C68-30B6829A7A2F/1752/ACE_Final_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 123965 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Families Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile Offenders (Minnesota)

Author: Guerra, Nancy G. Title: Youth Violence Prevention in Jamaica: The Kingston YMCA Youth Development Programme: Impact on Violence Among At-Risk Youth in Jamaica Summary: We present data on aggression-related outcomes for participants in the Kingston YMCA Youth Development Programme. This program is designed to provide at-risk, lowincome males ages 14-17 in urban Kingston, Jamaica with intensive remedial education, social skills training, and personal development over three to four years. Two samples of youth were included: (a) 180 males, 125 of whom were currently enrolled in the program for at least six months and 55 of whom were in a wait-list control group; (b) 117 males, including 56 program graduates and a matched sample of 60 community controls. For the currently enrolled sample, significant reductions in aggressive behavior were found after controlling for aggressive propensity. For the graduate sample, significant reductions in aggressive propensity and aggressive behavior were found. The findings are discussed in terms of the potential of programs developed by youth service agencies for extremely disadvantaged youth to have short-term and long-term benefits for youth most at-risk, the importance of considering propensity for aggression as a viable program outcome, and support for the notion that it is “never too late” to help youth succeed. Details: Unpublished, 2009. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 5, 2012 at http://ksu.edu.sa/sites/KSUArabic/Research/ncys/Documents/r380.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Jamaica URL: http://ksu.edu.sa/sites/KSUArabic/Research/ncys/Documents/r380.pdf Shelf Number: 123977 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (Jamaica) Delinquency Prevention Problem Youth

Author: Snow, Pamela Title: Youth (In)Justice: Oral Language Competence in Early Life and Risk for Engagement in Antisocial Behaviour in Adolescence Summary: Youth offenders can be complex and challenging for policymakers and practitioners alike and face higher risk of long-term disadvantage and social marginalisation. In many cases, this marginalisation from the mainstream begins in early life, particularly in the classroom, where they have difficulty both with language/literacy tasks and with the interpersonal demands of the classroom. Underlying both sets of skills is oral language competence—the ability to use and understand spoken language in a range of situations and social exchanges, in order to successfully negotiate the business of everyday life. This paper highlights an emerging field of research that focuses specifically on the oral language skills of high-risk young people. It presents evidence from Australia and overseas that demonstrates that high proportions (some 50% in Australian studies) of young offenders have a clinically significant, but previously undetected, oral language disorder. This raises important questions about how young offenders are engaged in forensic interviews, whether as suspects, victims or witnesses. The delivery of highly, verbally-mediated interventions such as counselling and restorative justice conferencing is also considered in the light of emerging international evidence on this topic. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 435: Accessed April 12, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/4/A/E/%7B4AEA498D-5669-4E48-93B2-D08BFAB96548%7Dtandi435.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/4/A/E/%7B4AEA498D-5669-4E48-93B2-D08BFAB96548%7Dtandi435.pdf Shelf Number: 124938 Keywords: Antisocial Behavior, Juveniles (Australia) Delinquency Prevention Education Juvenile Conferencing Language Competency Verbal Skills

Author: Virginia. The Virginia Commission on Youth Title: Study of Truancy & School Dropout Prevention Summary: This study originated at the Commission on Youth’s April 23, 2008, meeting, during which the Commission adopted a two-year plan to study truancy and dropout prevention in Virginia. Specifically, the Commission was to study the provisions set forth in House Bill 1263 (Appendix A), to include a review of policies and procedures that address truancy and dropout prevention, including enforcement of compulsory attendance laws. As part of the study, the Commission established an Advisory Group consisting of stakeholder representatives, including members of the Commission, the Virginia 2 Department of Education, law enforcement and court agencies, child and family advocacy groups, and parent organizations. Although students were not official members of the Advisory Group, the Commission sought student input by inviting youth to speak at Advisory Group meetings and roundtables. Details: Richmond, VA: The Virginia Commission on Youth, 2010. 68p. Source: Final Report: Internet Resource: Accessed April 15, 2012 at http://leg2.state.va.us/dls/h&sdocs.nsf/fc86c2b17a1cf388852570f9006f1299/9e96abbe33032fb6852577f90077957f/$FILE/RD392.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://leg2.state.va.us/dls/h&sdocs.nsf/fc86c2b17a1cf388852570f9006f1299/9e96abbe33032fb6852577f90077957f/$FILE/RD392.pdf Shelf Number: 124975 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Legislation School Dropouts Truancy

Author: Costello, Meghan Y. Title: An Environmental Scan of Best Practices in Supporting Persistent Youth Offenders in the Transition to Adulthood Summary: The purpose of this study was to understand how persistent youth offenders in Alberta can be best supported as they transition into adulthood. In addition, this report intended to name best and promising practices in North America and internationally by considering programs and services that address the risk factors and needs that a persistent youth offender faces during the transition age. The objectives of this project were to: (1) Establish an understanding of the risk factors present among persistent youth offenders as they transition to adulthood; (2) Establish an understanding of the needs of persistent youth offenders as they transition to adulthood; and (3) Determine best practice in supporting persistent youth offenders as they transition to adulthood. In order to address these objectives, two research methodologies were employed. First, a literature review was conducted to establish the risk factors present among persistent youth offenders in their transition to adulthood, as well as their specific needs during this time. Second, an environmental scan was conducted in North America and internationally to identify best and promising practices that support persistent, transition-aged youth offenders as they progress into adulthood. Details: Calgary, Alberta, Canada: Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family, 2011. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 14, 2012 at: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~crilf/publications/Transition_to_Adulthood_Best_Practices_Report-Final_Dec-2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~crilf/publications/Transition_to_Adulthood_Best_Practices_Report-Final_Dec-2011.pdf Shelf Number: 125259 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Juvenile to Adult Criminal Careers Young Adult Offenders

Author: T2A (Transition to Adulthood) Title: Pathways from Crime: Ten Steps to a More Effective Approach for Young Adults in the Criminal Justice Process Summary: Pathways from Crime emphasises that the transition to adulthood is a process rather than a result, which implies that tailored services and support should not fall away once individuals turn 18. The report identifies a pathway through the criminal justice system, in which a more rigorous and effective approach can be delivered to young adults making the transition to adulthood (16-24). The 10 stages are policing and arrest, diversion, restorative justice, prosecution, sentencing, community sentences, managing the transfer process, custody, resettlement, and enabling desistance from crime. This T2A pathway has been tested in three pilot projects since 2009 in Birmingham, West Mercia, and London. The summative evaluation of the T2A pathway tracks 34 young adults over a six-month period and demonstrates some remarkable findings (e.g. only three were reconvicted of a new non-violent offence, only three breached their community order or licence, and the number of the sample in employment has trebled). The report concludes that the T2A pathway is an effective and rigorous approach that can be applied to young adults throughout the criminal justice process. In each stage of the process, criminal justice agencies can make interventions with young adults more effectively. The pilots have established how an effective approach can be put into practice and have highlighted changes that can be made to the way that services are designed, commissioned, and delivered. Details: London: Barrow Cadbury Trust, 2012. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 29, 2012 at: http://www.t2a.org.uk/t2a-pathways-from-crime-report-launched/ Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.t2a.org.uk/t2a-pathways-from-crime-report-launched/ Shelf Number: 125434 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Justice System Juvenile Offenders Juvenile Offenders, Treatment Programs Juvenile to Adult Criminal Careers Youth Adult Offenders (U.K.)

Author: Bradford Metropolitan District Council (U.K.) Title: Reducing Reoffending and Young People in Custody Summary: Bradford has a young population, with 28 per cent of the population under 20 years of age, compared to 24 per cent nationally. It also has relatively high levels of both youth offending and of youths breaching community sentences so that they end up in custody. To address these issues this project set out to utilise customer insight to better understand and engage with young people ultimately hoping to divert them away from offending and improve compliance with court orders. In addition to the obvious benefit this will bring, both for the individual young people themselves and for their families, it will also help to reduce overall costs through lower expenditure on policing; court appearances and short custodial sentences and it should contribute to lower levels of crime within the locality. By gaining a deeper insight into this client group, they would be enabled to deliver more differentiated and targeted youth offending services, as well as removing duplication as different agencies currently work across each other to support his group. The project also set out to profile the wider community and consider their attitudes to youth offending. It sought to identify opportunities to support wider work on community cohesion and identify localities where Big Society initiatives could be used to reduce youth offending. This part of the project sought to provide better information on youth crime to local area committees, providing a vehicle for local residents to determine which preventative services should be delivered in their locality. The principle aim of the project was to reduce youth crime and anti-social behaviour through the delivery of the following objectives:  a reduction of breaches through better compliance with court orders  a reduction in prolific offenders  support to those local social enterprises activities that target crime and anti-social activity  improvement of prevention activity, by understanding how targeted activities work best for different groups  profiling of offenders and anti-social behaviour order information  mapping the frequency of reoffending of young people in custody and patterns to help prevent reoffending.  mapping the impact of breaches of orders  increasing levels of cohesion between youths and the wider community. The project had the following targets, which it recognises are ambitious considering the current economic climate and the increase in youth unemployment:  a 5 per cent reduction in detected offences committed by young offenders  a 5 per cent reduction in young people sentenced to custody  a 3 per cent reduction in the breach of court hearings It was estimated that these would provide the following financial savings:  £448,000 reduction in detected offences committed by young offenders  £203,200 reduction in the costs of providing annual custody for offenders  £12,600 reduction in the cost of preparing for court appearances This is a total potential direct saving of £665,800. Additional benefits are more difficult to quantify and relate directly back to the project, however, these are likely to include those „societal costs‟ that are difficult to measure in financial terms. For example, costs from reoffending in terms of resident well-being (e.g. reduced levels of fear of crime and associated mental health benefits) and local authority and partner provider savings from more effective targeting and delivery of prevention services, avoiding the duplication of services. Details: Bradford, UK: Bradford Metropolitan District Council, 2012. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 2, 2012 at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/effective-practice/crime-effective-practice/other-crime-types/Reducng-Reoffding-and-Yng-People?view=Binary Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/effective-practice/crime-effective-practice/other-crime-types/Reducng-Reoffding-and-Yng-People?view=Binary Shelf Number: 125455 Keywords: Anti-Social Behavior Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders (U.K.) Recidivism Reoffending Treatment Programs, Juveniles

Author: Social Research Unit Title: Investing in Children: Technical Report Summary: Building on the model developed by the renowned Washington State Institute for Public Policy in the United States (WSIPP), Investing in Children has taken an approach to cost-­‐benefit analysis that is consistent across policy areas, cautious in its estimates and relevant to the real world of public and private sector investments in child health and development. The first two Investing in Children reports focus on Youth Justice and Early Years and Education respectively.1 This Technical Report should be read in conjunction with those reports. The Technical Report gives a brief overview of the two main approaches used in economic evaluation and summarises the cost-­‐benefit approach originally developed by the WSIPP. It also describes the sources and assumptions that the SRU used in the cost-­‐benefit model to estimate the economic value of programmes and approaches to reduce juvenile delinquency and improve educational outcomes for children. Details: Darlington, UK: Social Research Unit, 2012. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 6, 2012 at: http://www.dartington.org.uk/sites/default/files/IiC%20Technical%20Report%20April%202012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.dartington.org.uk/sites/default/files/IiC%20Technical%20Report%20April%202012.pdf Shelf Number: 125483 Keywords: Cost Benefit Analysis (U.K.) Delinquency Prevention Economics

Author: MacRae-Krisa, Leslie D. Title: Risk and Protective Factors Among an Ethnically Diverse Sample of Youth Offenders in Calgary Summary: The Government of Alberta’s recently implemented Crime Prevention Framework (2011) stresses the importance of a proactive approach to crime that addresses the factors leading to offending and victimization. The framework identifies that this may be accomplished by focusing on increasing protective factors and reducing risk among target groups, including at-risk children, youth, and families, Aboriginal people, and prolific offenders (Government of Alberta, 2011). One of the strategic directions by which the Government of Alberta has proposed to achieve the framework’s outcomes is to expand existing research in Alberta. The Mount Royal University Centre for Criminology and Justice Research (CCJR) identified a number of priority research areas that will ultimately support the framework, one of which is examining risk and protective factors among Aboriginal people and “newcomers” to Canada. In response to the CCJR’s call for research to examine risk and protective factors for offending among immigrant and Aboriginal communities, the Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family (CRILF) conducted an exploratory study of risk and protective factors for crime among Aboriginal youth, 1st and 2nd generation immigrant/refugee youth, and other ethnic groups using existing youth crime data. The objectives were as follows: (1) To examine the existing Canadian literature to determine what is known about ethnic differences in risk and protective factors among youth offenders in Canada; (2) To conduct exploratory analyses of the Calgary youth offending data collected by CRILF in 2006/2007 to determine whether similarities and/or differences in established risk and protective factors for crime exist among different ethnic groups in the sample; and (3) To adopt a grounded theoretical approach, informed by existing theoretical models, to explain the similarities and differences observed in risk and protective factors for youth offending among different ethnic groups. Details: Calgary, Alberta, Canada: Mount Royal University Centre for Criminology & Justice Research, 2011. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 6, 2012 at: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~crilf/publications/Risk_and_Protective_Factors.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~crilf/publications/Risk_and_Protective_Factors.pdf Shelf Number: 125486 Keywords: Aboriginal Youth Delinquency Prevention Immigrant Youth Immigrants Juvenile Delinquents (Canada) Youthful Offenders

Author: LaBoucane-Benson, Patti Title: Soccer Moms are Part of the Solution "A Cost-Benefit Analysis of a Volunteer-Based Gang Prevention Initiative" Summary: Gang crime prevention is a large, all encompassing descriptor that includes a variety of actions that are taken at the community, municipal, provincial and national levels. For government and policy makers, crime prevention is most often the creation of legislation, policy and funding for services (correctional, policing or justice) that focuses on the reduction and prevention of crime. At the community level, crime prevention can be purposeful, community-based mobilization of members to prevent crime in their communities or may be the result of community member actions that are not necessarily intended to prevent crimes, but nonetheless clearly result in crime. The research presented here begins with a case study of community mobilization that took place in Edmonton, Alberta in 2008. Names and information pertaining to children and community members involved in this action have been changed to protect their privacy. The event itself is recounted using narrative methodology that relates the details of the events in a coherent, holistic story that is based upon interviews with key informants who were part of the narrative. In general, the narrative describes how two self-described “soccer moms” reached out to connect Aboriginal and refugee children to soccer, and how these actions not only had an impact on these children but also describes how these acts triggered a series of actions that lead to the development of summer recreational and cultural programming for 100 children a week for a six–week period. It is a story of how change is created in the community by individuals who set out to the open doors of opportunity to vulnerable children. Details: Ottawa: Aboriginal Corrections Policy Unit, Public Safety Canada, 2009. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 7, 2012 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cor/apc/apc-31-eng.aspx Year: 2009 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cor/apc/apc-31-eng.aspx Shelf Number: 125498 Keywords: Crime Prevention, Gangs 00 Voluntary and Community Delinquency Prevention Gangs Sports Volunteers (Canada)

Author: Weiss, Billie Title: An Assessment of Youth Violence Prevention Activities in USA Cities Summary: Research has shown that violence is a serious issue for cities. Despite the evidence little data have been collected reporting on cities’ overall strategies, resources, and activities to address this problem. In an effort to inform urban efforts to reduce violence, UNITY conducted an assessment to establish baseline measurements of the magnitude of youth violence, the level of concern within the city and collaborative efforts to address and monitor the issue. The assessment was conducted by Southern California Injury Prevention Research Center (SCIPRC) at UCLA School of Public Health. The study included standardized interviews with Mayors, Police Chiefs, Health Department Directors and School Superintendents, or their designees in a representative sample of the largest cities, populations of 400,000 or more, across the U.S. Major Findings • Most cities cited a lack of a comprehensive strategy. • Public Health Departments are not generally included in city strategies. • Law enforcement and criminal justice are the most prevalent strategy used in the cities. • Gang violence was identified as the major type of youth violence. • Cities, for the most part, lack clearly developed outcomes, evaluations, or evaluation plans to measure and monitor their efforts. • Cities with the greatest coordinated approach also had the lowest rates of youth violence. Recommendations For cities: • Adopt a comprehensive approach to youth violence that includes an equitable distribution of prevention, intervention and suppression/enforcement. • Establish greater collaboration between city entities and across jurisdictional borders to county and state entities. • Develop and implement a city-wide plan with measurable objectives and an evaluation component. For the nation: • Create a national agenda to address youth violence in the largest cities developed and adopted by several national partners. • Provide training for State and Local Public Health Departments about their role in violence prevention and also provide incentives and opportunities to participate in city-wide efforts. • Provide cities with the opportunity to network and mentor each other in their efforts to reduce and prevent violence through UNITY. Details: Los Angeles: Southern California Injury Prevention Research Center, UCLA School of Public Health, 2008. 153p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 19, 2012 at: http://www.ph.ucla.edu/sciprc/pdf/UNITY-SCIPRCassessment.June2008.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.ph.ucla.edu/sciprc/pdf/UNITY-SCIPRCassessment.June2008.pdf Shelf Number: 125680 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Gangs Juvenile Offenders Urban Areas Violent Crime Youth Violence (U.S.)

Author: Northern Ireland. Criminal Justice Inspection Title: Early Youth Interventions: An inspection of the contribution the criminal justice agencies in Northern Ireland make to preventing children and young people from entering the criminal justice system Summary: Early intervention can be described as the policies and programmes which are aimed at tackling the problems emerging for children and young people and their families most at risk. There is clear evidence to show that channelling funds to young children is likely to generate more positive changes than spending money on an older child. Many of the problems that contribute to criminal behaviour are already formed long before the young person reaches the criminal justice system. A snap-shot study on the backgrounds of young people detained in the Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre in November 2011 shows over a third were ‘looked-after’ or voluntary accommodated children within the care system; 82% were identified as coming from a single parent family and 34% had experienced domestic violence in the home environment. In relation to educational attainment, 38% of the sample had a statement of learning needs whilst 14% had a recognised learning disability; 80% of the sample had issues relating to school exclusion or absconding from school. The vast majority of young people (92%) had misused drugs or alcohol, while 32% had self-harmed. The profile of young offenders as those coming from dysfunctional families who have become detached from the formal education system, and who have developed chaotic lifestyles abusing drugs and alcohol is depressingly familiar. While the problems are well known, and the benefit of youth interventions are well understood, the practical difficulties of ensuring that this determines the allocation of resources and focus of work across the various Northern Ireland Executive departments are enormous. Inspectors could not get a complete picture of the number, types and funding of early intervention programmes available in Northern Ireland. They found there was a myriad of providers, target participants, silo funding streams and delivery and evaluation methodologies. In relation to the situation in Northern Ireland generally, and the justice system specifically, there was a lack of co-ordination, a risk of duplication and a lack of evaluation which made it difficult to assess effectiveness and value for money. What is clear is that for many young people it was a case of ‘too little too late’. All too often interventions attempt to deal with social problems that are already well entrenched. This is not only ineffective in helping those young people with issues that contribute to criminal behaviour, it is also more expensive. The path to the youth justice system is a well-trodden one, yet we as a society seem incapable of helping some young people to move off it. Ultimately the question of whether to fully commit to an early interventions approach is one for Ministers. There needs to be consensus and co-operation between those responsible for health and social care, education, criminal justice, social development, employment and learning and the environment. If there is a desire for a move to early interventions then a joined up system of governance, accountability, funding, delivery, evaluation of outcomes and ultimately a shared vision of success is essential. This report calls for a clear commitment to such an approach. The challenge is immense. The alternative is a continued failure, as a society, for our most vulnerable children. Details: Belfast: Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland, 2012. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2012 at: http://www.cjini.org/CJNI/files/a3/a33b7bdf-05a2-4574-b7a1-3b6c8eeea978.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cjini.org/CJNI/files/a3/a33b7bdf-05a2-4574-b7a1-3b6c8eeea978.pdf Shelf Number: 125775 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Justice Systems (Northern Ireland) Juvenile Offenders

Author: Prairie Research Associates Title: Evaluation of the Youth at Risk Development Program: Final Evaluation Report. Volume 1 Summary: In response to growing concerns about gang violence, the Youth At Risk Development (YARD) program offered prevention services to high-risk youth and youth involved in gang-related activities in Calgary, Alberta. Between 2002 and the time of the application for National Crime Prevention Centre (NCPC) funding, Calgary had experienced an increase in gang-related criminal activity with most notably, 14 gang-related homicides, 31 drive-by shootings, 3 stabbings and 3 cases of forcible confinement. The Calgary Police Service was also monitoring 300 gang members who were distributed among 8-10 criminal groups. Gang membership in Calgary was dominated by males in their early 20s with auxiliary female involvement. Intelligence gathered on gangs indicates gang members often carry weapons, and are involved in the trafficking of real, altered and replica hand guns. They were also almost exclusively involved in drug trafficking, and were believed to be instrumental players in the drug distribution network in Calgary. Street gangs in Calgary were generally not ethnically or geographically based, but represented a wide range of nationalities/races. All gang-related activity had the potential to impact public safety. The 2005 Calgary Police Service Citizen’s Survey of almost 2,000 Calgary residents reported that illegal gang activity was ranked the number one “most important policing problem” with over 43% of respondents reporting this as the most pressing issue for police. Gangs were also identified as the 3rd biggest safety concern for parents and children in schools. In 2005, the Calgary Police Service conducted a series of focus groups in local elementary, junior and senior high schools. The most frequently identified “safety issue in school” was gang activity, followed by drugs and bullying. Details: Winnipeg: Prairie Research Associates, 2011. 92p. Source: Summary Report Available at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/_fl/yrd-eng.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/_fl/yrd-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 125802 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Gang Violence Gangs (Canada)

Author: Neal, Melissa Title: Mindful of the Consequences: Improving Mental Health for D.C.'s Youth Benefits the District Summary: Improving public safety in D.C. depends on a comprehensive approach that involves multiple strategies spanning all City agencies. One facet of such a comprehensive approach is to improve outcomes for youth so that fewer become caught up in the justice system, a victim of crime, or both. This brief is part of a series explaining how improving youth outcomes in D.C. can also result in better public safety outcomes for the District as a whole. The power of good mental health is underestimated in maintaining safety and wellbeing within D.C.’s communities. But, as our understanding of brain science expands, the connections between public safety and health promotion are increasingly clear. Historically, the role of mental health as a crucial component of overall wellness and health has been “misunderstood and often forgotten.” Details: Washington, DC: Justice Policy Institute, 2012. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 30, 2012 at: http://www.justicepolicy.org/uploads/justicepolicy/documents/mindful_of_the_consequences.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.justicepolicy.org/uploads/justicepolicy/documents/mindful_of_the_consequences.pdf Shelf Number: 125805 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Mental Health Services (Washington, DC) Victim Services

Author: Canada. Public Safety Canada, Evaluation Directorate Title: Final Report 2010-2011 Evaluation of the Youth Gang Prevention Fund Program Summary: Canada’s National Crime Prevention Strategy aims to increase individual and community safety by equipping Canadians with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to advance crime prevention efforts in their communities. This is done in part through Public Safety Canada’s (PS) National Crime Prevention Center (NCPC), which oversees the planning, development, and implementation of policies and practices related to crime prevention and victimization. In delivering the Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF) Program, the NCPC focuses on social factors and conditions that contribute to gang membership, while recognizing a need to reduce immediate opportunities or situations in which crime and victimization can occur. This approach is based on research which shows that preventive as well as reactive (or suppressive) measures—the apprehension, sentencing, incarceration and rehabilitation of offenders—are necessary to prevent crime. The YGPF invests in communities where youth gangs are an existing or emerging threat and supports initiatives that clearly target youth in gangs or at greatest risk of joining gangs. Total funding for the YGPF Program is $33,595,100 over five years beginning in 2006-2007. In choosing the projects under the YGPF Program, the NCPC worked within the context of the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Working Group on Community Safety and Crime Prevention to identify municipalities and community-based groups that were tackling youth gang issues. The NCPC then worked with these municipalities and communities to develop and implement anti-gang prevention projects using directed funding in the form of contribution agreements. Consistent with the experimental nature of NCPC’s work, these projects were based on promising or proven gang prevention practices. Each project hired an independent evaluator to assess youth participants’ propensity towards gang involvement, based upon set risk factors upon intake to the project, as well as at each six month interval. These results are reported annually to the NCPC which then collects, analyzes, and disseminates results from funded projects and other sources of knowledge and information on youth gang issues. This enables the federal government to play a role in helping develop local solutions to youth gang issues. YGPF Program inception documents note that the federal government has a leadership role to play in helping to build safer and healthier communities. The YGPF Program provides an opportunity for the federal government to show leadership by bringing together partners who have a role in preventing and reducing youth crime. The outcomes of the YGPF Program as stated in inception documents, the YGPF Accountability, Risk and Audit Framework (ARAF) and the program logic model can be summarized as follows: • to increase understanding and knowledge of how to effectively address the issues related to youth gangs; and • to support communities and youth at risk through the implementation of local, targeted and tailored anti-gang initiatives (through directed contribution funding). This document presents the evaluation of PS’s YGPF Program. This evaluation was conducted between May and July 2010 in accordance with the Treasury Board of Canada Policy on Evaluation, which came into effect April 2009, and the 2007 Accountability, Risk and Audit Framework (ARAF) prescribed by the program. The objective of this evaluation is to provide an evidence based, neutral assessment of the relevance and performance of the program that is in its fifth year of operation. The scope of the research for this evaluation includes activities of the YGPF Program from its inception in October 2006 to March 31, 2010. It should be noted that the scope of the evaluation includes the YGPF Program, rather than just the activities of the funded projects. The YGPF Program refers to the results of the funded projects under the YGPF (the fund); the administration of related contribution funding; and the knowledge transfer activities of NCPC related to the youth gang issue. The evaluation methodologies included document/literature review and Internet research; a review of the Grants and Contributions Information Management System; interviews with program management, funded recipients, project evaluators and subject matter experts; a provincial/territorial focus group; a review of NCPC’s Annual Project Evaluation Reports; a comparative analysis; and a cost-effectiveness analysis. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2011. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 10, 2012 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/abt/dpr/eval/_fl/ygpf-flagj-09-10-eng.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/abt/dpr/eval/_fl/ygpf-flagj-09-10-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 125959 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Gangs (Canada) Juvenile Offenders Youth Gangs

Author: Craig, Wendy Title: Better Beginnings, Better Futures Study: Delinquency Trajectories of At-Risk Youth Summary: Many studies of juvenile delinquency over the past two decades have focused on older, serious, and violent juvenile offenders. Younger delinquents have been ignored partly because their number is relatively small and their threat is often not as immediate. Understanding the trajectories of delinquency at a young age and the risk and protective factors associated with those developmental trajectories can inform the development of early risk assessments and the development of targeted prevention and intervention programs. The objectives of the research were to identify early trajectories of delinquency for both boys and girls from age 8 (Grade 3), age 11 (Grade 6), and age 14 (Grade 9) in a longitudinal sample of at-risk youth from a multi-informant perspective, assess risk and protective factors that may influence the likelihood that youth will engage in criminal behaviour in adolescence, and examine whether youth in the identified delinquency trajectories differ substantially in terms of delinquency, involvement with the criminal justice system, emotional and behavioural problems, experience of abuse, academic/school functioning, and health/health risk behaviours. Additionally, this study aimed at estimating the costs associated with each delinquency trajectory on utilization of government resources in the criminal justice system, remedial education, health care and social services, and social assistance. In order to examine these research questions, analyses were conducted using the Better Beginnings, Better Futures data. These data followed 842 children living in five disadvantaged communities in Ontario. The same children were assessed when they were in Grades 3, 6, and 9 with measures largely based on the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY). Three key informant sources were used to assess children’s delinquency (parents, teachers and self-report youth ratings). In Grade 3, children’s levels of delinquency were assessed by teachers. In Grade 6, the children were assessed by parents, teachers and the youth, while in Grade 9, they were assessed by parents and the youth. In addition to the above, 31 risk factors and 17 protective factors for delinquency were examined when the children were in Grade 3. When the children were in Grade 9, 41 outcome measures were examined in the following domains: emotional and behavioural problems, delinquency problems, abuse, involvement with the criminal justice system, functioning in school, and health and health risk activities. Finally, monetary costs associated with the criminal justice system, remedial education, health care and social services, and social assistance were estimated for each participant. The literature on delinquent trajectories identifies three main delinquency groups among children and youth: a low delinquency group, a high delinquency group, and a desisting delinquency group. The trajectory analyses of the current research indicated that there were six delinquency trajectory groups. Children in two of the trajectories had very low ratings of delinquency across time (lowest delinquency group and the second lowest delinquency group). Two other trajectories showed a similar pattern of delinquency ratings that was decreasing over time. In the moderate desisters group, children had moderate levels of delinquency at Grade 3 followed by low levels of delinquency at Grades 6 and 9. In the highest desisters group children had the highest level of reported delinquency behaviours at Grade 3, followed by a marked decrease in reported delinquency at Grades 6 and 9. The fifth trajectory group, named escalators, had very low levels of reported delinquency at Grade 3 and increased markedly in their reported delinquency over time. By Grade 9, children in this trajectory group had the second highest delinquency scores. The final group, high delinquency, started with moderate levels of reported delinquency at Grade 3, marked by the highest reported levels of delinquency at Grades 6 and 9 of any of the trajectory groups. Children at risk for delinquency (i.e., those in the high delinquency, escalators, and the two desisters trajectory groups) scored significantly higher on 17 of the 31 individual, family, peer, and neighbourhood risk factors. For example, children from these four trajectory groups experienced more hyperactive, oppositional-defiant, and physically aggressive behaviours; family risk factors included single parenthood, less parental education, public housing, and hostile-ineffective parenting. These results highlight the need to further develop and refine assessment tools to include these risk factors associated with delinquency. By Grade 9, the high delinquency and escalators groups also had significantly more problems than the other groups; they exhibited more emotional/behavioural, health, criminal, and school functioning problems. Early identification at school and involvement in special education programs early may have significantly reduced these negative outcomes in Grade 9. Finally, the economic analyses identified that youth in the high delinquency, escalators, and the two desisters trajectory groups cost a significant amount of money; for example, approximately 80% of the estimated costs to society (e.g., on utilization of government resources in the criminal justice system, remedial education, health care and social services, and social assistance) were from these four trajectory groups which represent 18% of the sample. Furthermore, 80% of the estimated criminal justice costs were due to the youth in the high delinquency and escalators groups. The findings of the current study highlight some key conclusions. First, there are early indicators to the developmental pathways to delinquency. The risk factors associated with delinquency involvement (e.g., inattention/hyperactivity problems, oppositional defiant problems, low family functioning, having a teenage mother) can be identified as early as Grade 3 and can inform the implementation of an assessment and/or screening tool for children and youth at-risk of delinquency. Second, delinquency involvement does not just emerge, it develops over time, and without intervention, the problems accumulate and may become serious and significant by as early as Grade 9. Third, investment in prevention, such as educational support, can reduce criminal justice costs and delinquency involvement. The most at risk groups (high delinquency and escalators groups) for delinquency involvement accounted for the majority of the estimated reactive costs (e.g., criminal justice, health care and social services, social assistance) and not the preventative costs (e.g., remedial education). Specifically, the high delinquency and escalators groups accounted for 46% of the reactive costs compared to 32% for the two desisters groups and 22% for the two low delinquency groups; for the preventative costs, high delinquency and escalators groups accounted for 38% of the costs compared to 44% for the two desister groups and 18% for the two low delinquency groups. Although more research is needed to understand the delinquency trajectories of girls, those at-risk of delinquency appear to require more support. Although our high risk group of girls was limited, there are some preliminary indications from this research that they are at a heightened risk for problems (e.g., emotional problems, having delinquent friends, police involvement) and the estimated costs associated with their problems may be higher than for boys because they appear not only through the criminal justice system, but also through the health care system. Details: Ottawa: National Crime Prevention Centre, Public Safety Canada, 2011. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 2011-03: Accessed August 10, 2012 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/_fl/bbbf-eng.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/_fl/bbbf-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 125960 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency (Canada) Juvenile Offenders Juvenile to Adult Criminal Careers

Author: Labourse, Eric Title: Late Childhood Risk Factors Associated with Conduct Disorder Subtypes in Early Adolescence: A Latent Class Analysis of a Canadian Sample Summary: Very few studies have investigated the association between risk factors in late childhood and subtypes of conduct disorder (CD) in early adolescence that comprise such heterogeneous symptoms as aggression, destruction of property, theft and serious violations of rules. Previous research has identified four distinct subtypes: No CD type (82.4%), Non-Aggressive CD (NACD) type (13.9%), Physically Aggressive CD (PACD) type (2.3%) and Severe-Mixed CD (SMCD) type (1.4%). These subtypes suggest that there can be multiple pathways to CD that can have similar or different risk factors depending on the qualitative or quantitative aspects of the CD profiles. The aim of the present study was to identify late childhood risk factors in multiple domains, such as neighbourhood characteristics, family adversity, parenting/peer relationships and externalized/internalized behaviours that are common and specific to the four CD subtypes. Methods: Data on CD symptoms and risk factors were collected using the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth. Three cohorts of 12- and 13-year-olds were assessed during 1994–1995, 1996–1997 and 1998–1999 (N = 4,125). Results: Bivariate analyses revealed that out of 12 risk factors, 10 were associated with SMCD, 9 were associated with PACD and 10 were associated with NACD. In contrast to No CD subtype, multivariate analyses revealed that older age, non-intact family, family mobility and hyperactivity/inattention were predictors of SMCD. Males in the younger age category with family mobility and high physical aggression were associated with PACD. NACD was characterized by males in the older age category and with non-intact family, family mobility, coercive/ineffective parenting and deviant peers. Conclusion: Although there are many subtypes of CD, our findings suggest that there is more commonality than differences in risk factors. Components of family adversity, parenting practices and hyperactivity/inattention should be the focus of prevention and intervention efforts. Details: Ottawa: National Crime Prevention Centre, Public Safety Canada, 2012. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report: 2012-2: Accessed August 10, 2012 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/_fl/lcrf-eng.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/_fl/lcrf-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 0 Keywords: Aggression At-risk Youth Conduct Disorder, Juveniles (Canada) Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquents Juvenile Offenders

Author: London. Assembly. Time for Action Panel Title: Time to Reflect: The Development of Time for Action, the Mayor's Strategy to Tackle Serious Youth Violence Summary: The Time for Action strategy is a set of programmes aimed at reaching young people in London who may be at risk of becoming a victim, or perpetrator of crime. The Time for Action Panel welcomes the Mayor’s focus on addressing some of the causes of serious youth violence by expanding young people’s opportunities to participate in constructive activities and improve their life chances. It is important that the Mayor shows leadership by supporting programmes which can act to improve young people’s life chances and reduce youth violence. Final evaluation reports for the programmes have not yet been produced so it is too early to make an assessment of overall effectiveness. Some programmes have been fully worked up and are operational but others have been slow to get going. While the overall strategy has been led by the Deputy Mayor for Policing, other Mayoral Advisors have led on other programmes at different times. There are many lessons to be learnt by the GLA from its work in this area as the Mayor considers future interventions and further roll out of these programmes. In developing the programmes it is important to better understand the causes and drivers of serious youth violence and there is more the Mayor can do to commission and publish research which would support his interventions. This is vital to ensure effective programme design and targeting of resources. Our focus has been on three particular areas where the Mayor has intervened and significant GLA resources have been expended: to support offender rehabilitation, to support looked after children and to support mentoring of young black boys. The Panel has looked in detail at the creation of the Heron Unit at Feltham Young Offenders Institute that seeks to deliver intensive rehabilitation for young men who have stepped forward for a second chance. Our impression of the work of the Unit has been very positive and there is now some quantitative data to suggest that the Unit may be able to improve the chances of successful rehabilitation once the young men leave. We look forward to the final evaluation report in the summer and to hearing from the Mayor what further support the GLA will be offering to the Unit. The local authority is the corporate parent for looked after children but there are important strategic interventions that the Mayor can make to support these children. His work to support looked after children has shifted focus from boosting school attendance and achievement to supporting looked after children make the transition from school to university and to help raise aspirations. His intervention has been welcome but there is more that can be done through a campaign for more foster parents and by providing support into employment through ring-fencing apprenticeships in the GLA group. The Mayor’s mentoring programme has not met its delivery targets and there are concerns amongst some Panel members about the capacity of the consortium to create sufficient numbers of successful mentoring relationships. Part of the reason why the mentoring programme is behind schedule may be due to the way the appointment of the delivery consortium was made and the subsequent problems with the winning bid’s delivery partners. Details: London: Greater London Authority, 2012. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2012 at: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/13977/1/12-03-16-Time-to-Refelct.Pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/13977/1/12-03-16-Time-to-Refelct.Pdf Shelf Number: 125994 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders (London, U.K.) Violent Crime Youth Violence

Author: Burnett, Ros Title: Found in Transition? Local Inter-Agency Systems for Guiding Young Adults into Better Lives: Final Report of the Formative Evaluation of the T2A Pilots Summary: Three Transition to Adulthood (T2A) pilots were introduced as part of a movement to give prominence and priority to services for ‘young adults’ in the criminal justice system, recognising that this is a stage in life when the adjustments and passages in the life-course are at their most challenging and when those already involved in offending are at risk of becoming the most prolific. The Barrow Cadbury Trust has been at the forefront of this movement, funding a commission of inquiry, an alliance of interested organisations and three pilots to pioneer appropriate services in their locale. The broad purpose of the T2A movement has been to put ‘young adulthood’ on the map used by criminal justice and community services so that it is more conspicuous as a distinct area of need, and to achieve a more joined-up approach across the age divide separating services, and across the different sectors. Categories of young adults with different needs or additional challenges – ethnic minority, female, disabled, mentally ill, substance addicted – are particularly within the ambit of the initiative, because of their combined vulnerabilities. The pilots are in London, Birmingham, and Worcestershire respectively. Two are led by voluntary sector services: the St Giles Trust runs the one in South London as part of its SOS project, and YSS (not an abbreviation) runs the one in Worcestershire. The third one, in Birmingham, is delivered by the Staffordshire and West Midlands Probation Trust. They commenced operation as T2A teams during the period December 2008 and July 2009, though the two voluntary sector teams were able to embed this work within existing projects. Still with one year to run, in effect they have a dual function: on an operational level, they are demonstrating effective work with young adults at risk; on an institutional level, they are blazing a trail for inter-agency policies that will bridge gaps between services and ensure joined up provision for young adults. The pilots have made great progress in putting into practice the purposes set for them by BCT’s Commission for Transition to Adulthood and the subsequent T2A Alliance. The inroads they have made are on two main fronts: their present work with service users (that is, at the beneficiary level) and their more future oriented strategic planning with other agencies (that is, at the institutional level). The work on these two fronts includes many strands. They add up to a complex package which – especially with reference to continuity in the future – might be summed up as the development of local inter-agency systems for guiding young adults into better lives. Details: Oxford, UK: University of Oxford, Centre for Criminology, 2010. 119p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 27, 2012 at: http://www.t2a.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Oxford-CfC-Final-Evaluation-Report-2011.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.t2a.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Oxford-CfC-Final-Evaluation-Report-2011.pdf Shelf Number: 126114 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders (U.K.) Rehabilitation Programs Young Adult Offenders

Author: Crimmens, David Title: Reaching Socially Excluded Young People: A National Study of Street-Based Youth Work Summary: This study explores the contribution of detached and outreach youth work to the involvement of socially excluded young people in relevant and accessible education, training and employment in England and Wales. In particular it considers how detached and outreach youth work might articulate with the Connexions initiative. The research sought to: • explore the nature, range and geographical spread of street-based youth work with socially excluded young people in England and Wales; • identify the effectiveness of agency strategies and practice interventions in developing significant and sustainable educational, training and vocational opportunities; and • establish how street-based youth work can best contribute to and articulate with the Connexions Service and the ‘key agencies’ that constitute Connexions Partnerships. Details: Durham, UK: Durham University, 2004. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 27, 2012 at: http://dro.dur.ac.uk/6409/1/6409.pdf Year: 2004 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://dro.dur.ac.uk/6409/1/6409.pdf Shelf Number: 126116 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Disadvantaged Youth Rehabilitation Programs Young Adult Offenders (U.K.)

Author: Selman, Julia E. Title: New Deal for Communities Youth Inclusioin Programme: Early Outcomes in West Ham and Plaistow Summary: This report is based on research of the New Deal for Communities Youth Inclusion Programme (NDC YIP) in the West Ham and Plaistow area. It presents findings on the early impacts of the NDC YIP project on service users. The purpose of our research was to find out what impact, if any, participating in the activities at the NDC YIP core project had on the anti-social and offending behaviour of the young people who regularly attended. We also aimed to find out about the processes of change behind the impact. At a project level we looked at how the project defined the problems and needs of the young people and how well the project responded to these problems. At the participant’s level we looked at the needs and problems of the young people as defined by them. This helped us to understand if the project may provide a solution to some of their problems. We spoke to some of the young people about their perceptions and experiences of participating in the project. Due to budgetary constraints, as well as low levels of attendance, we have been unable to undertake as much research as we would have liked. The findings presented in this report therefore only give partial insight into the impact of the NDC YIP. At the same time, the findings have identified some good practice at the NDC YIP in West Ham & Plaistow which may be beneficial for the programme as a whole. Details: London: Centre for Institutional Studies, University of East London, 2006. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: CIS Research Report 4: Accessed August 28, 2012 at: http://www.uel.ac.uk/cis/documents/report4.pdf Year: 2006 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.uel.ac.uk/cis/documents/report4.pdf Shelf Number: 126163 Keywords: Antisocial Behavior (U.K.) At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention

Author: Mackie, Alan Title: Evaluation of the Youth Inclusion Programme: Phase 2 Summary: The Youth Inclusion Programme incorporated 72 projects located in many of the most deprived neighbourhoods in England and Wales. The purpose of the programme was to reintegrate into mainstream society young people most ‘at risk’ of school or social exclusion, truancy or offending. The programme identified and worked with 50 of the young people deemed by local agencies to be most at risk in each neighbourhood. In addition to working with this core 50, projects also sought to engage a wider group of young people in the area. Participation was entirely voluntary. The overall objective of the programme during Phase 2 was ‘to reduce youth crime within the neighbourhood’. To help the programme achieve this objective, the Board set four supporting targets. These included two process targets, which related to how the programme should operate: • to ensure that at least 75% of the identified core group were engaged • to ensure the core 50 who were engaged received at least five hours of appropriate interventions per week. In addition, there were two outcome targets, which related to what the programme should deliver: • to reduce arrest rates among the core group by 70%, compared with the 12 months prior to their engagement • to ensure that 90% of those in the engaged core group were in suitable fulltime education, training or employment (ETE). This report presents the findings of the evaluation of Phase 2 of the programme, which ran from April 2003 to the end of April 2006. As such, the report describes the programme in its second phase and the findings relate to the time of writing, May 2006. The evaluation was tasked with describing the operation of the programme and also measuring its success in meeting its targets, but did not aim to address the impact of the programme in reducing youth crime. Details: London: Youth Justice Board, 2012. 164p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/8444/1/Evaluation_of_the_Youth_Inclusion_Programme_-_Phase_2_%28Full_report%29.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/8444/1/Evaluation_of_the_Youth_Inclusion_Programme_-_Phase_2_%28Full_report%29.pdf Shelf Number: 126183 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.K.) Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Truancy

Author: Barnes, Matt Title: Understanding Vulnerable young People: Analysis from the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England Summary: The Department for Education (DfE) wants to improve the aspirations and achievement of vulnerable young people. Of interest are young people who experience substance misuse, emotional health concerns, teenage parenthood, low attainment, those who are NEET and those involved in crime. The Department has a wealth of evidence on each of these issues and the ways in which young people are disadvantaged. However, there is less evidence on how these disadvantages overlap for some young people and the outcomes for those affected by multiple disadvantage. Investigating multiple disadvantage is important in understanding the experiences of vulnerable young people. Whilst the experience of a single disadvantage can create difficulties for young people, multiple disadvantages can interact and exacerbate one another, leading to more harmful and costly outcomes for both the young person and society as a whole. A significant evidence gap exists in understanding the extent to which problems faced by young people overlap. This information is needed to be able to estimate the potential numbers of vulnerable young people who are the most in need of targeted, supportive interventions and on what areas these interventions should focus. This research, using data from the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE), helps fill this evidence gap by addressing the following research questions: • How many young people face multiple disadvantages at age 16/17? • What types of disadvantages do young people experience? • What level of contact do vulnerable young people have with services? • What school-age factors increase the risk that young people end up disadvantaged? • What are vulnerable young people’s ’outcomes’ at age 18/19? Details: London: Department for Education, 2011. 108p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report DFE-RR118: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR118.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR118.pdf Shelf Number: 126217 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Disadvantaged Youth (U.K.)

Author: Kenrick, James Title: The Outcomes and Impact of youth Advice: The Evidence. Key Research Evidence on the Difference Made to Young People's Lives by Social Welfare Advice Services Summary: This report is intended as a one-stop evidence resource for anyone wishing to understand the adverse impact of social welfare problems and the beneficial impact of youth advice services on young people‟s lives. It is hoped that it will be used by: providers developing advice services for young people to inform their models of delivery and to refer to the most relevant evidence in their applications for funding; policy-makers in the legal and youth sectors to inform their policies, priorities and strategies; funders to ensure they focus their limited funding on projects that have been designed on the basis of the evidence available; researchers with an interest in the subject to inform further research. The report may be particularly relevant in the current context of widespread local authority cuts to youth advice services and Government plans to reduce the scope and funding of civil legal aid. This report focuses on the outcomes and impact of advice provided: to young people between the ages of 13 and 25 (although with a greater focus on 16-25 year olds); by advice agencies targeting young people; primarily youth information, advice, counselling and support services (YIACS), but also Citizens Advice Bureaux, Law Centres and other independent advice agencies providing advice services to young people; in relation to social welfare rights-based issues, such as housing, homelessness, welfare benefits, debt, employment rights, education rights, social services and discrimination. Details: London: Youth Access, 2011. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://youthaccess.org.uk/uploads/documents/TheOutcomesAndImpactOfYouthAdvice-The-Evidence_FINAL_1.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://youthaccess.org.uk/uploads/documents/TheOutcomesAndImpactOfYouthAdvice-The-Evidence_FINAL_1.pdf Shelf Number: 126218 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.K.) Delinquency Prevention Social Services

Author: Vien, Anh Title: An Investigation Into the Risk and Protective Factors Associated with Youth Offending Summary: This thesis examines risk and protective factors associated with youth offending and how these have been applied to legislation, prevention and intervention. The first chapter provides an introduction to the thesis and reviews current trends in youth offending and approaches to treatment and interventions with young offenders. The second chapter provides a thematic review of the current literature on risk and protective factors to youth offending and how this has radically changed the Youth Justice System. The risk and protective factors paradigm is then applied to an empirical research study in the third chapter. The aim of which is to establish whether risk and protective factors are associated with young offenders completion or non-completion of a community based sentence. Findings from the empirical research study suggest that completers and non-completers of a community based programme differ in terms of their anger levels and their current educational status. The fourth chapter applies the risk and protective factors paradigm to a qualitative case study in order to demonstrate the intrinsic relationship between risk and protective factors and the applicability of the paradigm to interventions. Chapter five presents a critique of the Children’s Nowicki-Strickland Internal External (CNSIE) locus of control scale, as internal locus of control has been identified as protective factor to youth offending. However, findings from the empirical study and case study suggests that locus of control is not a protective factor for the current sample. Chapter six provides an in depth discussion of all the work completed in the thesis. The main conclusion derived from the thesis is identification of risk and protective factors associated with youth offending is relatively simple. However applying and implementing protective factors in intervention is much more difficult in reality. This has implications for future initiatives aimed at preventing youth offending. Details: Birmingham, UK: Centre for Forensic and Family Psychology, School of Psychology, The University of Birmingham, 2009. 159p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/852/1/Vien10ForenPsyD.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/852/1/Vien10ForenPsyD.pdf Shelf Number: 126219 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders (U.K.) Rehabilitation

Author: Great Britain. Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Social Exclusion Unit Title: Transitions: Young Adults with Complex Needs: A Social Exclusion Unit Final Report Summary: Transitions is the Social Exclusion Unit's final report looking at 16 - 25 year-olds with complex needs. It examines the problems faced by young people as they move from adolescence to adulthood; it explores the areas of thinking and behaviour, age boundaries and holistic services and the trusted adult and sets out the principles of effective service delivery for young adults. The report ends by outlining the actions the Government will take to address the problems of service delivery to young adults with complex needs. Details: London: ODPM, 2005. 110p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/cabinetoffice/social_exclusion_task_force/assets/publications_1997_to_2006/transitions_young_adults.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/cabinetoffice/social_exclusion_task_force/assets/publications_1997_to_2006/transitions_young_adults.pdf Shelf Number: 126220 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.K.) Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Disadvantaged Youth Young Adults

Author: Hirst, Julia Title: An Evaluation of Two Initiatives to Reward Young People Summary: This study examines two pilot schemes in Bradford and York designed to increase young people’s self esteem and stimulate a greater appreciation of the positive contribution they can make to their communities. The two schemes rewarded young people for positive behaviour and taking part in practical community-based activities. The context for the schemes was one of intergenerational tensions, with incidences, or perceptions, of anti-social behaviour a concern for residents. This report: n analyses a range of qualitative and quantitative data, including a literature review; presents the findings of a 20-month evaluation of the two schemes; looks at how the two schemes were shaped by their different local contexts; and outlines some key questions and provides checklists for groups and agencies thinking of setting up a reward scheme for young people. Details: Layerthorpe: York Publishing Services and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2007. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://www.jrf.org.uk/system/files/2119-reward-young-people.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.jrf.org.uk/system/files/2119-reward-young-people.pdf Shelf Number: 126221 Keywords: Antisocial Behavior (U.K.) At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention

Author: Bynner, John Title: The Impact of Government Policy on Social Exclusion Among Young People: A Review of the Literature for the Social Exclusion Unit in the Breaking the Cycle Series Summary: In Summer 2003, the Social Exclusion Unit commissioned a series of literature reviews examining the impact of Government policies and initiatives to tackle social exclusion policies across the lifecourse. John Bynner and Mary Londra from the Institute of Education and Gill Jones from Keele University were commissioned to undertake the literature review among young people. The aim of the review was to critically examine published evaluation evidence of the impact of government programmes since 1997 on social exclusion of young people aged in England between 13–25 years of age. Given the very extensive and wide range of policies affecting young people the research team focused on four main policy areas relating to social exclusion: education, training and employment; teenage pregnancy and parenthood; housing and homelessness; and youth offending. Many of the evaluations are of pilot projects and the findings relate more to design issues and implications for delivery, than to policy impact. The research for this review was conducted between August 2003 and February 2004, although where possible later publications have also been included in this review. Details: London: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2004. 119p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/cabinetoffice/social_exclusion_task_force/assets/publications_1997_to_2006/impact_young_people.pdf Year: 2004 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/cabinetoffice/social_exclusion_task_force/assets/publications_1997_to_2006/impact_young_people.pdf Shelf Number: 126222 Keywords: Antisocial Behavior At-Risk Youth (U.K.) Criminal Justice Policy Delinquency Prevention

Author: Great Britain. Home Office Title: National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal. Report of Policy Action Team 8: Anti-Social Behaviour Summary: Anti-social behaviour is a widespread problem. It is a problem that is more prevalent in deprived neighbourhoods. Its effects are often most damaging in communities that are already fragile and where services are overstretched. Serious hard-core perpetrators are small in number but their behaviour has a disproportionate impact on large numbers of ordinary people. There is no one accepted definition and anti-social behaviour can range from dropping litter to serious harassment. The lack of hard facts compounds the problem, but it is known that anti-social behaviour: is perceived to be twice as high in deprived areas than nationally; is considered to be a medium-to-large problem by three-quarters of social landlords, with some landlords recording figures of up to 285 complaints a year per 1,000 tenancies; and appears to be increasing, with reports to the police of disorder offences increasing by 19 per cent from 1995–96 to 1997–98 and complaints to environmental health officers about neighbours rising by 56 per cent from 1993 to 1997. Tackling anti-social behaviour should be a high priority and should be seen as a prerequisite for the success of the overall National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal. All agencies will need to be fully engaged in the fight against anti-social behaviour. Central government needs to support local government in doing this. This can be delivered through the following measures: clear responsibility. Given that the action will be based within Crime and Disorder Partnerships, the Home Office (HO) should co-ordinate the process nationally, working very closely with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) and other Government departments. LAs should name a person to co-ordinate action; targeting anti-social behaviour to be a distinct and separate part of crime and disorder strategies. All agencies should state what their role will be in delivering this; improving performance. Developing a set of key indicators for measuring anti-social behaviour and putting in place corresponding Best Value Performance Indicators. At present anti-social behaviour is no one agency’s priority and so risks their collective neglect. No one agency is responsible for pulling together action in Whitehall or at local authority and neighbourhood level and little information is collected on the number and severity of incidents. This has lead to poor implementation and some real policy gaps. To remedy this the Government has agreed the recommendations in the report, which cover five broad areas: assigning clear responsibility for tackling anti-social behaviour to the Home Office nationally and to Crime and Disorder Partnerships locally; promoting prevention by involving local residents and putting in place measures to create a physical and social environment where anti-social behaviour is less likely to arise in the first place; enforcement: intervening earlier, making better use of current powers such as Anti-Social Behaviour Orders and tackling the hard core; 5 resettlement: breaking the cycle of repeated anti-social behaviour and minimising perverse outcomes of exclusion such as homelessness; and combating racial harassment: putting action to combat racism at the centre of anti-social behaviour strategies. In addition, the report identifies two outstanding issues for further public consultation which will be taken forward by the Home Office and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. These are: ensuring that there are effective sanctions in place against perpetrators who are living in private rented or owner-occupied accommodation; and preventing perpetrators repeating their behaviour in new accommodation or in different neighbourhoods after eviction. Details: London: Home Office, 2000. 121p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/cabinetoffice/social_exclusion_task_force/assets/publications_1997_to_2006/pat_report_8.pdf Year: 2000 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/cabinetoffice/social_exclusion_task_force/assets/publications_1997_to_2006/pat_report_8.pdf Shelf Number: 126223 Keywords: Antisocial Behaviour (U.K.) At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Disorderly Conduct Incivilities Neighborhoods and Crime Nuisance Behaviors and Disorder

Author: Lloyd, Cheryl Title: Monitoring and Evaluation of Intensive Intervention Projects for Young People Summary: A total of 20 Intensive intervention projects (IIPs) were set up in 2008 to work with young people aged 8 to 19 with the most complex needs. These projects applied the intensive family support model (formerly Family Intervention Projects) to address the behaviour and other problems of the young people. The key difference between an IIP and an intensive family intervention being that the primary focus was on the young person (rather than the whole family). Other family members, however, are included in an IIP where it is appropriate to address the inter-connectedness between the young person and other family members’ problems. This report presents the monitoring evidence of young people referred to an IIP between April 2009 and 21 January 2011. Key findings • As of 21 January 2011, 1,836 young people had been referred to an IIP. Of these, 61 per cent were accepted for an IIP and had a Contract in place; six per cent were put on a waiting list; and 33 per cent were turned down for an IIP. • Just under a half (49 per cent) of young people who had left an IIP were recorded by IIP staff as having successfully completed their intervention and achieved a positive outcome. A further 21 per cent of young people left the intervention because their circumstances had changed and they were no longer eligible for an IIP. Thirty per cent of young people either refused to continue working with an IIP themselves or their carer refused to allow them to continue. • Results for the 790 young people who had exited an IIP or been working with an IIP for at least eight months included in the outcomes analysis provide positive evidence of the success IIPs are having: 􀂾 60 per cent of young people had fewer crime and ASB issues between starting and leaving the IIP. 􀂾 65 per cent of young people and their families were reported by IIP staff to have improved the way their family functioned (by reducing disengagement between the young person and their family, addressing parenting issues or domestic violence) between the Contract and Exit stage. 􀂾 63 per cent of young people had reduced the number of their health risks recorded between the start and end of their IIP intervention. This included addressing mental health issues, drug or alcohol misuse as well as reducing the risk of becoming a teenage parent. 􀂾 Young people were least likely to address their education and employment issues. A total of 46 per cent of young people had reduced their education and employment issues between the Contract being put in place and leaving the intervention. Details: London: Department for Education, 2011. 87p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report DFE-RR112: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/3592/1/3592_DFE-RR112.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/3592/1/3592_DFE-RR112.pdf Shelf Number: 126224 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.K.) Delinquency Prevention Intervention Programs Rehabilitation

Author: Mackie, Alan Title: Evaluation of the Challenge and Support Programme Summary: The Challenge and Support programme was established by the Youth Taskforce in 2008 in response to growing concerns about anti-social behaviour amongst young people. For example, a report from the National Audit Office, published in 2006, estimated that responding to anti-social behaviour was costing government agencies around £3.4 billion every year. Its aim was to ensure that young people in receipt of an enforcement for anti-social behaviour were provided with appropriate support. At its core, the programme aimed to support services such as Youth Offending Teams, Community Safety Partnerships and Children’s Trusts in sharing information and coordinating service delivery to stop anti-social behaviour and improve the lives of young people. To understand its impact, the Department commissioned research to evaluate the use and effectiveness of support measures alongside anti-social behaviour enforcement action for young people in areas with C&S projects. Includes: •Key implications for decision makers •Executive summary •Context •Results •Implications •Knowledge gaps •References Details: London: Department for Education, 2011. 87p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report DFE-RR138: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR138.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR138.pdf Shelf Number: 126225 Keywords: Antisocial Behaviour (U.K.) At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Incivilities Nuisance Behaviors and Disorder Youth Counseling

Author: Walker, Janet Title: Intervening to Improve Outcomes for Vulnerable Young People: A Review of Evidence Summary: Concerns about the number of young people who fail to reach their potential at school, or get into trouble, or are not in education, employment or training (NEET), underpin the continuing commitment to end child poverty in the UK by 2020, and the Coalition Government’s pledge to increase the focus on supporting the neediest families and those with multiple problems. A strong policy commitment to improving the life chances of vulnerable young people has in recent years led to the testing of a number of initiatives. In December 2009, Professors Janet Walker and Cam Donaldson were tasked with reviewing the evidence from the national evaluations of ten of these initiatives so as to draw out the implications for future policy and practice with respect to vulnerable young people and their families. The focus in all the programmes reviewed was on prevention and early intervention and on the provision of multi-agency support to tackle a range of risk factors in a young person’s life. The programmes had complex and ambitious objectives and in some areas many overlapped and ran concurrently. Some young people and their families received interventions from several of the initiatives, making it difficult for programme evaluators to isolate the impact of any one programme or intervention. The review sought to identify: the common barriers to the effective implementation of new initiatives; elements of effective practice in the delivery of multi-agency services for vulnerable young people and their families; the costs associated with integrated service delivery; the outcomes that can be achieved; and whether fewer and more targeted initiatives might offer better value for money, particularly during a period of fiscal reform. Details: London: Department for Education, 2011. 110p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report DFE-RR078: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR078.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR078.pdf Shelf Number: 126226 Keywords: Antisocial Behaviors At-Risk Youth (U.K.) Delinquency Prevention Interventions

Author: Evans, Jerome R. Title: YouthZone Program Evaluation Report Summary: Youth development and family services provided by YouthZone seek to motivate and equip individuals, organizations, and communities and their leaders to join together in nurturing competent, caring, and responsible children and adolescents. Helping young people means doing more than just just solving an immediate problem. It means also thinking about how communities can foster positive relationships among young people, assist families and schools with resources, and create opportunities that raise expectations for a for a bright future. In towns where children and youth experience family, school, and community life as positive and where they have relationships with people who guide them, they are much more likely to learn, achieve, mature, and to reach their potential. In this sense then, every child and youth whose faltering well-being is restored is prepared to contribute to the quality of life where they live. Healthy youth make strong communities. Life is complex and changing. Necessarily, the approaches to helping youth regain their positive sense of direction call for keeping up with new ideas and evaluating those that appear to be working to improve their results. This report contributes to these objectives. It suggests new ways of looking at common challenges and helps YouthZone be as accountable as possible to its funders, families, and the communities it serves. This evaluation report summarizes findings from a comparison of pre-post YouthZone Screening scores for youths who in the majority (95%) came with an admission legal problem. Details: Glenwood Springs, CO: YouthZone, 2011. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 4, 2012 at: http://www.youthzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/YouthZone_Evaluation_Report_03-24-2011_with_appen_A-E.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.youthzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/YouthZone_Evaluation_Report_03-24-2011_with_appen_A-E.pdf Shelf Number: 126234 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (Colorado) Delinquency Prevention

Author: Roca Title: Intervention Work with High-Risk Young People: Foundational Elements, Guiding Principles, Ideas, and Questions for Discussion A Report by Police Officers, Roca Youth Workers, and DYS Officials Summary: The goal of this document is to provide a framework for intervention work with young people ages 14-24 who are currently involved in violence, delinquency, substance abuse, and other harmful behaviors. It is a collaborative effort of various individuals who currently work in the intervention field. This document is not meant to be completely comprehensive; rather, it is meant to initiate important dialogue regarding strategies for improving our work with high-risk young people. After reviewing the research and discussing intervention in depth, we believe that there are five core elements to intervention work. We believe that each of these core elements must be targeted and based on data, intentional and outcome focused, and long term. They also must be implemented by organizations that care about young people and believe they can change. The core elements are: a. Outreach and Youth Work: Young people need positive, constructive, purposeful, long-term relationships with caring and mature adults to help them change. b. Programming: Programming helps to develop necessary skills for the young person. Examples of programming include educational, employment, counseling, substance abuse treatment, parenting, and family support. The purpose of programming is to build competency that will drive the young person to reach his outcomes. c. Organizational Partnerships: Partnerships among community, police and criminal/juvenile justice are vital. Organizations, agencies, and departments that work with young people must do so in a coordinated manner. In order to be most effective, they must share information and responsibility. An “us versus them” mentality simply will not work. One organization/agency cannot provide all the necessary services to a young person. In order to have a coordinated and intentional response, partnerships are vital. d. Suppression: The formal criminal justice/juvenile justice system must be part of the intervention strategy in order to maintain community safety. e. Family and Community Involvement: When developing strategies, we must keep in mind the realities of the family and community structures within which young people live. Programs that involve families can be more effective than individualfocused strategies alone. When possible and sensible, families should be involved. Additionally, reducing the risk factors in the community as a whole is a desirable outcome in any large-scale intervention work. Details: Chelsea, MA: Roca, 2009. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 4, 2012 at: http://www.rocainc.org/doclibrary.php?doc_file=InterventionManual.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.rocainc.org/doclibrary.php?doc_file=InterventionManual.pdf Shelf Number: 126235 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.S.) Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Rehabilitation

Author: Shannon, Douglas Title: Where Outdoor Education and Youth Justice Meet: Researching the Effectiveness of a Social Problem Solving Programme for Young People at Risk of Offending, Delivered Using an Outdoor Education Approach Summary: This paper represents the research carried out into the effectiveness of a programme delivered by Glasgow City Council’s Outdoor Resource Centre, to young people at risk of offending. The programme delivered was purposeful in its approach, and drew on previous knowledge from both the Outdoor Education and the Youth Justice worlds. The focus of the programme was to deliver a skills based approach to teaching social problem solving. Previous Outdoor Education programmes for offenders have depended upon either a diversionary approach, an intensive counselling approach, a character trait approach or have relied on the ‘challenge’ aspect of Outdoor Education to suggest a punitive component to their programme. The evidence for their effectiveness in reducing offending is poor, and is losing support from a Youth Justice field that is becoming increasingly evidence based. Two measures of social problem solving were examined. The component parts, known as process measures, and the practical application, known as outcome measures. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected to establish these measures. These were obtained through a process of behavioural observations made by the staff delivering the programme, and through semi-structured interviews with purposefully selected participants and their parents, teachers and social workers. Overall it was found that the programme was very effective, particularly, in terms of process measures. The data regarding the outcome measures showed that young people took the skills and applied them to some very important life decisions. Some weaknesses were noted in how certain components of social problem solving were applied in practice; these require further investigation. This research considers one possible meeting place between the worlds of Outdoor Education and Youth Justice. The meeting place was, in this case, very fruitful. More exploration of other possible meeting points would seem to be an area worthy of further enquiry. Details: Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh, 2006. 101p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed September 4, 2012 at: http://www.education.ed.ac.uk/outdoored/research/dissertation_shannon.pdf Year: 2006 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.education.ed.ac.uk/outdoored/research/dissertation_shannon.pdf Shelf Number: 126241 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.K.) Delinquency Prevention Outdoor Education Programs

Author: Armitage, Victoria Jane Title: The Inbetweeners: Young People Making Sense of Youth Anti-Social Behaviour Summary: Beginning with the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, the UK government’s ‘Anti-social Behaviour Agenda’ has served to label all young people as potentially anti-social. This study describes and analyses young people’s accounts of anti-social behaviour and the impact of anti-social behaviour legislation on young people living in a rural context. Through semi-structured interviews with eighteen teenagers in a rural northern town who had undertaken anti-social behaviour but were not subject to any individual control measures, the research explores the participants’ perceptions of their (informal) identification as anti-social, their interactions with institutions of social control and how these factors impacted on their sense of self. In particular, it explores the strategies that the respondents utilised to avoid internalising a deviant identity and through doing so examines the relationship between anti-social behaviour and youth as a transition. Whilst none of the respondents considered themselves to be anti-social, they had all been subject to informal control measures including being ‘moved on’ and having their details taken by the police. The findings indicate that for these young people, anti-social behaviour is inexorably tied to their liminal position as ‘youths’ and this allows their identities to be fluid and constantly changing. The respondents understand their social position/s as ‘inbetween’ a variety of statuses, and it is postulated that the widely acknowledged vague nature of ASB definition and their identities as ‘youths’ allows them to negotiate the space between a pro- and anti-social identity without internalising either. They therefore construct anti-social behaviour as a normal part of conventional youth, and something which they will certainly ‘grow out of’. Details: Durham, UK: Durham University, School of Applied Social Sciences, 2012. 275p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed September 4, 2012 at: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3581/1/Victoria_Armitage_Doctoral_Thesis_May_2012.pdf?DDD34+ Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3581/1/Victoria_Armitage_Doctoral_Thesis_May_2012.pdf?DDD34+ Shelf Number: 126242 Keywords: Antisocial Behavior (U.K.) At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Disorderly Conduct Incivilities Nuisance Behaviors and Disorder

Author: Maynard, Brandy R. Title: Indicated Truancy Interventions: Effects on School Attendance among Chronic Truant Students Summary: Truancy is a significant problem in the U.S. and in other countries around the world. Truancy has been linked to serious immediate and far-reaching consequences for youth, families, and schools and communities, leading researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to try to understand and to address the problem. Although numerous and significant steps have been taken at the local, state, and national levels to reduce truancy, the rates of truancy have at best remained stable or at worst been on the rise, depending on the indicator utilized to assess truancy rates. The costs and impact of chronic truancy are significant, with both short- and long-term implications for the truant youth as well as for the family, school, and community. Although several narrative reviews and one meta-analysis of attendance and truancy interventions have attempted to summarize the extant research, there are a number of limitations to these reviews. It is imperative that we systematically synthesize and examine the evidence base to provide a comprehensive picture of interventions that are being utilized to intervene with chronic truants, to identify interventions that are effective and ineffective, and to identify gaps and areas in which more research needs to be conducted to better inform practice and policy. Details: Oslo: The Campbell Collaboration, 2012. 84p. Source: Campbell Systematic Reviews 2012:10: Internet Resource: Accessed September 4, 2012 at http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/2136/ Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/2136/ Shelf Number: 126250 Keywords: At-risk Youth Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Evaluative Studies Juvenile Offenders Truancy

Author: Green, Anne E. Title: Keeping Track: Mapping and Tracking Vulnerable Young People Summary: The notion of social exclusion, and the need for its existence and effects to be addressed and combated by government social policy, has gained great prominence in recent years, as illustrated by the establishment and work of the Social Exclusion Unit (SEU). One of the issues of particular interest and concern to policy makers and practitioners has been the fortunes of ‘vulnerable’ young people, especially those who become detached from ‘mainstream’ youth transitions. Such transitions have tended to become longer, more ambiguous or uncertain and more diverse as a plethora of different pathways into the labour market and other domains of adulthood have emerged. The acknowledgement of the problems posed by the existence in successive cohorts of young people of a significant proportion who could be categorised as ‘vulnerable’ or ‘disaffected’, has led to a range of policies designed to support young people at risk. Increasing participation in and access to education is a central element in support of the goal of building a fair and prosperous society. Careers services have been charged with prioritising work with vulnerable young people, and with developing better systems for identifying and keeping in touch with them – usually in collaboration with other agencies, in light of the recognition that a multi-agency response is required. The emphasis on partnership working and joined-up policy delivery has led to the development of the Connexions strategy, with the Connexions service, a support service for all young people, as its centrepiece. Connexions is a new advice, guidance and support service for all young people aged 13-19 years, phased in across England from April 2001. It is designed to integrate existing careers advice and support services for young people, creating a single point of access through personal advisers who will be able to give advice and guidance on learning opportunities and careers, and help young people overcome barriers to a successful transition to adult life. The intention is that the Connexions service will ensure that access to all the support services that a young person might need is coordinated through a personal adviser (DfEE, 2000a). the advantages and limitations of ‘mapping’ and ‘tracking’ methodologies, identifying examples of good practice and the difficulties which agencies have encountered in building reliable, accurate, up-to-date and robust systems. Scope In order to achieve this aim, the study involved: • identifying a range of attempts to develop systems of mapping and tracking vulnerable young people, from across different types of agencies; • comparing and contrasting different approaches to mapping and tracking; • highlighting difficulties (both conceptual and practical) encountered, and key issues arising, in the course of the development of mapping and tracking systems; • identifying examples of interesting and good practice; • outlining implications for policy and making recommendations for future practice. It is hoped that the findings from the study will influence the debate concerning, and contribute to the agenda for, the Connexions service, as well as raise issues of wider relevance to the research agenda on young people, partnership working, and mapping and tracking methodologies. Mapping and tracking initiatives in England form the focus of this study, although some evidence was gathered from other parts of the United Kingdom. This additional evidence included some Social Inclusion Partnership projects in Scotland and various projects concerned with working together to tackle the problems of exclusion of young people from the labour market supported by the European Social Fund (ESF) under the YOUTHSTART strand of the EMPLOYMENT community initiative. This extra material has informed the discussions and conclusions presented in this report. Details: Bristol, UK: The Policy Press and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2001. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 5, 2012 at: http://www.jrf.org.uk/system/files/jr096-vulnerable-young-people.pdf Year: 2001 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.jrf.org.uk/system/files/jr096-vulnerable-young-people.pdf Shelf Number: 126262 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.K.) Delinquency Prevention Partnerships

Author: Crime and Justice Institute Title: Interventions for High-Risk Youth: Applying Evidence-Based Theory and Practice to the Work of Roca Summary: Roca is a values-based, outcomes-oriented, youth and young adult development organization in Chelsea, Revere, and East Boston, Massachusetts. The agency’s mission is to “promote justice through creating opportunities for young people to lead happy and healthy lives.” Roca chooses to pursue this mission with some of the most marginalized youth in the community, and works with those youth to achieve self-sufficiency and live out of harm’s way. After nearly two decades of experience serving this population, Roca is undergoing a thoughtful restructuring to clearly define and measure the work that they do, and ultimately to institutionalize practices that fulfill the agency’s mission and goals. As part of this transition to evidence-based practice, Roca is reviewing existing theory and practice that are applicable to its work. This document is a component of that effort. This literature review focuses on research in criminal and juvenile justice, delinquency prevention, and behavior change. Roca has previously engaged in a review of relevant literature in the field of youth development; this review will expand upon previous work by viewing Roca through the lens of another discipline. This research is appropriate to apply to Roca because many of its participants are either involved with the court, or at risk of becoming court-involved. The disengaged and disenfranchised youth with whom Roca works possess several of the characteristics that put youth in contact with the criminal justice system, including dysfunctional family relations, alcohol and drug problems, and anti-social companions. The criminal and juvenile justice fields have developed effective, evidence-based practices that can inform Roca’s work and provide support for Roca’s Theory of Change. Cited works include theoretical and practical research in delinquency prevention and intervention, and pro-social skill building for high-risk youth. Consistent with Roca’s model, the review considers not only programming, but the engagement of individuals and institutions in the change process. Of note, Roca identifies itself as a youth development organization, not as a clinical service provider. Therefore, this review does not offer a review of the clinical practices that have proven successful with court-involved and high-risk youth, as these practices are outside the scope of Roca’s services. Details: Boston: Crime & Justice Institute, 2006. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 5, 2012 at: http://www.rocainc.org/pdf/resources/external/InterventionsforHighRiskYouth.pdf Year: 2006 Country: United States URL: http://www.rocainc.org/pdf/resources/external/InterventionsforHighRiskYouth.pdf Shelf Number: 126263 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Evidence-Based Practices Interventions

Author: Liberman, Akiva Title: Interim Evaluation of the Pilot Program of the Truancy Case Management Partnership Intervention in the District of Columbia Summary: The Case Management Partnership Initiative (CMPI) addresses chronic truancy by linking truant ninth graders and their families to social services and case management, along with regular interagency case management meetings. A pilot was conducted at Anacostia and Ballou High Schools in 2011-2012. The implementation evaluation found that the pilot program successfully implemented an interagency partnership and linked families to needed services, which likely improved family well-being. Whether this impacted truancy is not yet known. To reduce chronic truancy, the CMPI is a promising platform for additional program experimentation, including possible modifications to timing, eligibility criteria, and program components. Details: Washington, DC: District of Columbia Crime Policy Institute, Urban Institute, 2012. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 5, 2012 at http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412619-Truancy-Case-Management-Partnership-Intervention.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412619-Truancy-Case-Management-Partnership-Intervention.pdf Shelf Number: 126275 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Families Social Services Truancy (Washington, DC)

Author: Ives, Richard Title: Evaluation of the Junior Youth Inclusion Programme Summary: Youth Inclusion Projects (YIPs) cover children aged 13-16 who are either at high risk of offending or have already begun to offend. They provide a tailored intervention package to address each child’s key risk factors. Interventions include diversionary activities such as sport and structured advice sessions on drugs, health, education and employment. (HM Treasury 2004, paragraph 5.146) Junior YIPs operate similarly, covering the younger age-range of eight to 13 years. This report describes an evaluation of the Junior YIP (Youth Inclusion Project) in LB Camden. This evaluation was undertaken as an additional evaluation task by the CCF Local Evaluators with support from the JYIP Project Manager. The report is structured so that most of the detail of the evaluation at the end. This part of the report provides a succinct account of the work; the sections that follow give more detail about each aspect of the evaluation. There is also a section giving some theory about tackling the problems of children and young people at risk. Details: Kettlestone, UK: educari, 2007. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 11, 2012 at: http://www.castlehaven.org.uk/reports/Educari%20Report.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.castlehaven.org.uk/reports/Educari%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 126294 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.K.) Delinquency Prevention Interventions

Author: Makwana, Bea Title: Heretaunga Tiaki Tamariki Project: Outcome Evaluation Summary: In 2002 Heretaunga Tiaki Tamariki project (HTT), based in Hastings was one of 14 community youth programmes selected nationally to reduce youth offending. The programme received $510,000 over three years. HTT is a community youth programme aimed at reducing repeat offending of high-risk young people aged between 11 and 17 years, and is located in the Flaxmere Police Station. The entry criteria required clients to have already offended; or to have come to police attention; to have truancy issues; and/or care and protection issues; and may experience substance abuse problems. There was a maximum of 5 families per caseworker, with an anticipated throughput of 15-20 clients per year. This outcome evaluation considers the effectiveness of HTT over three years, 2003-2005. During this time 26 clients aged between 11 and 16 years were accepted onto the programme; all but two identified as Mäori. This evaluation found: • the success of the case plans was dependant on both the level of engagement by the client and the types of goals that were set. • social and family environments are complex and the provision of holistic interventions is difficult. • there is a need to clarify the client’s responsibility within case plans, particularly in relation to educational outcomes and the reduction of offending and seriousness of offending. • overtime interagency collaboration improved and HTT had more visibility in the community. • the programme was not able to demonstrate a reduction in offending and seriousness of offending. A strength of HTT was being located in a local police station and the consequent relationships that were established. The programme also had qualified staff and comprehensive filing and review systems. However, there was room for HTT to promote greater client responsibility, and awareness of HTT as a programme within the community. More generally, the evaluation has noted that both Police and Ministry of Justice can improve their ongoing monitoring and support of community youth programmes, particularly in the initial implementation and training stages. Details: Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Police, 2007. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 12, 2012 at: http://www.police.govt.nz/resources/2007/heretaunga-tiaki-tamariki/heretaunga-tiaki-tamariki-project-outcome-evaluation.pdf Year: 2007 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.police.govt.nz/resources/2007/heretaunga-tiaki-tamariki/heretaunga-tiaki-tamariki-project-outcome-evaluation.pdf Shelf Number: 126304 Keywords: At-risk Youth Community Programs Delinquency Prevention Families Interventions Juvenile Offenders (New Zealand) Rehabilitation Truants

Author: Fernandes-Alcantara, Adrienne L. Title: Vulnerable Youth: Background and Policies Summary: The majority of young people in the United States grow up healthy and safe in their communities. Most of those of school age live with parents who provide for their well-being, and they attend schools that prepare them for advanced education or vocational training and, ultimately, selfsufficiency. Many youth also receive assistance from their families during the transition to adulthood. During this period, young adults cycle between attending school, living independently, and staying with their families. Approximately 60% of parents today provide financial support to their adult children who are no longer in school. This support comes in the form of housing (50% of parents provide this support to their adult children), living expenses (48%), cost of transportation (41%), health insurance (35%), spending money (29%), and medical bills (28%). Even with this assistance, the current move from adolescence to adulthood has become longer and increasingly complex. For vulnerable (or “at-risk”) youth populations, the transition to adulthood is further complicated by a number of challenges, including family conflict or abandonment and obstacles to securing employment that provides adequate wages and health insurance. These youth may be prone to outcomes that have negative consequences for their future development as responsible, selfsufficient adults. Risk outcomes include teenage parenthood; homelessness; drug abuse; delinquency; physical and sexual abuse; and school dropout. Detachment from the labor market and school—or disconnectedness—may be the single strongest indicator that the transition to adulthood has not been made successfully. The federal government has not adopted a single overarching federal policy or legislative vehicle that addresses the challenges vulnerable youth experience in adolescence or while making the transition to adulthood. Rather, federal youth policy today has evolved from multiple programs established in the early 20th century and expanded in the years following the 1964 announcement of the War on Poverty. These programs are concentrated in six areas: workforce development, education, juvenile justice and delinquency prevention, social services, public health, and national and community service. They are intended to provide vulnerable youth with opportunities to develop skills to assist them in adulthood. Despite the range of federal services and activities to assist disadvantaged youth, many of these programs have not developed into a coherent system of support. This is due in part to the administration of programs within several agencies and the lack of mechanisms to coordinate their activities. In response to concerns about the complex federal structure developed to assist vulnerable youth, Congress passed the Tom Osborne Federal Youth Coordination Act (P.L. 109- 365) in 2006. Though activities under the act were never funded, the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs was formed in 2008 under Executive Order 13459 to carry out coordinating activities across multiple agencies that oversee youth programs. Separately, Congress has considered other legislation (the Younger Americans Act of 2000 and the Youth Community Development Block Grant of 1995) to improve the delivery of services to vulnerable youth and provide opportunities to these youth through policies with a “positive youth development” focus. Details: Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, 2012. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: RL33975: Accessed September 12, 2012 at: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL33975.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL33975.pdf Shelf Number: 126306 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.S.) Delinquency Prevention Disadvantaged Youth Interventions

Author: Great Britain. Home Office Title: Positive Futures Impact Report: Staying in Touch Summary: This is the second impact report produced by Positive Futures. It provides details of the programme’s progress in the second year of its current three-year strategy, as described in Cul-de-sacs and gateways. What is Positive Futures? Positive Futures is a national sports-based social inclusion programme managed within the Home Office Drug Strategy Directorate. It is currently delivered through 108 local partnership projects that are located throughout England and Wales. Launched in March 2000, Positive Futures is now in Phase 3 of its development. During this phase there has been considerable expansion in the number of projects and range of activity and a broadening of the national support structures. While last year’s impact report focused primarily on the programme’s achievements in engaging with young people in the first year of the new strategy (which coincided with an expansion of the programme from 67 to 108 projects), this report is principally concerned with the nature and strength of the relationships subsequently established with participants and how these relationships have been sustained. Positive Futures defines itself as a ‘relationship strategy’, which uses sport and other activities to establish relationships with young people who are regarded as being ‘socially marginalised’. This report focuses on the following elements of the relationship building process: • engagement • sport and other activities • moving beyond sport • ensuring continuity. In doing so, this report aims to provide an assessment of the programme’s overall achievements while also conveying a deeper sense of the relationship building process that lies behind those achievements. Details: London: Home Office, Positive Futures Team, 2006. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2012 at: Year: 2006 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 126324 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.K.) Delinquency Prevention Sports

Author: Meenagh, Ann Title: Leisure, Organised Sport and Antisocial Behaviour an Examination of Youth’s Involvement in Leisure, Organised Sports and its Effect on Antisocial Behaviour Summary: Over the last ten years national strategies and policies placed youth at the forefront of their developments. Particular attention has been placed on antisocial behaviour and the appropriate punishments and rehabilitation methods. Programmes have been developed with the objective to deter antisocial behaviours with little empirical support to justify them. This study aims to determine whether youth’s involvement in leisure and sport has any effect on their involvement in antisocial or delinquent behaviour. This is mainly achieved through the quantitative research method of a survey. Sixty-five people aged between 14-20 years old from two contrasting educational institutions in Dublin were surveyed. The survey was designed based on other surveys conducted in this field of study. The research found that males were more likely to be involved in antisocial and delinquent behaviour than females. The research also found that participant’s who were involvement in organised sports were less likely to be involved in antisocial behaviour compared to participant’s who were not involved in organised sports. Further research in this area of study is recommended in order to improve current programmes and to develop new programmes. Details: Dublin: Dublin Institute of Technology, 2011. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Masters Dissertation: Accessed September 14, 2012 at: http://arrow.dit.ie/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1031&context=aaschssldis&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3Dmeenagh%2520%2522leisure%252C%2520organised%2520sport%2522%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D2%26ved%3D0CCYQFjAB%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Farrow.dit.ie%252Fcgi%252Fviewcontent.cgi%253Farticle%253D1031%2526context%253Daaschssldis%26ei%3DfC1TUNjZNZKc8gSMq4Fw%26usg%3DAFQjCNE5NqaLEpJT5APzlda7Fc6wxs7SHg#search=%22meenagh%20leisure%2C%20organised%20sport%22 Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://arrow.dit.ie/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1031&context=aaschssldis&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3Dmeenagh%2520%2522leisure%252C%2520organised%2520sport%2522%26source%3Dweb Shelf Number: 126348 Keywords: Antisocial Behavior At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Leisure Activities Rehabilitation Programs Sports

Author: Burman, Michele Title: Time for Change: An Evaluation of an Intensive Support Service for Young Women at High Risk of Secure Care or Custody Summary: The Time for Change Young Women’s Project (TfC) provides dedicated and gender-specific services for vulnerable girls and young women aged 15 to 17 years at referral (18 only if exceptionally vulnerable on account of care listing) who are at high risk of secure care or custody, and for whom other mainstream options have proved unsuitable. TfC was set up to include those who were chaotic and extremely vulnerable in transition from secure accommodation and prison and in response to concerns regarding the very limited service provision for girls and young women who either offend or are at risk of offending in Scotland, and against a backdrop of an increasing female prison population (McIvor and Burman 2011). Scottish Government turned down the initial bid but changed their view after the SOPHIE report on Secure Accommodation and the number of 15-17 year olds in prison. In reality, by the time TfC started there were no 15 year olds and most girls were 17 years of age. A key change to Scottish youth justice policy and practice which also serves as important background context for TfC has been the implementation of the ‘whole system approach’ to dealing with under 18 year olds who offend. This is founded on the principles of early intervention and is designed to seek opportunities to engage young people more productively in education, skills and positive activity, by putting in place a more streamlined and consistent response that works across all systems and agencies to achieve better outcomes (Scottish Government 2011). The principles of early, and effective intervention that is timely, supportive and appropriate, and the linking of risk taking behaviour to the expression of unmet need, together with the aim of the prevention of custody and secure accommodation, were encapsulated in the development of TfC. The key aims of TfC are to: provide dedicated intensive, relationship-based, support of young women and girls in order to minimise the escalation their offending and /or involvement with the youth and adult criminal justice systems; to assist them resolve current or past conflicts or trauma, familial difficulties and emotional issues associated with their offending behaviours, and to: enhance their positive social relationships, interests and access to suitable education, in line with research findings on resilience and desistance and with an asset-focused, strengths-based approaches to practice. The TfC service is delivered on an outreach basis and includes elements of practical support, partnership, one to one focused work and an on-call help-line. TfC also has access to facilities for residential placements, through the Up-2-Us parent organisation resource team which provides respite to vulnerable young people in times of crisis. TfC key workers respond to all calls for service provision, with managerial support, via a duty on-call system. TfC also offers consultation and advice to other agencies. The evaluation of TfC was conducted by researchers from the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR) between 2009 and 2011. The evaluation utilised a mixed method approach, and included data from semi-structured interviews with: TfC key workers and manager, criminal justice social workers, children’s and families social workers, and other stakeholders, and with young women service users. It also included analysis of case file information and the TfC data-base which records information on referral source, reasons for referral, key presenting issues (e.g. health, addiction), familial circumstances, legal status, history of anti-social or offending behaviour, and current accommodation, as well as any history of statutory involvement. The evaluation sought the views and experiences of TfC staff, stakeholders and service users, in order to: · gain understanding of the complexities of the client group, both in regard to levels of need and risk, and the practice challenges encountered by TfC; · obtain feedback from service users and stakeholders on key elements of the TfC service and its collaboration with other agencies, including the model of service delivery and principal practice approaches; · examine the impact of TfC on the young women using the service, and; · ascertain how the work of TfC and its model of service delivery could be improved. Details: Glasgow: Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research, 2012. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Reprot No. 02/2012: Accessed September 18, 2012 at: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/documents/FINAL%20Time%20for%20Change%20Report%2003%2004%202012%20kh.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/documents/FINAL%20Time%20for%20Change%20Report%2003%2004%202012%20kh.pdf Shelf Number: 126367 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (Scotland) Delinquency Prevention Female Offenders Juvenile Justice Policy Rehabilitation Social Services Young Adult Offenders

Author: Justice Policy Institute Title: Working for a Better Future: How Expanding Employment Opportunities for D.C.'s Youth Creates Public Safety Benefits for All Residents Summary: Improving public safety in the District of Columbia depends on a comprehensive approach that includes multiple strategies spanning all City agencies, as well as the community at large. One facet of such a comprehensive approach is to improve outcomes for youth so fewer are either caught up in the justice system, a victim of crime, or both. This is one in a series of briefs addressing ways that improving youth outcomes can also result in better public safety outcomes for the District as a whole. A commitment to increasing employment opportunities for D.C.’s youth is important to giving them positive workplace experiences, reducing justice system involvement and improving their work and earning potential into adulthood. Quality and robust job training and placement assistance share with delinquency prevention programs the ability to reconnect disconnected youth and create pathways to positive outcomes. These programs can help empower D.C.’s young people by promoting a desire for continued education and personal and professional development. Details: Washington, DC: Justice Policy Institute, 2012. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 18, 2012 at: http://www.justicepolicy.org/research/3819 Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.justicepolicy.org/research/3819 Shelf Number: 126368 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Employment Job Training and Education Young Adults

Author: Cunningham, Sonia Title: Outcome Evaluation of Police Youth at Risk Programmes July 1997 to June 2000 Summary: This outcome evaluation of the 14 Police Youth at Risk programmes is based on data from the period July 1997 to June 2000, and aims to assess the extent to which each programme met the Police objectives, and overall effectiveness of each programme. The Government’s 1994 crime prevention strategy identified seven goals, one of which specified the establishment of preventative programmes targeted youth at risk of offending. As a result, the 1997 Crime Prevention Youth at Risk (CPYAR) package, dedicated to the three fiscal years beginning July 1997, invested $8.7 million in Youth at Risk strategies. The package was aimed at diverting youth from a criminal lifestyle and preventing their entering the criminal justice system. Of the $8.7 million, approximately $2 million was allocated to the New Zealand Police to develop ‘youth at risk of offending programmes’ throughout New Zealand. In addition, $400,000 of Police baseline funds per year and nine additional full-time police officer salaries were allocated to the development and operation of these programmes. Funding was allocated to 14 programmes throughout New Zealand. Three existing programmes were allocated funding: Mount Roskill Community Approach, an Auckland community-based programme; Operation New Direction, a mentoring programme in Dunedin; and Turn Your Life Around (TYLA), an Auckland school-based programme. Five programmes were established in the five identified ‘hot spots’ of New Zealand (these areas were Kaikohe, Mangere, Hamilton, Gisborne, and Christchurch). An additional six programmes were selected for development on the basis of business cases provided by the Police districts of Glen Innes, Tauranga, Wainuiomata, Nelson, Rangiora, and Dunedin. Police defined five objectives for the programmes based on the Crime Prevention package requirements: To develop a strategic approach to participant selection and programme implementation; To build the supportive capacity of participants’ families; To prevent or reduce offending by children and young people attending police ‘youth at risk’ programmes; To foster the integration of Police programmes with other agency and community initiatives; and To be a demonstration project for the movement of police resources into proactive intervention. The programmes were measured against these objectives for the purpose of the evaluation. Details: Wellington, NZ: The Evaluation Unit, Office of the Commissioner, New Zealand Police, 2002. 245p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 21, 2012 at: http://www.police.govt.nz/resources/2002/youth-at-risk/outcome-evaluation-of-police-youth-at-risk-programmes-1997-to-2000.pdf Year: 2002 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.police.govt.nz/resources/2002/youth-at-risk/outcome-evaluation-of-police-youth-at-risk-programmes-1997-to-2000.pdf Shelf Number: 126394 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (New Zealand) Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders

Author: Danish Crime Prevention Council Title: The Effectiveness of Mentoring and Leisure-Time Activities for Youth At Risk: A Systematic Review Summary: Community-based mentoring and leisure-time activities for youth at risk of offending can have promising effects for a variety of outcomes such as deviant behaviour, violence and delinquency – even when the young people’s negative behaviour is group-related. To begin with, the focus of research was prevention efforts addressing group-related violence alone, but a broader focus became more meaningful, considering many different factors concerning links between different kinds of crime and prevention, the available research, the characteristics of youth groups and the local challenges faced in Denmark. Troublesome youth groups are not always violent, and, if they are, violence is only one kind of crime among and linked to various others, which argues for a broader crime focus. Furthermore, the youth groups known in Denmark are mostly unstable with informal membership – they appear and disappear and rather have the shape of dynamic networks. The fact that young people gather in groups is a normal phenomenon, and youth groups are often based on friendship and common interests. Therefore, groups per se are not a fixed phenomenon to combat – rather their potentially deviant behaviour. Initial analyses also found that effect studies on gang prevention are often lacking or of a poor quality, which make them difficult to learn from. In addition, gang prevention and intervention projects mostly deal with adults and organized crime, whereas the aim of the review was promising prevention programmes and projects for youth at risk. An overview of various types of prevention efforts and their effects on this target group revealed that mentoring and leisure-time activities are applied to both general and group-related crime among young people. Community-based efforts within these two kinds of prevention were found to be the most well documented and promising ones and dealing with both deviant, delinquent and violent behaviour – also group-related. These kinds of interventions became the focus of the review. Mentoring and leisure-time activities are already applied in many Danish settings. A systematic review of effectiveness can qualify and guide practitioners dealing with actual problems ranging from mild and general to serious and group-related crime. After all, crime prevention is defined not by intentions to prevent, but by results, and since many risk and protective factors overlap, prevention efforts can possibly handle more than one problem. Whether they do must be examined thoroughly. This systematic review is based on structured and multi-disciplinary literature searches in articles published from 1980 to the end of 2011 in five international research databases, besides internet and reference searches. The literature has been screened systematically according to explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria. Among other things, the effect of the given prevention projects and programmes should be measured in terms of crime or mediating factors for crime, and the participating youth should include some 12-17-year-olds and at least 50 % boys, since they are at greater risk. Data has been extracted from each included full-text study in relation to many standardised categories describing, for instance, the given intervention, its target group, setting, organisation, effect etc., and, furthermore, many characteristics of the procedures of the study itself. Each study has undergone quality assessment, and overall low quality studies have been excluded. Details: Glostrup: Danish Crime Prevention Council, 2012. 178p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 26, 2012 at: http://www.dkr.dk/sites/default/files/DKR%202012%20%20Mentoring%20and%20Leisure-Time%20Review.pdf Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://www.dkr.dk/sites/default/files/DKR%202012%20%20Mentoring%20and%20Leisure-Time%20Review.pdf Shelf Number: 126456 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Leisure-Time Activities Mentoring Sports and Recreation

Author: Buckland, Gemma Title: Review of Effective Practice with Young Offenders in Mainland Europe Summary: Professionals are working across the European Union to tackle the urgent problems that cause offending by young people. The aim of this report is to share information on success in working on these issues. It provides a review of practices from countries in the European Union that show some promise of effectiveness. Evaluations for youth justice initiatives in Europe are very poorly disseminated. This report has been compiled using a combination of searches in bibliographic databases, searches of the World Wide Web in all the European national languages and through personal contacts with academics and Ministries of Justice. Details: London: Youth Justice Board, 2001. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 26, 2012 at: http://yjbpublications.justice.gov.uk/en-gb/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=120&eP= Year: 2001 Country: Europe URL: http://yjbpublications.justice.gov.uk/en-gb/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=120&eP= Shelf Number: 126463 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders (Europe) Rehabilitation Programs Reoffending

Author: Coombes, Mike Title: Youth Inclusion and Support Panels : Preventing Crime and Antisocial Behaviour? Summary: In 2002, the Youth Justice Board (YJB) set out its commitment to develop and pilot pre-crime at-risk panels, later renamed Youth Inclusion and Support Panels (YISPs). The new panels were designed to identify and support young people aged 8–13 who are at high risk of offending and antisocial behaviour before they enter the youth justice system, and were regarded as a key component of the Government’s campaign to prevent crime and combat antisocial behaviour. The YISPs were described as multi-agency planning groups which seek to prevent offending and antisocial behaviour by offering voluntary support services and other complementary interventions for high risk children and their families. Pilots were established to test the development of YISPs, paid for by the Children’s Fund under the auspices of the Department for Education and Skills (DfES).1 In 2003 we were commissioned by the DfES to evaluate thirteen new pilot YISPs, located in Barking & Dagenham, Birmingham, Ealing, Greenwich, Knowsley, Lancashire, Liverpool, Nottingham, Salford, Sheffield, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Walsall, and Wigan. The Youth Justice Board (YJB) provided detailed guidance to the pilots relating to implementation and operation of YISPs. It was assumed that, in most cases, the Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) would act as the lead agency for the YISP on behalf of the Children’s Fund and the local authority. Providing high-quality services for children and for their families has been regarded as an essential step in preparing young people for the challenges and stresses of everyday life and giving them opportunities to achieve their full potential and thereby contribute positively within diverse, multicultural communities. Increasingly, in recent years, the focus has been on prevention and early intervention, particularly with respect to children deemed to be at high risk. The Government has set out five outcomes for children which now provide the core outcomes framework for all government policy relating to families and to youth justice, including YISPs. They are that children and young people should: be healthy; stay safe; enjoy and achieve; make a positive contribution; and achieve economic well-being. Youth justice agencies are important partners in the delivery of children’s services which focus on early prevention of antisocial and criminal behaviour. The emphasis is on multi-agency approaches which tackle the risks associated with offending. Clearly, the key to prevention lies in being able to target effectively children and young people most at risk of becoming involved in crime and antisocial behaviour. Using a matrix of the risk and protective factors which may lead young people into, or protect them from, crime, the YISPs were tasked with constructing a personally tailored package of support and interventions, summarised in an integrated support plan (ISP) designed to facilitate the kind of provision which will prevent the young person moving further towards crime. Central to the concept was the role of keyworkers, who are responsible for assessing risk and co-ordinating and monitoring the package of interventions, thereby ensuring that children and their families receive mainstream public services at the earliest opportunity. It was considered essential that the YISPs should provide accessible services which reflect the diversity of the local population and which take account of ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, age and race. Involvement in YISPs is voluntary. Children and their families are asked to consent to referral and assessment for consideration by a panel, and to co-operate with the ISP. One of the core principles of YISPs is that children and their parents/carers should be involved as much as possible in each stage of the process. At the centre of YISPs is the multi-agency panel, which should include representatives from a wide range of agencies. The expectation is that the panel will be involved in prioritising cases, considering detailed assessments and designing ISPs. Panels are not specifically required to oversee compliance with ISPs but are expected to monitor and review the child’s progress and satisfaction with the interventions offered. Details: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, 2007. 204p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report DCSF-RW018: Accessed September 29, 2012 at: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/6644/1/DCSF-RW018.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/6644/1/DCSF-RW018.pdf Shelf Number: 107711 Keywords: Antisocial Behavior (U.K.) At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention

Author: Nuytiens, An Title: Sport, Science and Art in the Prevention of Crime Among Children and Youth Summary: This paper explores theoretical frameworks used for understanding the relationship between leisure activities and the prevention of youth crime. It is examined whether scientific research has yielded empirical support for these theoretical perspectives. This discussion is illustrated by means of examples of good or promising projects for each field (sports, art, science). It is concluded that leisure can be regarded as an important context for youth crime prevention. In practice however, there appears to be little scientific evidence for these mechanisms. Therefore, it is difficult to identify good or promising practices within this field. Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2012. 17p. Source: EUCPN Thematic Paper No. 1: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2012 at http://www.eucpn.org/download/?file=EUCPN%20Thematic%20Paper%20No%201.pdf&type=13 Year: 2012 Country: Europe URL: http://www.eucpn.org/download/?file=EUCPN%20Thematic%20Paper%20No%201.pdf&type=13 Shelf Number: 126511 Keywords: Arts in Prisons Arts Programs At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Leisure-Time Activities Mentoring Sports and Recreation

Author: Ravoira, L., Patino Lydia, V., Graziano, J., Glesmann, C., & Baker, P. Title: Voices From the Field: Findings From the NGI Listening Sessions Summary: The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has partnered with the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) Center for Girls and Young Women to create the National Girls Institute (NGI). The purpose of the NGI is to provide training and technical assistance to prevention, intervention, treatment, and aftercare programs for atrisk and delinquent girls across the nation. In addition to training and technical assistance, the institute will disseminate information; collaborate with researchers and program developers; form partnerships with federal, state, tribal, and local agencies; and develop policy. OJJDP and NGI are committed to listening to the voices of girls, parents/caregivers, and key stakeholders from diverse rural, urban, suburban, and tribal communities to inform the priorities of the NGI. To that end, NGI representatives conducted 64 “listening sessions” across the country. One of the most critical aims of the listening sessions was to assess the current training, technical assistance, and informational needs of state, tribal, and local entities serving girls and their families. Through the listening sessions, the NGI also sought to identify strategies and practices that work best with girls—and those that are ineffective or even harmful— to inform development of standards of care. This report details the results and implications of the listening sessions, and sets forth a series of recommendations for NGI, OJJDP, and the field. NCCD’s partnership with OJJDP is a critical next step to expand and deepen work regarding girls within states and local jurisdictions as well as with private organizations. Details: Jacksonville, FL: National Council on Crime and Delinquency, Center for Girls and Young Women. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2012 at: http://www.nccdglobal.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdf/ngi-listening-sessions-report.pdf Year: 0 Country: United States URL: http://www.nccdglobal.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdf/ngi-listening-sessions-report.pdf Shelf Number: 126673 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Female Juvenile Offenders Juvenile Justice (U.S.)

Author: Meyers, H. Title: Lamoille Community Justice Project Program Evaluation Summary: This is a report of evaluation activities conducted by the Vermont Research Partnership (VRP) at the University of Vermont’s James M. Jeffords Center for the Lamoille Valley Community Justice Project (CJP) during fall 2009 through summer 2010. Following a description of the CJP program is reporting of three components utilized in this mixed-method evaluation study: 1) a brief review of literature sources that inform practices for working with children of incarcerated parents; 2) interviews with CJP staff (three caseworkers) and leadership (CJP Co-Director and Manager); 3) interviews with school personnel who work with children served by CJP; and 4) quantitative analysis of outcomes for children in relation to school retention and avoidance of contact with the criminal justice system. Details: Burlington, VT: Vermont Research Partnership, University of Vermont, 2010. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 14, 2012 at http://www.uvm.edu/~jeffords/reports/pdfs/%20Lamoille%20CJP%20Evaluation%20Report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.uvm.edu/~jeffords/reports/pdfs/%20Lamoille%20CJP%20Evaluation%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 126705 Keywords: Children of Prisoners Community Justice (Vermont) Community-Based Programs Delinquency Prevention Evaluative Studies

Author: Aalders, Rachel Title: Children and Young People at Risk of Social Exclusion: Links between homelessness, child protection and juvenile justice Summary: Current research demonstrates relationships between child abuse and neglect, homelessness and criminal activity. This report presents key findings from analysis of a data set linking three community-sector data collections: Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP), juvenile justice supervision, and child protection notifications and substantiations in Victoria and Tasmania. While this project demonstrated that linking these collections is both feasible and worthwhile, the results are limited by data availability (this project used 3 years of SAAP data, 10 years of juvenile justice data, 18 years of Victorian child protection data and 3 years of Tasmanian child protection data). The accumulation of data over multiple years for all sectors would enable the flows between services over the long term to be identified, but despite the data limitations, the results highlight the possibilities for data linkage in these sectors although caution must be used in generalising these findings. People with involvement in one of the three sectors are more likely to be involved in another of the sectors than the general population Almost 15% of young people under juvenile justice supervision had received SAAP support in the year before their most recent supervision and 8% received support in the year after their most recent supervision. For those with a substantiated child protection notification, 6% received support in the year before and 7% in the year after their most recent substantiated notification. In contrast, about 1% of those aged 10 and older in the general population receive SAAP services as a client in a year and about 2% receive services as an accompanying child (AIHW 2010). More than 10% of those who received SAAP support as an adult had a history of juvenile justice supervision— by comparison, about 1% of those aged 16 or 17 (the peak age for juvenile justice supervision) are under supervision in any given year (AIHW 2011c). (National figures on the proportion of the adult population with a history of juvenile justice supervision are not available.) Young people with a child protection history enter juvenile justice supervision at a younger age Of those under juvenile justice supervision who had one or more substantiated child protection notifications, 21% first entered supervision aged 10–13 compared with 6% of those with no substantiated notifications. Young people without substantiated notifications were more likely to have entered supervision when they were older, with 33% doing so at age 17 compared with 11% of those who had one or more substantiated notifications. Young people, particularly young women, completing a detention sentence are at greater risk of homelessness Within 1 month after the end of a period of sentenced detention, 3% of periods were followed by a period of SAAP support—this increased to 9% within 6 months. Young women were twice as likely as young men to receive SAAP support in the month after the end of a sentenced detention period. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2012. Source: Internet Resource: Data Linkage Series, Number 13: Accessed November 24, 2012 at: www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129542237 Year: 2012 Country: Armenia URL: Shelf Number: 126995 Keywords: At-risk Youth Child Abuse and Neglect Child Protection Delinquency Prevention Homelessness Juvenile Justice Juvenile Offenders (Australia)

Author: Poulin, Mary E. Title: A Process and Outcome Evaluation of the 4-H Mentoring/ Youth and Families with Promise (YFP) Program Summary: The Utah 4-H Mentoring/Youth and Families with Promise (YFP) program is a statewide mentoring program designed for at-risk youths who are 10-14 years old. Youths are paired with mentors, participate in 4-H activities, and attend Family Night Out (FNO) activities designed to strengthen family bonds. Following an evaluability assessment by NIJ that showed that the program was ready for evaluation, JRSA conducted a process and outcome evaluation to assess the degree to which the program is implemented and operated as planned, as well as its effectiveness in increasing participants’ interpersonal competence, improving their academic performance, strengthening their family relationships, and preventing delinquency. Our assessment addressed the following: (1) the characteristics of the population served; (2) the type and dosage of program activities; (3) mentor-mentee relationships; (4) satisfaction with the program; (5) involvement of youths’ family members in the program; (6) characteristics of mentors; and (7) issues related to the youths’ length of stay. Though there was significant attrition over the course of data collection, the evaluation included 392 youths in the treatment group and 327 youths in the comparison group. Assessment methods were as follows: We collected pre- and post-program data from 2005 to 2010 from youths in the program and their parents of youths, and from a comparison group of students of similar age. We measured outcome indicators at the start of, during, and up to three years after the youths’ involvement with the program using the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale Version 2, official school and court records, and the youths’ self-reports of behavior and perceptions of the program. • Youths’ perceptions of their relationship with their mentor were measured through the Youth–Mentor Relationship Questionnaire. • Program implementation was assessed using program dosage data, observations of program activities, mentor surveys, interviews and surveys of program staff, and program documentation. • Program costs were assessed by collecting data on program expenditures and comparing them to expenditures of similar programs. The evaluation found no evidence for improvement in academic performance, strengthening of family relationships, or delinquency prevention. Significant deviation from documented program guidelines was seen, and required program “dosage” was not always provided. While the evaluation had some methodological limitations, its findings show limited evidence of program success. Once issues with program implementation have been addressed, however, further evaluation might be considered. Details: Washington, DC: Justice Research and Statistics Association, 2012. 188p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 4, 2012 at: http://www.jrsa.org/projects/yfp-final-report-to-NIJ.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.jrsa.org/projects/yfp-final-report-to-NIJ.pdf Shelf Number: 127123 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Youth Mentoring (U.S.)

Author: Miller, J. Mitchell Title: Researching the Referral Stage of Youth Mentoring in Six Juvenile Justice Settings: An Exploratory Analysis Summary: Researching the Referral Stage of Youth Mentoring in Six Juvenile Justice Settings: An Exploratory Analysis examines best practices for referring youth to mentoring from six juvenile justice settings: detention, corrections, probation, delinquency court, teen court/youth court and dependency court. A delinquency prevention and intervention option that capitalizes on the resources of local communities and caring individuals, mentoring has emerged as a promising delinquency reduction strategy for high-risk youth. This mentoring research project researches the “referral stage” of mentoring to improve the design and delivery of mentoring services to appropriate high-risk youth, which most likely will have a favorable impact on reducing juvenile delinquency, alcohol and drug abuse, truancy, and/or other problem behaviors. Details: Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2012. 180p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 5, 2012 at: http://www.mentoring.org/images/uploads/OJJDP%20Final%20Report_p10.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.mentoring.org/images/uploads/OJJDP%20Final%20Report_p10.pdf Shelf Number: 127128 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Youth Mentoring (U.S.)

Author: Justice for Families Title: Families Unlocking Futures: Solutions to the Crisis in Juvenile Justice Summary: On September 10 2012, Justice for Families and our research partner the DataCenter released Families Unlocking Futures: Solutions to the Crisis in Juvenile Justice. This report offers first-of-its kind analysis that details how the juvenile justice system does more to feed the nation’s vast prison system than to deter or redirect young people from system involvement; and demonstrates the incredible damage the system causes to families and communities. Based on over 1,000 surveys with parents and family members of incarcerated youth and 24 focus groups nationwide, the report presents a body of data that has never been captured or examined before. It aims to correct misperceptions about system-involved youth and their families; demonstrates the need for families’ active participation in redesigning juvenile justice systems; and uncovers crucial flaws in the system that burden, alienate and exclude families from the treatment of system-involved youth. The report details how the rapid growth of the prison system, zero-tolerance policies, and aggressive police tactics, coupled with the decline of social services and public education have wreaked havoc on low-income communities and communities of color. However, the report also puts forth viable, proven solutions and offers a Blueprint for Youth Justice Transformation. Details: Oakland, CA: Justice for Families, 2012. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 20, 2012 at http://www.justice4families.org/file/Home.html Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.justice4families.org/file/Home.html Shelf Number: 127243 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Family Engagement Juvenile Justice Juvenile Justice Reform

Author: Swayze, Dana Title: THE MINNESOTA YOUTH INTERVENTION PROGRAM A Statistical Analysis of Participant Pre- and Post-Program Surveys Summary: The Minnesota Youth Intervention Program is a collective of youth programs which are supported, in part, by specific funding set aside by the Minnesota Legislature. The YIP Program, as it is often termed, was established by the legislature in 1978 and has existed in its current statutory language and purpose since 2005. In order to be eligible for YIP funding, individual youth programs must meet the criteria named in Minnesota Statute1: ‘Youth intervention program’ means a nonresidential community-based program providing advocacy, education, counseling, mentoring, and referral services to youth and their families experiencing personal, familial, school, legal, or chemical problems with the goal of resolving the present problems and preventing the occurrence of the problems in the future. It is the intent of YIP to ‘provide an ongoing stable funding source to community-based early intervention programs for youth.’ Individual programs receive YIP funding through a competitive grant application process administered by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice Programs (OJP). In 2012, 51 programs across Minnesota were selected to receive YIP funding. The purpose of the study is to identify whether YIP funded programs are:  Serving the intended youth population;  Meeting the six stated program purpose areas and;  Having a positive effect on youth attitudes and behavior. The assessment tool developed by OJP, in collaboration with the Minnesota Youth Intervention Program Association (YIPA) and YIP grantee partners, is a pre- and post-participation survey designed to be administered as youth entered the program and again as they exit the program. This pre-post survey technique allows for statistical analysis of survey responses before and after, isolating the effect of program involvement on youth. The survey was also designed so that data submitted by individual programs could be provided back to assist the participating programs in targeting specific attitudes and behaviors; support best practices in youth programming; and supplement other outcome measures. Details: St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice Programs, 2012. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 17, 2013 at: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ojp/forms-documents/Documents/YIP%202012%20Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ojp/forms-documents/Documents/YIP%202012%20Final%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 127340 Keywords: Community-Based Programs, Juveniles Delinquency Prevention Intervention Programs Juvenile Offenders (Minnesota)

Author: Harris, Philip Title: Investigating the Simultaneous Effects of Individual, Program and Neighborhood Attributes On Juvenile Recidivism Using GIS and Spatial Data Mining Summary: The primary goal of this project was to develop, apply, and evaluate improved techniques to investigate the simultaneous effects of neighborhood and program forces in preventing juvenile recidivism. For many years, program evaluation researchers have presented the question, “What works to prevent delinquency for whom under what circumstances?” In community settings, answering this question presents a unique challenge, since “circumstances” includes the home neighborhoods of youths participating in correctional programs. Understanding how programs and neighborhoods jointly shape youth behavior and identifying conditions under which rehabilitative programs are successful are fundamental to planning programs that facilitate positive trajectories for physical, social, cognitive, and affective youth development. We investigated the simultaneous effects of neighborhood, program, and individual characteristics (including family) on juvenile recidivism using linear modeling, geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial data mining. GIS provides the technology to integrate diverse spatial data sets, quantify spatial relationships, and visualize the results of spatial analysis. In the context of juvenile recidivism, this approach will facilitate the investigation of how, and why, recidivism rates vary from place to place, through different programs, and among individuals. The project applies spatial data mining to the analysis of adjudicated juvenile delinquents assigned to court‐ordered programs by the Family Court of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This population encompasses all adjudicated delinquents committed to programs by the court during the years 1996 to 2002 – more than 26,000 cases. The proposed study makes use of three levels of data: individual, program and neighborhood. In addition to data on individual youths and their families, we will employ a database of designs of the programs that they attended and two or more spatial data sets, including the crime data from Philadelphia Police Department and the U. S. Census. This study includes a vast methodological departure from current practices and can greatly improve the chances of learning more about the dynamics of juvenile recidivism, leading to more effective prevention policies and programs. Details: Philadelphia: Temple University, Department of Criminal Justice, 2012. 254p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 24, 2013 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/237986.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/237986.pdf Shelf Number: 127373 Keywords: Crime Analysis Delinquency Prevention Geographic Distribution of Crime Juvenile Recidivism Neighborhoods and Crime Peer Influence Rehabilitation, Juvenile Offenders Treatment Programs

Author: Martynowicz, Agnieszka Title: "She's a Legend": the Role of Significant Adults in the Lives of Children and Young People in Contact with the Criminal Justice System Summary: The experience of children and young people who come into contact with the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland is an issue which is of particular interest to the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY), as it engages key children's rights and raises significant issues concerning their wellbeing and best interests. Research indicates that many children and young people in conflict with the law have been affected by a myriad of issues, including poverty and social exclusion, family breakdown, mental health problems, drugs and alcohol and domestic violence. Significant proportions of children and young people are also care-experienced and have been or remain on the child protection register. Young people in Northern Ireland who come into contact with the criminal justice system share a range of difficulties experienced by young people in other jurisdictions, but added to this are issues related to the legacy of the Northern Ireland conflict, including experiences of violence and a lack of safety in communities. Many of these children and young people are therefore extremely vulnerable and the potential impact of contact with different adults on their lives can be very significant. Children who have experience of the justice system are likely to come into contact with a range of adults who may play a supportive role, apart from parents or carers or other adult family members. These may include social workers, youth workers, community workers, community educators, teachers and volunteer mentors. Research has highlighted the positive impact that supportive relationships with 'significant adults' can have and children and young people themselves have identified the importance of adults in providing mentoring, guidance and support. In February 2012, NICCY commissioned a study to look at the role that these adults can play in the lives of children who come into contact with the criminal justice system. Of particular interest to NICCY was how supportive, affirming relationships with 'significant adults' can positively influence different aspects of young people's lives and the extent to which they can support them in areas such as personal and emotional development, education or training and diversion from the criminal justice system. Many of the children and young people who participated in this research are amongst the most marginalised in society. Against a backdrop of often complicated family situations, they can struggle to engage in education and training, are often excluded from the job market, face difficulties with physical and mental health and can find it difficult to develop and sustain positive relationships with adults and peers. This research has highlighted the important role that significant adults can play in helping young people to access their rights, for example, to appropriate accommodation, education, training and employment and health, welfare and leisure services. Young people value this support and stated that assistance is important in helping them make more positive choices about their lives. Young people want the significant adults to be trust-worthy, reliable, 'straight talking' and honest and they value adults' commitment to the relationship with them. They also like the adults to be fun to be with. Children and young people felt that they were negatively labelled by the media and politicians. They felt it was important that those adults who were significant to them believed in their positive qualities, recognised their potential and were consistent in their support. The report concludes that one-to-one support is crucial for young people who have had little assistance in their lives and that projects which provide such help to young people play a very important role in that respect. While recognising the importance of mentoring and other individual work, this report argues that such support should be provided alongside universal services and advocacy for social justice for children and young people. Details: Belfast: Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, 2012. 99p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 24, 2013 at: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/16176/1/NICCY%20Significant%20Adults%20Report%2011%20Dec%2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/16176/1/NICCY%20Significant%20Adults%20Report%2011%20Dec%2012.pdf Shelf Number: 127387 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders (Northern Ireland) Mentoring

Author: Fletcher, Del Roy Title: Offender Peer Interventions: What Do We Know? Summary: The deployment of offenders in peer mentoring roles is increasingly viewed by the UK Government as a key means of ensuring continuity of support for those released from prison, making mainstream services go further; and providing employment opportunities for those displaying an aptitude for such roles. The Justice Secretary in a November 20th 2012 speech has put mentoring at the centre of his emerging plans to improve rehabilitation. The joint Department for Work & Pensions and Ministry of Justice (2010) offender employment review has also recommended that prisoners should provide peer support to assist prison-based Employment and Benefit Advisers. Similarly, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (2011) has suggested investing in offenders that display an aptitude for mentoring roles to improve the prison learning and skills system. 1.2. Aims and objectives of the research Very little is currently known about the practice of using offenders as peer mentors. The present study seeks to begin to address this gap in our knowledge and has four key objectives: • to develop the evidence-base regarding the practice of using offenders in peer mentoring roles • to establish what works (and what does not) • to identify the individual and wider benefits and how these can be maximised in future provision • to develop principles of 'best practice'. 1.3. Research design CRESR has taken a qualitative approach to conducting the research. Qualitative methods are best suited to providing an in-depth understanding of the views, experiences and behaviours of key stakeholders as required by this study. The research comprised three key components: • a literature review to identify and synthesise international evidence • an in-depth case study of the practicalities of using offenders in peer support roles • an expert consultation with individuals drawn from the UK policy and practitioner community. Literature review The study began with a literature review which focussed on U.K. and U.S. material published in English from the 1980s onwards. The search strategy comprised four main methods: • review of academic databases • search of criminal justice agency websites • contact with an international network of experts • 'snowballing' from generic mentoring reviews. Key messages -- • the use of offenders in peer support roles is increasingly recommended by the UK Government as a key means of ensuring continuity of support for those released from prison; making mainstream services go further; and providing employment opportunities for those displaying an aptitude for such roles • yet the evidence-base for this type of approach is meagre. Very little research has investigated the use of offenders in peer support roles and many of the relevant studies have been carried out by individuals keen to extol its virtues • peer support is congruent with the dominant policy discourse which views crime and unemployment as manifestations of personal failure and poor social behaviour. Consequently, the deployment of peers underlines the importance of messages about personal responsibility and self-improvement • the case for the approach rests on four key propositions. First, peers can be effective 'identity models' for offenders- people they can identify with and are living proof that turning away from crime is possible. Second, peer support is necessary because offenders view professional staff as authority figures and are more likely to listen to individuals that have 'walked in their shoes'. Third, it is cost-effective. Finally, the approach can build social capital and resilience within deprived communities • previous research suggests that in the right circumstances peers may be better at engaging offenders; can act as 'identity models'; may be more effective at sharing information and knowledge; and can support managerial and front-line staff struggling with growing workloads • however, it also indicates that the pool of individuals possessing the requisite experience, aptitude and skills may be small; high rates of peer turnover may compromise service delivery; the ambiguity of the role means that mentors are placed in a 'grey area' where they are neither service users nor professionals; and peer programmes require considerable maintenance and support • the case study has exemplified some of the difficulties of integrating a non-traditional workforce. Peers have often lacked confidence and the necessary work-related 'soft' skills; some have found the transition to peer worker difficult and engaged in inappropriate behaviour. Moreover, the deployment of offenders can also reduce organisational flexibility because of the large amount of management support that is required. Details: Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, 2012. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 29, 2013 at: http://www.shu.ac.uk/_assets/pdf/cresr-using-offender-KEP-report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://www.shu.ac.uk/_assets/pdf/cresr-using-offender-KEP-report.pdf Shelf Number: 127419 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Offender Rehabilitation Peer Mentoring (U.K.) Peer Support

Author: Miller, J. Mitchell Title: Referring Youth in Juvenile Justice Settings to Mentoring Programs: Effective Strategies and Practices to Improving the Mentoring Experience for At-Risk and High-Risk Youth. A Resource Compendium Summary: examines best practices for referring youth to mentoring when they are in certain juvenile justice system settings, including Juvenile Detention, Juvenile Corrections, Juvenile Probation, Delinquency Court, Youth/Teen Court and Dependency Court. As a low-cost delinquency prevention and intervention option that capitalizes on the resources of local communities and caring individuals, mentoring has emerged as a promising delinquency reduction strategy for at-risk or high-risk youth. This research study, which used multiple methods to capture data from mentoring and juvenile justice settings, provides a deeper understanding of how youth are referred to mentoring, challenges faced during the referral process, examples of effective strategies to face the challenges and action steps. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2012. 162p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 4, 2013 at: http://www.mentoring.org/images/uploads/Journal%20Article.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.mentoring.org/images/uploads/Journal%20Article.pdf Shelf Number: 127472 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Mentoring (U.S.)

Author: Greenwood, Peter W. Title: Implementing Proven Programs for Juvenile Offenders: Assessing State Progress Summary: Evidence-based practice involves the use of scientific principles to assess the available evidence on program effectiveness and develop principles for best practice in any particular field. In delinquency prevention or intervention this includes: assessment of community and individual client needs; review and assessment of programs that could meet those needs; development and/or implementation of new programs; assignment of youth to particular programs; and monitoring of program fidelity and outcomes. For more than 10 years a number of reliable agencies have been publishing well-scrubbed lists of programs that have been proven to produce substantial reductions in recidivism and crime, while saving taxpayers more than $10 in future correctional costs for every dollar expended. There is a long history, stretching from Copernicus and Galileo in the 16th century to professional baseball managers in present day, of practitioners taking a very long time before accepting the practical implications of scientific discoveries. Juvenile justice fits right into this pattern. Although there are sufficient resources currently invested in juvenile justice programs to provide a program that has been proven effective for every youth who could use one, less than 10 percent of youths in need actually receive these programs. Given this state of affairs, one might expect that most states would be in the process of revising their programs and case disposition processes to increase the participation of youth in programs that have been proven effective. In fact, a few states have responded to this knowledge by taking explicit steps to facilitate the implementation of these proven programs, often as alternatives or replacements for their more traditional programming. Some of these states have set up special resource centers to provide technical assistance to local providers and to monitor their progress in implementing these programs. Some have established local “compacts” for sharing the expected savings in state prison costs with counties who cut their admission rates through the use of evidence-based programs (EBPs). Others have established special funding streams to support the launch of new EBPs. Yet, many others have not taken any but the most rudimentary steps toward embracing this new opportunity in the field of delinquency prevention. The present study was undertaken to assess how well individual states are doing in providing the best of these EBPs, and whether there are any commonalities between those who were doing the best. The measure of performance we chose for this analysis was the number of “therapist teams” from “proven programs” divided by the total population. Details: Downington, PA: Association for the Advancement of Evidence-Based Practice, 2012. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 7, 2013 at: http://www.advancingebp.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/AEBP-assessment.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.advancingebp.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/AEBP-assessment.pdf Shelf Number: 127532 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Evidence-Based Practices Juvenile Offenders (U.S.) Treatment Programs

Author: Snow, Pamela C. Title: Oral Language Competence and Interpersonal Violence: Exploring Links in Incarcerated Young Males Summary: Oral language competence is a basic prerequisite for functional and prosocial development across the lifespan, but has been inadequately investigated in young people in whom behaviour disturbance is the dominant concern. Previous work in Australia and overseas has shown that young offenders serving community-based orders are at high-risk for undetected but clinically significant oral language (everyday talking and listening) difficulties. However this phenomenon has received little attention in incarcerated samples, and links with offending severity, mental health, and other markers of early risk (e.g., a history of early Out of Home Care placement) have not been systemically examined. A cross-sectional examination of one hundred (100) young offenders (mean age 19.03 years, SD = .85) completing custodial sentences in Victoria, Australia was carried out. Participants were assessed on a range of standardised oral language, IQ, mental health and offending-severity measures. Language measures were selected for their sensitivity to a range of everyday linguistic competencies, such as listening comprehension, the ability to define words, and to understanding of everyday idioms and other forms of non-literal language. Language impairment (LI) was operationally defined as performance below two standard deviations below the mean on two standardised language measures (the CELF4 and the TLC-E). Forty-six percent of participants were classified as language impaired (LI), using this definition. When the subgroup with high offending scores was compared with those with (relatively) lower offending scores, significant differences on a range of language measures were identified. A range of early risk indicators (such as placement in Out of Home Care) was also examined with respect to language impairment in this high-risk group. Unidentified oral language impairments are over-represented in young men in the justice system, and may serve to further marginalise this already disadvantaged group. Implications for early intervention, passage through the justice system, and receipt of therapeutic services are discussed. Young offenders should be routinely screened for LI and interventions should be tailored accordingly. Details: Sydney: Criminology Research Council, 2011. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2013 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/0809-10.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/0809-10.pdf Shelf Number: 127591 Keywords: Antisocial Behavior, Juveniles (Australia) Delinquency Prevention Education Juvenile Conferencing Language Competency Verbal Skills Young Male Offenders

Author: Leshnick, Sukey Soukamneuth Title: Evaluation of School-District-Based Strategies for Reducing Youth Involvement in Gangs and Violent Crime Summary: In 2007, the Employment and Training Administration provided funding to five school districts to improve services to youth who are involved, have been involved or are at risk of involvement with gangs or the juvenile justice system. A variety of educational, employment, and violence prevention programs and strategies were developed and designed to increase academic performance, lower the involvement of drop-outs and reduce involvement in crime and gangs. The Evaluation of School District-Based Strategies for Reducing Youth Involvement in Gangs and Violent Crime report summarizes findings that cover several key areas for improving services: community context, school district characteristics, in-school and out-of-school youth service models, and program outcomes. The goals of the evaluation were to document prevention and intervention strategies, assess partnership models, document outcomes, and identify successful strategies, challenges and lessons learned. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor/ETZ, 2010. 239p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2013 at: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Evaluation_of_School_District-Based_Strategies_for_Reducing_Youth_Involvement_in_Gangs_and_Violent_Crime_Final_Report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Evaluation_of_School_District-Based_Strategies_for_Reducing_Youth_Involvement_in_Gangs_and_Violent_Crime_Final_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 127711 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Educational Programs Gang Prevention Gangs (U.S.) Violent Crime Vocational Training and Education Youth Violence

Author: The Nucleus Group Title: Evaluation of the Ramp Mentoring Program: Final Report Summary: Ramp is a personal development and mentoring program specifically designed to meet the needs of high-risk young people aged 13 to 17 years in residential care in the Eastern Metropolitan Region (EMR) of Melbourne. It was established by Whitelion Inc and the Reach Foundation and funded as a pilot project by the Office for Children, Department of Human Services (DHS) from February 2005. In June 2007, DHS contracted the Nucleus Consulting Group to undertake an evaluation of Ramp. The main purpose of the evaluation was to identify and assess the effectiveness and efficiency of Ramp in regard to outcomes and impact and to determine whether the broader program objectives were being met. The evaluation was informed by quantitative and qualitative data from program management, young people participating in the program, Ramp staff, mentors, residential care staff and DHS protective workers. There were a number of limitations to the evaluation including the low response rates of residential care staff and DHS protective workers, which is in part a reflection of high staff turnover and caseloads. Obtaining interviews with young people participating in Ramp also proved challenging and reflected the complexity of working with this group. Ramp participants had high and complex needs - of the 64 young people who participated in some way with the Ramp program over 80% were or have been considered to be at high risk by DHS. Just under half were considered to be abusing alcohol, drugs or other substances, and over a third had Youth Justice involvement. Nearly one quarter of participants had been in care for six years or more. Ramp is unlike other mentoring programs in Victoria as it incorporates additional features - lead mentors to visit residential care units and engage young people, workshops, camps and other activities. These features provide an integrated approach and are essential strategies in conducting an effective program for young people in this target group. The evaluation also found that the Ramp model incorporated features of effective mentoring programs as shown in relevant research. The Ramp strategies have the added benefit of providing young people with a range of positive role models as well as multiple layers of support (from other young people, some of whom are outside the residential care system, Ramp staff, the Reach Crew, other adults, and mentors should they choose to be matched). Not all participants want a mentor, at least not initially, and Ramp provides a way for these young people to also participate and achieve some positive change as well. Ramp is more expensive than some other mentoring programs due to the inclusion of lead mentors and workshops, a camp and associated activities in the service model. However, it is these elements that facilitate the engagement of high-risk young people and that contribute to sustained, beneficial mentoring relationships. Communication between Ramp and DHS protective workers was found to be poor and action is recommended to remedy this situation. Relationships between Ramp and residential care staff were variable due often to high turnover of staff. Where there was a positive relationship, residential care staff worked in a highly complementary way with Ramp, promoting the program to residents and supporting achievements. Good communication between all parties is essential for working effectively with young people. Ramp activities were generally well attended with most of those interviewed believing they were fun and provided a safe and inclusive environment where they could meet new people and make friends. The evaluation demonstrated that Ramp provided a diverse range of activities for young people, particularly those with mentors. Comments from young people participating in Ramp indicated that Ramp provided a stimulating and inspiring experience. A number of factors have been identified that encouraged engagement with Ramp. Matches are carefully considered and given time to develop, including an initial trial and ongoing assessment to ensure both parties are committed. Most matches continue for the mandated 12 months and many go even longer. Young people are mostly very positive about the relationship with their mentor. Mentors spend time with their mentee weekly or fortnightly in a wide range of activities, are very dedicated and work hard at their relationship. Based on length of relationship, observed and reported impact, and general satisfaction amongst both mentors and mentees, the great majority of Ramp matches were found to have been successful. Ramp exceeded targets established in its 2006/07 DHS Funding and Service Agreement. Ramp staff, mentors, residential care workers and the young people themselves all indicated that participants seemed to be more self-aware and had better self– esteem and confidence as a result of participation in the program. Comments from mentors and participants demonstrated that participants also had improved interpersonal and communication skills. Participants were better placed to take responsibility for and control their future than they were prior to entering the program. Many had new, more positive social connections and some were actively working towards more positive life goals. However, for many, given their complex backgrounds, these gains must be regarded as early (but significant) steps in a long journey. A number of the young people involved in Ramp reported to have achieved some important changes in their lives; most believed these changes were a result of participating in Ramp. The Ramp service model embodies a number of significant strengths and this evaluation has demonstrated many positive effects and substantial promise, including the possibility that it will produce long-term savings and benefits to the community through successful intervention in the lives of high risk, difficult to engage young people. In summary the Ramp model appears to have had a positive impact on most of the young people who engaged with the program. The unique elements of the program, such as the ‘lead mentors’, workshops and camps are deserving of further investigation by DHS in the development of mentoring service models. Details: Balwyn, VIC, AUS: The Nucleus Group, 2008. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 27, 2013 at: http://www.whitelion.asn.au/files/Ramp_Final_Report.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia URL: http://www.whitelion.asn.au/files/Ramp_Final_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 127728 Keywords: At-Risk Juveniles Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders (Australia) Mentoring

Author: Newman, Robert Title: Turning Young Lives Around: How health and justice services can respond to children with mental health problems and learning disabilities who offend Summary: Children in the UK who offend - the facts: • 85,300 children were supervised by Youth Offending Teams in 2010/11, a reduction of 20% from 2009/10 • Around 25% of children who offend have very low IQs of less than 70 • 43% of children on community orders have emotional and mental health needs, and the prevalence amongst children in custody is much higher • 60% of children who offend have communication difficulties and, of this group, around half have poor or very poor communication skills • Around 33% of all children accessing local drug and substance misuse services are referred from the youth justice system • 27% of children and young people who offend are not in full time education, training or employment at the end of their period of youth justice supervision. This briefing paper seeks to encourage effective joint working between Health and Wellbeing Boards and youth justice services, in particular, to ensure that local strategies reflect the needs of children and young people who offend, especially those with mental health problems and learning disabilities. It outlines a practical action agenda and provides examples of good practice to help turn these young lives around. Details: London: Prison Reform Trust, 2013. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper: Accessed March 1, 2013 at: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/turningyounglivesaroundFINAL.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/turningyounglivesaroundFINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 127753 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders (U.K.) Learning Disabilities Mental Health Services

Author: Mendel, Richard Title: Juvenile Justice Reform in Connecticut: How Collaboration and Commitment Have Improved Public Safety and Outcomes for Youth Summary: Over the past two decades, a tremendous volume of new knowledge has emerged about causes of adolescent delinquency and the effective responses. Through research and policy experimentation, scholars and practitioners have proven that several new approaches significantly improve outcomes for youth who become involved in delinquency, thereby enhancing public safety and saving taxpayers’ money. These advances provide public officials with unprecedented opportunities to redesign their juvenile justice systems for the benefit of youth, families and communities. Unfortunately, most states and localities have been slow to recognize and act on this new information, slow to seize these opportunities for constructive change. Progress has been uneven. Perhaps more than any other state, Connecticut has absorbed the growing body of knowledge about youth development, adolescent brain research and delinquency, adopted its lessons, and used the information to fundamentally re-invent its approach to juvenile justice. As a result, Connecticut’s system today is far and away more successful, more humane, and more cost-effective than it was 10 or 20 years ago. This report will describe, dissect, and draw lessons from Connecticut’s striking success in juvenile justice reform for other states and communities seeking similar progress. The first section details the timeline and dimensions of change in Connecticut’s juvenile justice system over the past two decades. In 1992, Connecticut routinely locked up hundreds of youths – many of them never convicted or even accused of serious crimes – in decrepit and unsafe facilities while offering little or no treatment or rehabilitation. The state was one of only three in the nation whose justice system treated all 16- and 17-year-olds as adults – trying them in criminal courts, with open records, and sentencing many to adult prisons without education or rehabilitative services designed for adolescents. By 2002 there was a growing awareness that these problems could no longer be ignored. Over the decade that followed, a movement for sweeping reforms began to build momentum and take root. And by 2012, Connecticut had a strong commitment to invest in alternatives to detention and incarceration, improve conditions of confinement, examine the research, and focus on treatment strategies with evidence of effectiveness. Most impressively, these changes have been accomplished in Connecticut without any added financial cost, and without any increase in juvenile crime or violence. To the contrary, the costs of new programs and services for Connecticut’s court-involved youth have been fully offset in the short-term by reduced expenditures for detention and confinement, and promise additional savings down the road as more youth desist from delinquency and crime. Arrests of youth have fallen substantially throughout the reform period, both for serious violent crimes and for virtually all other offense categories as well. The report then looks under the hood of Connecticut’s reform efforts and explores the critical factors underlying these accomplishments. The discussion begins by detailing the main elements and key champions of progress and by identifying the turning points that built momentum toward reform. The report’s final section explores what other states or local jurisdictions can learn from Connecticut’s experience. The most important lesson, it finds, is that a new and vastly improved juvenile justice system is within reach for any jurisdiction that summons the energy and commitment, the creativity and cooperative spirit to do what’s best for their children, their families, and their communities. Details: Washington, DC: Justice Policy Institute, 2013. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 5, 2013 at: http://www.justicepolicy.org/uploads/justicepolicy/documents/jpi_juvenile_justice_reform_in_ct.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.justicepolicy.org/uploads/justicepolicy/documents/jpi_juvenile_justice_reform_in_ct.pdf Shelf Number: 127842 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Justice (Connecticut, U.S.) Juvenile Justice Reform Juvenile Offenders Partnerships

Author: Huang, Larke Nahme Title: Promoting Positive Development and Preventing Youth Violence and High-Risk Behaviors in Asian American/Pacific Islander Communities: A Social Ecology Perspective Summary: Youth violence is both a community problem and a public health issue. In 1997 violence claimed the lives of more than 3,700 children under the age of 19, an average of 10 deaths per day (Thornton, Craft, Dahlberg, Lynch, & Baer, 2000). In our society, violence involving youth affects all communities. It is no longer a problem confined to large cities and impoverished communities; it is growing in suburban and rural communities, and across all socioeconomic and ethnic/racial groups. While it affects all communities, minority communities (communities of color) bear a disproportionate share of death, disability, and violence-related social disintegration (Cohen & Lang, 1991). The decade from 1983 to 1993 marked an epidemic of violence throughout the country. It took a tremendous toll on young people, their families and communities. Since the peak of this epidemic, youth violence, as evidenced in arrest records, victimization data, and hospital emergency room records, has declined. However, the problem has not resolved as reflected by another indicator of violence—youth’s confidential reports about their violent behavior. These reports reveal no change since 1993 in the numbers of youth who have committed physically injurious and potentially lethal behaviors. Arrests for aggravated assault have declined only slightly and in 1999 remained nearly 70 percent higher than pre-epidemic levels (Brener et al., 1999). Youth violence is recognized as a public health concern. It contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality, and exacts an enormous toll on the health and well-being of our society and its health resource expenditures. A public health approach focuses more on prevention than rehabilitation. In contrast to a criminal offender or medical model, this approach looks at youth violence as a multidetermined behavior, involving numerous antecedents and risk factors. No single etiology can explain this phenomenon. Rather, a combination of social, cultural, environmental, and individual factors contribute to the incidence of youth violence (American Psychological Association, 1993; Children’s Defense Fund, 1999). Thus, this model calls for a practical, goaloriented, community-based strategy for promoting and maintaining the health of a population. The objective of this paper is to examine models of youth violence prevention and the applicability of these models to Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth and their communities. The increase in youth violence, the alarm stimulated by tragic school-based acts of violence, and the attention of the U.S. Congress have resulted in the establishment of numerous violence prevention programs. While some of these programs and federal initiatives have focused on ethnic minority youth, most have targeted African American or Latino communities (Wilson-Brewer & Jacklin, 1991). Few programs have addressed AAPI youth. Details: Washington, DC: Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development; Denver, CO: National Asian American/Pacific Islander Mental Health Association, 2004. 94p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 5, 2013 at: http://www.aapcho.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2005/06/AAPI.perspectives.P2_Huang_Ida.pdf Year: 2004 Country: United States URL: http://www.aapcho.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2005/06/AAPI.perspectives.P2_Huang_Ida.pdf Shelf Number: 127850 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Minority Groups Youth Violence (U.S.)

Author: Newman, Mark Title: A Systematic Review of Selected Interventions to Reduce Juvenile Re-offending Summary: What do we want to know? This is a report of the methods and results of a systematic review of primary research on the effectiveness of selected interventions to reduce juvenile re-offending. The review provides answers to the question of the relative effectiveness of a small number of selected interventions in reducing juvenile re-offending. What did we find out about interventions? Consistent evidence of reducing re-offending • Pre-sentencing Diversion – personal skill straining + for first time offenders. The intervention included: o personal skills training/ counselling which is about anger management, personal responsibility and decision making. o some form of reparation to the community/ victim of crime. o family involvement. compared to standard diversion (caution & monitoring). • Community based family residential placement for female juvenile offenders. The intervention included: o Residential placement for six months to a year in small group supportive ‘family type’ environment. o personal skills training/ counselling which is about anger management, personal responsibility and decision making. o Monitoring and use of appropriate incentives and sanctions. compared to standard residential placement. Promising effects (positive or negative) limited or inconsistent evidence • ‘Teen Courts’ compared to other diversion – Positive • Community based family residential placements compared to standard residential placements for male juvenile offenders – Positive Insufficient evidence • Secure incarceration compared to community sentence • Psycho-dynamic counselling compared to ‘normal Court interventions • Pre-sentence diversions compared to court community sentence • Multi component diversion for persistent offenders (comparison not clear) • Multi-component diversion for mixed groups of offence severity (comparison not clear) • Supported transition from secure incarceration to community compared to no or limited support • Probation plus sports counselling compared to probation only • Violence re-education programme compared to court imposed community service. Details: London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London, 2012. 120p. Source: Internet Resource: EPPI-Centre report no. 2008T: Accessed March 12, 2013 at: http://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/cms/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=3YwaW7wpQnU%3D&tabid=3360 Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/cms/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=3YwaW7wpQnU%3D&tabid=3360 Shelf Number: 127914 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders (U.K.) Re-Offending Recidivism Rehabilitation Programs

Author: CRG Research Limited Title: Positive Activities for Young People: National Evaluation: Final Report Summary: Positive Activities for Young People (PAYP) was launched in July 2003 in response to growing concerns over high levels of youth crime. It was a multi-department programme for those “at risk” aged 8-19 years. Methodology -- The research involved the evaluation of a representative sample of 22 Lead Delivery Agencies (LDA) based on data collected at set intervals over a three year period. The evaluation employed a multi-tiered approach to assess the structure and impact of PAYP including at the strategic level, operational level, with young people, non-participant observation, and an interrogation of the national Management Information System database to review referral, age, gender, activities, and outcomes for young people. Conclusions -- Finds that PAYP was viewed as being successful in delivering a targeted programme to a hard to engage client group. 290,000 young people participated, of which 85% were classed as “at risk”. The short lead-in time at the commencement of PAYP had an negative impact upon its delivery. Highlights the key worker role as central to the success of PAYP. Partner agencies reported improvements in capacity, business processes, partnership working, and their own service delivery. Details: Moorfoot, Sheffield, UK: Department for Education and Skills, 2006. 114p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 14, 2013 at: http://www.eukn.org/United_kingdom/uk_en/E_library/Social_Inclusion_Integration/Integration_of_Social_Groups/Young_People/Positive_activities_for_young_people_national_evaluation_final_report_UK Year: 2006 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.eukn.org/United_kingdom/uk_en/E_library/Social_Inclusion_Integration/Integration_of_Social_Groups/Young_People/Positive_activities_for_young_people_national_evaluation_final_report_UK Shelf Number: 127930 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.K.) Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders

Author: St. James-Roberts, Ian Title: National Evaluation of Youth Justice Board Mentoring Schemes 2001 to 2004 Summary: Between 2001 and 2004, the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB) supported 80 community mentor projects distributed across England and Wales. The projects set out to deliver mentor programmes to young people who had offended or were at risk of doing so. This report evaluates the projects’ effectiveness and costs in achieving their aims. Details: London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 2005. 190p. Source: Internet Resource: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/7757/1/National%20Evaluation%20of%20Mentoring%20Projects%202001%20to%202004%20web%20ready.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/7757/1/National%20Evaluation%20of%20Mentoring%20Projects%202001%20to%202004%20web%20ready.pdf Shelf Number: 127938 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Youth Mentoring

Author: Herrera, Carla Title: The Role of Risk: Mentoring Experiences and Outcomes for Youth with Varying Risk Profiles Summary: More and more, mentoring programs are being asked to serve higher-risk youth—for example, those in foster care or the juvenile justice system or youth with a parent who is incarcerated. This impulse is understandable: Studies have illuminated the varied benefits that mentoring programs can provide, including improving academics and relationships with others and reducing involvement in problem behaviors. Higher-risk youth are clearly in need of such support. While these youth are often viewed through the lens of likely future costs to their communities, they also embody enormous unrealized potential. With the right kinds of support, these young people could put themselves on a path toward bright, productive futures, and make vital contributions to their families, neighborhoods and nation. Many hope that mentoring programs can help make this vision a reality. Yet few studies have examined and compared the benefits of mentoring for youth with differing types or sources of risk. The Role of Risk: Mentoring Experiences and Outcomes for Youth with Varying Risk Profiles presents findings from the first large-scale study to examine how the levels and types of risk youth face may influence their relationships with program-assigned mentors and the benefits they derive from these relationships. The study looked closely at the backgrounds of participating youth and their mentors, the mentoring relationships that formed, the program supports that were offered, and the benefits that youth accrued—and assessed how these varied for youth with differing “profiles” of risk. We believe the study’s results provide useful guidance for practitioners, funders and policymakers who want to know which youth are best suited for mentoring and how practices might be strengthened to help ensure that youth facing a variety of risks get the most out of their mentoring experience. Details: New York: A Public/Private Ventures project distributed by MDRC, 2013. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2013 at: http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/Role%20of%20Risk_Final-web%20PDF.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/Role%20of%20Risk_Final-web%20PDF.pdf Shelf Number: 127969 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Mentoring (U.S.)

Author: Stacey, Kathleen Title: Panyappi Indigenous Youth Mentoring Program External Evaluation Report Summary: Panyappi is an Indigenous youth mentoring service for young people who experience multiple problems that lead them to frequent inner city or other suburban hangouts, placing them at risk of being a victim of crime or engaging in offending behaviour. Panyappi aims to: 1. To intervene in pathways of offending behaviour and bring about a positive shift in each young person’s attitude toward offending and in their behaviour. 2. To decrease each young participant’s contact with the juvenile justice system and/or agencies associated with this system. 3. To promote self-discovery and self-determination by young people participating in the program their family and wider community. 4. To work collaboratively with all agencies that have mutual responsibility for resolving the young person’s difficulties. Most of the young people with whom Panyappi works are disengaging or already disengaged from education, have a high rate of social-emotional issues, and often engage in substance misuse. At least half of these young people are involved with FAYS and/or the juvenile justice system. They are unlikely to engage with mainstream youth mentoring programs, particularly on a voluntary basis, or with other youth groups or youth support services. They require longer-term, consistent, regular and more intense support in order to build trust, foster their personal resilience, and assist them to gain stability, a positive personal identity and constructive direction for their lives. Although it began in July 2001, like many pilot initiatives tackling a difficult issue Panyappi experienced disruptions during its establishment. Initially this was due to disagreement about the program focus, location, auspicing arrangements, and an insufficient funding base. The funding issue led to staffing the program with trainees only as mentors, rather than more experienced workers, which proved inappropriate and drew the Coordinator’s time away from service development. After making progress by March 2002, there were two quick changes of Coordinator resulting in an extended break in service in 2002. The program was stabilised in February 2003 and since then has functioned more smoothly, strengthened collaborative work with other agencies/ services, and provided consistent mentoring services for young people and families. Details: Panyappi: Metropolitan Aboriginal Youth Team; Adelaide: South Australia Department of Human Services, 2004. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2013 at: http://www.dcsi.sa.gov.au/Pub/Portals/7/panyappi-indigenous-youth-mentoring-program-external-evaluation-report.pdf Year: 2004 Country: Australia URL: http://www.dcsi.sa.gov.au/Pub/Portals/7/panyappi-indigenous-youth-mentoring-program-external-evaluation-report.pdf Shelf Number: 128002 Keywords: Aboriginals At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Indigenous Peoples Youth Mentoring (Australia)

Author: McNeil Education, Training and Research Title: Process Evaluation of the Demand-Side Youth Offender Demonstration Project (Phase II): Final Report Summary: The Welfare-to-Work Partnership (The Partnership), later known as Business Interface, Inc. (BI), was awarded funding by the Employment and Training Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL/ETA) in January 2003 to conduct a Demand-Side Youth Offender Demonstration Project (DSYODP). Under this grant, The Partnership served as an intermediary in connecting employers in four sites with young ex-offenders and youth at-risk of court involvement between the ages of 18 and 25. The DSYODP initiative built on the experience of The Partnership in serving welfare recipients under a DOL grant for the Welfare-to-Work program. The DSYODP initiative also built on the experience of DOL/ETA through three rounds of the Youth Offender Demonstration Project (YODP), which began in 1999. The goals of the YODP were to assist youth at-risk of court or gang involvement, youth offenders, and gang members ages 14-24 to find long-term employment at wage levels that would prevent future dependency and would break the cycle of crime and juvenile delinquency. McNeil Education, Training and Research (McNeil ETR) worked with DOL/ETA to conduct evaluations of both YODP and DSYODP Phases I and II. Phase II of DSYODP began in July 2005 when it received a Task Order contract from DOL/ETA to conduct a process evaluation of the demonstration project in four cities: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C. The purpose of the evaluation was to determine: (1) the efficacy of the business intermediary model implemented by the grantee; and (2) the impact of the services delivered on the employment, earnings and retention of youth ex-offenders and youth at-risk of court or gang involvement. Further, DOL/ETA expects that the evaluation will also “determine lessons from the implementation and operation of the DSYODP Phase II which can be shared with other communities wishing to replicate the business intermediary approach to serve ex-offenders and at-risk youth.” Details: Chapel Hill, NC: McNeil Education, Training and Research, 2008. 189p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2013 at: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Process%20Evaluation%20of%20the%20Demand-Side%20Youth%20Offender%20Demonstration%20Project%20Phase%20II%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Process%20Evaluation%20of%20the%20Demand-Side%20Youth%20Offender%20Demonstration%20Project%20Phase%20II%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 128075 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.S.) Delinquency Prevention Employment Training Programs Ex-Offender Employment Juvenile Offenders Young Adult Offenders Youth Employment

Author: Napa County, California Title: Napa County Gang and Youth Violence Master Plan Summary: Gangs and gang members have been present in municipalities and unincorporated areas in Napa County for nearly two decades, and while they are responsible for a portion of the above statistics, the crime rates have not reflected the changes in gang activity. Gang activity throughout Napa County increased in the mid-1990s. Many medium-sized law enforcement agencies across the state of California experienced similar increases during this period (Klein and Maxson, 2006). These numbers increased at the start of the 21st century, reflecting a nationwide trend. In 2008, there were 3,253 property crimes and 832 violent crimes recorded in the county. With regard to the former, there were 768 burglaries, 2,178 thefts, and 307 motor vehicle thefts. With regard to the latter, there was 1 homicide, 39 forcible rapes, 70 robberies, and 722 aggravated assaults. Napa County’s 2008 rate of 2,446.9 property crimes per 100,000 persons is lower than both the state of California (2,940.3) and the nation (3,212.5). For violent crimes, the 625.8 incidents per 100,000 persons is greater than both the state of California and national rate. The 2008 violent crime rate was nearly double than that of previous years, which is believed to be a reporting error. Homicide is very rare in Napa County. The homicide rate of 0.8 per 100,000 persons is well below state (5.8) and national averages (5.4), and even lower than many European countries. The National Youth Gang Center (NYGC), funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), collects and reports law enforcement statistics about gangs and gang activity present in jurisdictions. The City of Napa and Napa County are included in these data sources. Between 2002 and 2006, the City of Napa reported an average of 446 gang members while the County of Napa reported nearly 550 (many of these are likely duplicate and reside in both incorporated and unincorporated areas throughout the County, regardless of reporting jurisdiction). The City’s numbers increased over the time period, while the County’s decreased. With regard to the number of gangs, Napa City reported having two active gangs from 2002 to 2005, and in 2006 reported five gangs in the City. Napa County reported having between two and four gangs, and in 2006 reported three gangs in the county. While gang activity is present in the County of Napa, the data indicate that the extent of the gang violence is limited. The data from the National Youth Gang Center indicate that over a five-year period (2002-2006) there was one gang homicide, which was reported by the Sheriff’s Department. Given the involvement of gangs in homicide, the most serious form of violence, this is a positive sign of the level of safety in the county. This report is provided to help one better understand how and why gangs are forming and operating in Napa County and for what purposes. In addition, it includes information to help one recognize early warning signs that may indicate a child's interest or participation in a gang. Details: Napa, CA: Napa County, 2011. 107p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 2, 2013 at: http://www.countyofnapa.org/DA/gang/ Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.countyofnapa.org/DA/gang/ Shelf Number: 128183 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Gang Violence Gangs (California)

Author: Peacock, Jo Title: The TurnAround 2007 Project Summary: There are approximately 6.7 million young people aged 15-24 in England and a disproportionate number of these live in deprived, urban areas. The prevalence of adolescent problem behaviour has steadily increased with drug, tobacco and alcohol abuse, aggressive and anti-social behaviour, violence, teenage pregnancy and suicide rates becoming growing problems. Adolescents commonly face choices requiring pressurised decisions about gang involvement, violence, alcohol, drugs, sex and pregnancy, that potentially place them ‘at risk’. This cohort of ‘youth at risk’ are also subjected to other interactive environmental stressors, such as domestic violence, parental drug and alcohol abuse, physical and sexual abuse, family stress/poorly parented, divorced/single parent families, neglect or school failure. A lack of informed choice often leads to poor decision making and these youth at risk become labelled as underachievers, disadvantaged, marginal, underprivileged and remedial. They become socially inept, lack trust and teamwork skills, have poor emotional regulation and have low self esteem. Unless this issue is actively and positively addressed the number of out of work and unmotivated young people will increase along with a concomitant rise in drug and alcohol abuse, criminal activity and general anti-social behaviour, leading to social and economic problems in the community and diversion of police, court, social benefits and social worker resources to deal with the problem. A wide range of international research has evidenced key health benefits experienced for many people after spending time in the natural environment and a link between nature and health seems to be clearly emerging. Health benefits include reduced stress levels, improved mood; enhanced psychological wellbeing and improved attention and concentration. Natural places facilitate stress recovery, encourage exercise participation, stimulate development in children and provide opportunities for personal development and sense of purpose in adults. Partaking in physical activity in natural surroundings - “green exercise”- may also have therapeutic properties and collectively, such therapeutic approaches have been referred to as “green care”. Many different organisations and services are starting to show an interest in green care including: healthcare professionals; social services providers; Local Authorities; offender management teams; probation services, youth services; education authorities and farmers. Although the area of green care is very diverse, the common linking ethos is the contact with nature, which generates the health, social or educational benefits. Wilderness therapy is an emerging green care intervention which uses a systematic approach to work with adolescents with behavioural problems. Although this is not the only cohort that can benefit from the outdoors, wilderness therapy is most often used with youth at risk to help them address any emotional, adjustment, addiction or psychological problems. Wilderness therapy programmes typically provide healthy exercise and diet through hiking and physical activity, individual and group therapy sessions, educational curricula, primitive skills, group-living with peers, opportunities for solo time and reflection leadership training and challenges resulting from ‘back-to basics’ living. The rationale for these interventions involves separating disaffected young people from daily negative influences and placing them in safe outdoor environments. Spending time in a natural setting enables participants to access those aspects of their self that may elude them in more conventional personal development or therapeutic settings. The Wilderness Foundation UK, initiated a pilot social project called ‘The TurnAround 2007 Project’, which was designed to help vulnerable young people in social care in Chelmsford and the mid-Essex area. The Wilderness Foundation UK is a registered charity which raises awareness of the need to preserve and restore wilderness areas, offers wilderness experiences and is involved in various social programmes to demonstrate how wilderness exposure facilitates the education and health of both individuals and the wider society. The Turnaround 2007 project, a pilot stage of a longer 3 year project, targeted youths aged 15-18 years old who were considered to be ‘at risk’ and were in danger of drifting into a life of petty crime, drug & alcohol abuse and general anti-social behaviour. Details: Colchester, UK: Centre for Environment and Society, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex,, 2008. 115p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 4, 2013 at: http://www.essex.ac.uk/ces/occasionalpapers/Kerry/TurnAround%202007%20Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.essex.ac.uk/ces/occasionalpapers/Kerry/TurnAround%202007%20Final%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 128204 Keywords: Anti-Social Behavior At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Wilderness Programs (U.K.)

Author: Wood, Carly Title: The TurnAround Project - Phase 3 (2011/12) Summary: This report is a follow‐on from two preceding TurnAround (TA) reports and should be read in conjunction with previous information. UK Youth crime and anti‐social behaviour is a continuing problem, estimated to cost the UK economy £4 billion per annum. Young offenders exhibit some of the highest re‐offending rates, with 40% of young offenders re‐offending within one year, increasing to 75% in those who receive a custodial sentence. Attention has been turned towards the use of interventions to tackle youth crime, anti‐social behaviour and re‐offending, due to the increasing costs associated with the criminal justice system and the ineffectiveness of custodial sentences. Evidence suggests that therapeutic interventions providing skills and mentoring are effective at changing behaviour and protecting against risk factors such as low self‐esteem, substance addiction and low IQ, which are often the root cause of these problem behaviours. The aim of TA 3 was to assist small groups of vulnerable and challenging youth in Essex to make positive life choices and overcome barriers to social inclusion and financial self sufficiency. The programme ran from April 2011‐January 2012 and comprised of skills workshops and outdoor activity days, weekly one‐to‐one mentoring and two wilderness trails. The main objective of the programme was to intervene to the young peoples problem behaviours at an early stage; thus preventing further crime, problems at school and escalation of negative behaviour. The programme used outdoor activities and wilderness experiences to i) break down the physical and emotional barriers that inhibited social competence; ii) improve self‐esteem, self‐confidence, emotional regulation, communication and problem solving abilities; iii) instil a sense of accountability to themselves and others; iv) build trust and team‐working skills; v) educate young people to make positive life choices; vi) generate employment and training opportunities and/or further education prospects. Details: Colchester, UK: Essex Sustainability Institute, School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, 2012. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 4, 2013 at: http://www.greenexercise.org/pdf/TA3%20final%20July%202012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.greenexercise.org/pdf/TA3%20final%20July%202012.pdf Shelf Number: 128205 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.K.) Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Wilderness Programs Youth Mentoring

Author: Pana, Artemis Title: Youth4Youth: A Manual for Empowering Young People in Preventing Gender-Based Violence through Peer Education Summary: The Youth4Youth training manual is the culmination of a series of initiatives undertaken in several European countries that aimed at shedding more light on the issue of gender-based violence among adolescents. A number of projects funded by the European Commission’s Daphne Programme have created a wealth of information on how young people think and act in relation to their gender identity and within romantic relationships, forming the basis for the work undertaken in the Youth4Youth project, a deliverable of which is this manual. Most importantly, they have provided the foundation upon which interventions such as this manual can be developed and implemented in schools and in youth centres to prevent gender-based violence, and violence against women in particular, by addressing its root causes as early as possible. Emerging evidence suggests that patterns of violence and victimization may develop in early adolescence, and soon become difficult to reverse. Hence, primary prevention measures have an essential role in combating gender based violence since schools and other education centres are a critical component of adolescents’ lives and one of the main contexts where gender socialization takes place, as well as where attitudes toward oneself and others are formed and reinforced. This type of work goes on to stress the importance of funding programmes within the EU that prioritize gender equality and the fight against gender-based violence, including primary prevention programmes that aim to provide young people across Europe with the knowledge and skills to live healthier, more empowered lives. Details: Nicosia, Cyprus: Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies (MIGS), 2012. 94p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 6, 2013 at: http://www.medinstgenderstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/Y4Y-Manual_digital_v12.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Europe URL: http://www.medinstgenderstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/Y4Y-Manual_digital_v12.pdf Shelf Number: 128299 Keywords: Bullying Delinquency Prevention Education Gender-Based Violence Peer Groups School Violence Sexual Violence Violence Prevention Youth Violence

Author: Courage Partners Title: Final Report: Final Evaluation of Youth in Communities Summary: Courage Partners was engaged by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs to conduct an evaluation of the Youth in Communities program. The evaluation commenced in July 2010 and was finalised in June 2012. The final evaluation of the program showed participants are more engaged at school and with their peers, are involving themselves more in cultural programs, sport and leadership activities, and are benefiting from higher self-esteem. The evaluation also found that organisations supported by Youth in Communities had successfully strengthened their service models to deliver better outcomes for young people. This includes developing more gender-specific programs to improve participation among young males, offering youth work traineeships to help create sustainable local employment opportunities, and strengthening relationships with local elders. Details: Canberra: Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, 2012. 110p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 9, 2013 at: https://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/02_2013/youth_in_communities_final_evaluation_report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: https://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/02_2013/youth_in_communities_final_evaluation_report.pdf Shelf Number: 128322 Keywords: Aboriginal Youth Delinquency Prevention Educational Programs Indigenous Youth Juvenile Offenders (Australia) School Attendance

Author: Ishizuka, Katie Title: Fostering Change: How Investing In D.C.’s Child Welfare System Can Keep Kids Out of the Prison Pipeline Summary: Fostering Change: How Investing In D.C.’s Child Welfare System Can Keep Kids Out of the Prison Pipeline looks at the need for robust community investments to increase public safety and youth outcomes in areas such as Wards 5, 7 and 8, which are majority African American having also the highest rate of children living below the poverty line and in foster care. The District has one of the highest incarceration rates in the country, which has direct and long-term implications on the city’s youth. Parental incarceration is now the third highest reason for child welfare system involvement in the District, following neglect and abuse. The community and family impacts of mass incarceration are disproportionately prevalent among African-American children and children of parents with low levels of educational attainment. Nationally, African-American children are three times more likely than Latino children and seven times more likely than white children to have a parent in prison and incarcerated parents tend to face significant barriers to retaining their parental rights. Fostering Change is the fourth and last in a series of research briefs that shows reducing harm to children in the home, strengthening families, and investing in systems that support children who are abused and neglected should be part of a comprehensive public safety strategy in the District. Details: Washington, DC: Justice Policy Institute, 2013. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 9, 2013 at: http://www.justicepolicy.org/uploads/justicepolicy/documents/fostering_change.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.justicepolicy.org/uploads/justicepolicy/documents/fostering_change.pdf Shelf Number: 128331 Keywords: Child Welfare Systems Children of Prisoners Delinquency Prevention Families of Inmates Foster Care (Washington, D.C.) Poverty

Author: Dahlberg,L.L. Title: Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes, Behaviors, and Influences Among Youths: A Compendium of Assessment Tools. Second Edition Summary: This compendium provides researchers and prevention specialists with a set of tools to assess violence-related beliefs, behaviors, and influences, as well as to evaluate programs to prevent youth violence. If you are new to the field of youth violence prevention and unfamiliar with available measures, you may find this compendium to be particularly useful. If you are an experienced researcher, this compendium may serve as a resource to identify additional measures to assess the factors associated with violence among youths. Although this compendium contains more than 170 measures, it is not an exhaustive listing of available measures. A few of the more widely used measures to assess aggression in children, for example, are copyrighted and could not be included here. Other measures being used in the field, but not known to the authors, are also not included. Many of the measures included in the first edition of the compendium focused on individual violence-related attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. These types of measures are included in this edition as well and may be particularly useful if you are evaluating a school-based curriculum or a community-based program designed to reduce violence among youths. Several measures to assess peer, family, and community influences have been added to the compendium. Many of these measures are from the major longitudinal and prevention research studies of youth violence being conducted in the United States. Most of the measures in this compendium are intended for use with youths between the ages of 11 and 24 years, to assess such factors as serious violent and delinquent behavior, conflict resolution strategies, social and emotional competencies, peer influences, parental monitoring and supervision, family relationships, exposure to violence, collective efficacy, and neighborhood characteristics. The compendium also contains a number of scales and assessments developed for use with children between the ages of 5 and 10 years, to measure factors such as aggressive fantasies, beliefs supportive of aggression, attributional biases, prosocial behavior, and aggressive behavior. When parent and teacher versions of assessments are available, they are included as well. Details: Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2005. 363p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2013 at: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/yv_compendium.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United States URL: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/yv_compendium.pdf Shelf Number: 128420 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Violence Prevention Youth Violence (U.S.)

Author: Mcghee, Sarah Theresa Title: Masculinity, Sexuality, and Soccer: An Exploration of Three Grassroots Sport-for-Social-Change Organizations in South Africa Summary: Programs that utilize soccer as a tool for social change are steadily emerging throughout townships and rural areas in South Africa, the most economically disadvantaged areas of the country. In South Africa, grassroots sport-for-social-change organizations are compensating for failed government policies and programs that seek to help at-risk youth. As a result, program staff are often members of the community who are not versed in academic critiques of the use of sport in development initiatives. Additionally, much of the existing literature on sport-for-social-change champions the advancement of specific projects without asking critical research questions, which should include the appropriateness of the modality within a given context. In this case, the complexities of using soccer (e.g., its practices, historical significance, and gendered meanings) have not been thoroughly investigated. Soccer is not a “genderless” tool for social change. Participation in violent sports such as soccer has been used to bolster claims of a naturalized dominance of men over women. Although participation by girls and young women in soccer programs (professional and recreational) is increasing in urban townships and rural areas, soccer pitches remain largely “masculinized spaces.” In this study, I use qualitative research methods to show how gendered discourses organize sport-for-social-change programs. Using Ashcraft and Mumby’s theory of feminist communicology and Connell and Messerschmidt’s reformulated theory of hegemonic masculinity, I examine three sport-for-social-change organizations in South Africa through an applied lens with a feminist standpoint. Semi-structured interviews with twelve key informants were conducted over a three-month period between May and August of 2009. All three organizations studied are grassroots organizations that work within a particular area of South Africa. They each target male children and youth between the ages of 6 and 19 from economically disadvantaged households and use soccer as a modality for social change, yet each organization operates within a different cultural context primarily based on participants’ racial, regional, and ethnic identities. My research found that masculine discourses were constructed, maintained, and contested in sport-for-social-change organizations through: (a) (Not) Engaging in (Social) Fatherhood, (b) Challenging the Temptation to Lead a Gangster Life and Have a “Gangster” Attitude, and (c) Challenging Patriarchy, Physical Assault, and Cultural “Traditions.” Discourses also created paradoxes that worked against the goal of contesting local hegemonic masculinities, although these paradoxes were not typically identified by organizational members. Although I found similarities in the influences of local discourses on organizations such as the lingering effects of The Group Areas Act on urban migration that influenced men’s roles within their families; the desire to create positive male role models that rejected characteristics associated with exemplars of hegemonic masculinity identified in each case study; and concerns about stopping the pattern of domestic violence prevalent in some communities, an issue that is also related to spread of HIV, I also found differences. Differences were based primarily on racial, regional and ethnic signifiers and affected the goals of each organization as well as the design of programs aimed at achieving these goals. Details: University of South Florica, Department of Communications, 2012. 227p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 25, 2013: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5564&context=etd Year: 2012 Country: South Africa URL: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5564&context=etd Shelf Number: 128495 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Gender Studies Sports

Author: Mathematica Policy Research Title: Advancing the Self-Sufficiency and Well-Being of At-Risk Youth: A Conceptual Framework Summary: How can programs advance the self-sufficiency and well-being of at-risk youth? This report attempts to answer this important question by presenting a research-based framework for efforts to help at-risk youth enter a career workforce trajectory and prepare to become well-functioning, self-sufficient adults. The framework presented is particularly relevant for youth who are or could be served by ACF programs—especially homeless youth, youth in the foster care system, and teen parents—but it may also apply to other programs. The framework suggests the possibility of using evidence-informed interventions to address two primary areas: youths’ resilience and human capital development. It suggests finding tailored solutions grounded in a trusting relationship between youth and program staff to help move youth toward both healthy functioning and economic self-sufficiency as they transition to adulthood. This report was written as part of the Youth Demonstration Development project being conducted by Mathematica Policy Research and Chapin Hall Center for Children. Details: Washington, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: OPRDE Report # 2013-13: Accessed May 9, 2013 at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/opre/ydd_final_report_3_22_13.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/opre/ydd_final_report_3_22_13.pdf Shelf Number: 128686 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.S.) Delinquency Prevention Employment Training Evidence-Based Practices

Author: Petrosino, Anthony Title: Scared Straight and Other Juvenile Awareness Programs for Preventing Juvenile Delinquency: A Systematic Review Summary: Programs like �Scared Straight" involve organized visits to prison facilities by juvenile delinquents or children at risk for becoming delinquent. The programs are designed to deter participants from future offending by providing first-hand observations of prison life and interaction with adult inmates. Results of this review indicate that not only does it fail to deter crime but it actually leads to more offending behavior. Government officials permitting this program need to adopt rigorous evaluation to ensure that they are not causing more harm to the very citizens they pledge to protect. �Scared Straight" and other programs involve organized visits to prison by juvenile delinquents or children at risk for criminal behavior. Programs are designed to deter participants from future offending through first hand observation of prison life and interaction with adult inmates. OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of programs comprising organized visits to prisons by juvenile delinquents (officially adjudicated or convicted by a juvenile court) or pre-delinquents (children in trouble but not officially adjudicated as delinquents), aimed at deterring them from criminal activity. Studies that tested the effects of any program involving the organized visits of juvenile delinquents or children at-risk for delinquency to penal institutions were included. Studies that included overlapping samples of juvenile and young adults (e.g. ages 14-20) were also included. We only considered studies that randomly or quasi-randomly (i.e. alternation) assigned participants to conditions. Each study had to have a no-treatment control condition with at least one outcome measure of “post-visit” criminal behavior. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We report narratively on the nine eligible trials. We conducted one meta-analysis of post-intervention offending rates using official data. Information from other sources (e.g. self-report) was either missing from some studies or critical information was omitted (e.g. standard deviations). We examined the immediate post-treatment effects (i.e. ‘first-effects’) by computing Odds Ratios (OR) for data on proportions of each group re-offending, and assumed both fixed and random effects models in our analyses. RESULTS The analyses show the intervention to be more harmful than doing nothing. The program effect, whether assuming a fixed or random effects model, was nearly identical and negative in direction, regardless of the meta-analytic strategy. AUTHOR’S CONCLUSIONS We conclude that programs like ‘Scared Straight’ are likely to have a harmful effect and increase delinquency relative to doing nothing at all to the same youths. Given these results, we cannot recommend this program as a crime prevention strategy. Agencies that permit such programs, however, must rigorously evaluate them not only to ensure that they are doing what they purport to do (prevent crime) – but at the very least they do not cause Details: Oslo: The Campbell Collaboration, 2013. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Campbell Systematic Reviews 2013:5: Accessed May 15, 2013 at: http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/?go=monograph&year=2013 Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/?go=monograph&year=2013 Shelf Number: 128747 Keywords: At-Risk Yough Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Scared Straight Programs

Author: Abraham, Manja Title: Halt Updated Process evaluation study of the updated Halt programme Summary: Juveniles aged from 12 to 18, who have been apprehended by the police for, for example, vandalism, shoplifting, firework offences or truant, may be given a choice between the criminal justice system and - via a conditional nolle prosequi - the Halt programme. The aim of the Halt programme is to hand out an alternative punishment – Het ALTernatief in Dutch – to make these juveniles aware of their behaviour, to give them the chance to right their wrongs and to make it clear to them that criminal behaviour is unacceptable. If they take part in the Halt programme, juveniles can also avoid having a criminal record. In addition to the police and the Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM), special investigating officers (BOAs) with special powers can refer juveniles to the Halt programme. The updated Halt programme has been implemented by all the Halt offices since 1 January 2010. The questions to be examined were: Is the updated Halt programme being implemented as intended? Which points are being implemented as intended and which are not? What are the causes of any problems in the implementation? Details: Amsterdam: WODC, ministerie van Veiligheid en Justitie,, 2013. 11 p. (summary) Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 28, 2013 at: http://english.wodc.nl/onderzoeksdatabase/evaluatie-nieuwe-haltafdoening.aspx Year: 2013 Country: Netherlands URL: http://english.wodc.nl/onderzoeksdatabase/evaluatie-nieuwe-haltafdoening.aspx Shelf Number: 128838 Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Delinquency Prevention Halt Programme Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile Offenders (Netherlands)

Author: Trinidad and Tobago. Parliament. Committee on Young Males and Crime in Trinidad and Tobago Title: No Time To Quit: Engaging Youth at Risk. Executive Report of the Committee on Young Males and Crime in Trinidad and Tobago Summary: This report of the Youth at Risk Committee seeks to put in perspective equity vis a vis equal opportunity. It seeks to move beyond the narrow concept of sameness and to embrace the concepts of difference in the multi-cultural, multi-class society of Trinidad and Tobago. The report argues that the young male population that is more at risk of directly being caught in the criminal world of drugs, guns and deadly violent crime are of African descent, especially those located in urban “hotspots” such as Laventille. At the same time, it focuses on the different problems which young Indo-Trinidadian males face in areas of Central Trinidad, their predilection to alcohol and related domestic violence abuse. It also addresses the way in which women and young girls are both drawn into crime or become victims of the effects of male involvement in crime. Details: St. Augustine: Multimedia Production Centre (MPC), School of Education, Faculty of Humanities and Education, The University of the West Indies, 2013. 436p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 21, 2013 at: http://www.ttparliament.org/documents/2197.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Trinidad and Tobago URL: http://www.ttparliament.org/documents/2197.pdf Shelf Number: 129118 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency (Trinidad and Tobago) Juvenile Offenders Youth Crime Youth Gangs

Author: Education Development Center, Inc. Title: Cross-Sectoral Assessment for At-Risk Youth in Kenya. Revised Report Summary: USAID/Kenya opened its description of the purpose for the Assessment of At‐Risk Youth in Kenya with a succinct description of the current political and development crisis the country faces: “The unprecedented violence following the 2007 presidential elections brought new attention to the large number of disaffected youth in various regions of Kenya. While limited livelihood opportunities are often cited as a serious risk factor and major driver of youth delinquency and violence, past experience shows that the issue of youth development is highly complex and multifaceted. Accordingly, a new generation of youth development programming in Kenya must take place within a cross‐sectoral understanding of youth needs, risks, and opportunities linked to the ultimate outcomes of reduced vulnerability, marginalization, and disaffection among at‐risk Kenyan youth. These outcomes can potentially contribute to objectives under the economic growth, education, democracy and governance, and health areas of USAID programming in Kenya. To better inform and direct programming for youth in Kenya, USAID is undertaking the … cross‐sectoral youth assessment.” USAID/Kenya requested Educational Development Center, Inc., (EDC) with its EQUIP3 program, to undertake a Youth Assessment, presenting a detailed set of questions related to youth challenges and opportunities in the areas of livelihoods, democracy and governance, education for livelihoods, democracy and governance, and health. The purpose of the assessment was to examine (i) the structure and characteristics of youth cohorts; (ii) the needs, risks and opportunities demonstrated by youth; and (iii.) a review of existing service providers and other institutions in relevant sectors that may address the stated needs of target youth. The primary question for the assessment was What are the specific sources of vulnerability, marginalization, and disaffection among Kenyan youth, particularly in areas affected by the 2007–2008 post‐ election violence, and how can they be countered? The Assessment was designed to analyze issues connected with: o Unemployment and lack of opportunity for gaining a livelihood o Inequalities in resource distribution and marginalization o Rapid urbanization and the breakdown of social values o Alienation and disillusionment—lack of trust in institutions and leadership o Ethnically based patronage politics and incitement, formation of gangs o Inadequate system of education and training o Spread of drug abuse, HIV/AIDS, and teenage pregnancies. Details: Newton, MA: Education Development Center, 2009. 161p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 22, 2013 at: http://kenya.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/Cross-sectoral%20Assessment%20of%20At-Risk%20Youth%20in%20Kenya_0.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Kenya URL: http://kenya.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/Cross-sectoral%20Assessment%20of%20At-Risk%20Youth%20in%20Kenya_0.pdf Shelf Number: 129128 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (Kenya) Delinquency Prevention

Author: Education Development Center, Inc. Title: USAID/Dominican Republic Cross-Sectoral At-Risk Youth Assessment Summary: The Report (a) analyzes the structure and characteristics of the youth cohort in the Dominican Republic (DR); (b) reviews the issues facing youth and the resources available to address them in four sectors – education, economic growth, health, and democracy and governance; (c) presents the results of 40 youth focus groups that were implemented by the assessment team as a way of articulating what youth themselves see as their needs, aspirations and challenges; (d) reviews a first generation of 9 youth projects that have been funded by USAID/DR; and (e) provides recommendations for a new generation of USAID/DR sponsored youth programming. Youth ages 10‐24 constitute just over 30 percent of the roughly ten million people who live in the Dominican Republic.1 Important stakeholders with whom the EDC assessment team met (youth themselves, the staffs of youth‐serving organizations, policy‐makers and community leaders across the country) agreed that a sizable percentage of Dominican youth are highly vulnerable and lack access to needed resources. In the education sector, such vulnerability is most acute in the 22,000 youth ages 10‐14 who are out of school, and the 25,000 youth ages 15‐19 and 44,000 youth ages 20‐24 who characterize themselves as being unable to read and write.2 Those who are in school participate in an educational system characterized by poor learning outcomes and high rates of repetition. In the economic growth sector, in 2008 youth ages 10‐24 represented a quarter of the total labor force in the DR and 43 percent of the total unemployed population. 3 Job creation for young people primarily takes place in the informal sector where wages are reported to be 44 percent lower than in the formal economy.4 Those youth seeking to start their own enterprises are faced with challenges in obtaining access to credit and micro‐finance. The vast majority of Dominican young people do not own assets and financial systems rarely make loans without collateral. In the health sector, reproductive and sexual health are the two priority issues for young people. Risky behaviors, such as multiple sex partners, unsafe sexual practices, and/or the use of drugs and alcohol play a significant role in the health profile of Dominican youth. There is a high incidence of teen pregnancy (26% in rural areas and 18% in urban areas), and a negative relationship has been observed between teenage pregnancy and education and socio‐economic status.5 Health service programs tend to be costly, not focused on the needs of young people, and located in areas that are not always easily accessible to youth. In the area of civic participation, youth face numerous challenges to participating fully and positively in society. At a fundamental level, many youth lack birth certificates or identity cards, often for reasons of poverty or their own parents’ lack of documentation. Not only do youth consequently lack official recognition as individuals, but they also are impeded in their access to services. This lack of connectivity to society may help to explain the growing participation of Dominican youth in gang related activity. Despite the formidable challenges facing youth in the DR the assessment team identified a variety of policies and programs that are making a difference in youths’ lives. The EDC team made a special effort to assess USAID/DR‐funded youth projects, interviewing staff and visiting field sites of programs such as the DREAM Project, Hay Poder en Aprender, Consorcio NINA and Aprendiendo Juntos, the La Romana—Bayahibe Tourism and Youth Training Project, Reinserción Escolar y Fomento a la Incorporación Productiva, the Habilidades para la Vida (Life Skills) Project, the Young Political Leaders Training Program, the Civic Action for Justice and Transparency, and the Batey Community Development Project. In addition, the EDC Team conducted a comprehensive review of the youth policies and programs of government, NGOs, and other donor agencies in each of the four sectors targeted by the assessment. Recommendations for future USAID/DR youth programming are provided at the conclusion of this Report. It is recommended that USAID/DR establish a single youth program that provides a social safety net for vulnerable out‐of‐school youth within targeted geographic areas. The core target population for this program would be youth ages 10‐13 who are out of school and youth 14‐17 who are out of school and unemployed. USAID/DR funding would help enable a single institution or a network of institutions to provide services that enable targeted youth to return to school, connect with economic opportunities, improve their health and well‐being, and engage more fully with their communities. Details: Newton, MA: Education Development Center, 2010. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 22, 2013 at: http://www.equip123.net/docs/e3-DRAssessment.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Dominican Republic URL: http://www.equip123.net/docs/e3-DRAssessment.pdf Shelf Number: 129130 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (Dominican Republic) Delinquency Prevention

Author: Volpi, Elena Title: Street Children: Promising Practices and Approaches Summary: In many regions of the world, the phenomenon of street children is unabated, while it is emerging in others where it was unknown so far. Behind child disconnection lie highly vulnerable families and communities, many struggling to come to terms with economic liberalization and growing inequality. Disconnection can also be traced to a lack of communication in the family and the weakening of social capital. Street children are an alarm signaling the dire need for social development and poverty reduction policies to improve the situation in the community at large, and to prevent more young people from becoming marginalized. While preventive interventions are essential, those children already facing the hardships of street life need immediate opportunities for human development via special protection programs. This report distills the main lessons learned from a number of programs that have attempted to meet the special needs of street children worldwide. Its purpose is to help potential donors understand activities in this area and identify promising practices. Details: Washington, DC: World Bank, 2002. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 22, 2013 at: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/WBI/Resources/wbi37196.pdf Year: 2002 Country: International URL: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/WBI/Resources/wbi37196.pdf Shelf Number: 129138 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Street Children

Author: Aramburu, Melba Castillo Title: Nicaragua Youth Assessment: Assessment of Security and Crime Prevention Activities, with a Focus on Youth At Risk, On the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua Summary: USAID/Nicaragua is preparing a new Country Development Cooperative Strategy (CDCS) that will include a Special Objective (SpO) aimed at reducing crime and increasing personal, community and regional security in the Caribbean Coast region. This SpO will support formal and non-formal education and training opportunities for youth at-risk, ages 10-24, and build community cohesiveness to reduce chances of youth becoming involved in crime and illicit activities. Funds for this SpO are expected to come from the Central American Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) which focuses on crime and levels of citizen security, and USAID basic education funds, particularly goal 3 of the Education Strategy which concentrates on youth and young adults living in “crisis and conflict environments.” The context in which young people live and attempt to thrive on the Caribbean Coast is characterized by multiple risk factors that contribute to their acute level of vulnerability. Principal risk factors—elements that greatly complicate their lives and which can lead to illicit activities—are prevalence of drugs and, worse, trafficking of drugs, along with alcohol abuse, disintegration of family and community ties, school abandonment, sexual abuse and risky sex, unemployment and bleak prospects for a job, and the weak presence of state institutions. In RAAN (Región Aútonoma del Atlántico Norte), the segment of the population under age 24 is 66 percent of the total; in RAAS, (Región Aútonoma del Atlántico Sur) it is 63 percent. Some 70 percent of RAAN’s population is rural, while 60 percent of RAAS’s population lives in rural areas. Another trait of the Caribbean regions is the multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-cultural composition. Various peoples exist in both regions, such as Miskito, Rama, Sumu/Mayangna, Twahkas, Panamakas and Ulwas. The Afro-descendant population, Creoles, and Garifunas comprise the ethnic groups. One continuing trend in the RAAN is the arrival of more and more mestizos in the region, with the indigenous and Afro-descendant becoming even more of the minority as time goes on. This is especially true in the interior (central and western) parts of the RAAS and RAAN. The RAAS is much more in flux ethnically, with the biggest concentration of Afro-descendants, although the RAAN is still predominantly indigenous and Afro-descendant. The number of violent deaths in RAAS and RAAN is rising sharply. In Bluefields in 2011, according to the Police Chief, there were 71 violent deaths or homicides, and in the first 11 weeks of 2012 there had been 18 more. Rates of incest, sexual abuse and rape of girls ages 6-16 are alarmingly high, with many cases not even reported. Criminal offenders are rarely brought to justice. In the RAAN, the National Police have registered 20 high-risk youth groups with a total of 313 male members from 12 to 18 years of age. According to the National Police, as well as others interviewed, the prostitution of adolescents, beginning at 14 years of age, is growing in the RAAS through the occurrence of parties and other “social events” organized by drug traffickers.1 The growing disintegration of family and community ties was noted by many people interviewed as a key factor in the worsening crisis and youths’ feelings of insecurity. The exposure of adolescents to STDs, including HIV, is also linked to violence and lack of values and direction from the family. Few adolescent men and women access health services because of shame or fear of reprimand, especially in relation to sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS2. The rate of STDs in the RAAS is 164 per 100,000 inhabitants, the highest among all regions of Nicaragua. The national average is 43.9 per 100,000 people.3 All indicators of education in the Caribbean region are poor; one of the most shocking indicators is that only two out of every ten young people in the corresponding age group are enrolled in secondary school, versus the national average of seven out of ten young people. The team observed, and many interviewees stated, that there are insufficient spaces for sports and recreation, especially in the RAAS. There is no addiction rehabilitation center in the region to provide systematic and intensive care. Drugs are present in virtually the entire Caribbean region and are the major catalyst for social problems. Obtaining lethal weapons is relatively easy. Violence is spreading and is increasingly legitimated through criminal activities mainly connected to drugs. Inter-ethnic tensions, particularly in the RAAN, have percolated to the extent that several civic leaders told a team member that “it is a time bomb, waiting to explode.” Conflicts over property are the prime cause of daily conflicts and legal cases, and these are woven into tensions between ethnic groups which have different philosophies of land tenure and ownership: especially the perception of land as communal versus personal. Based on the risk factors listed above, and especially the prevalence of drugs and violence, the consulting team considers essentially all youth ages 10-24 in the RAAS and RAAN “at risk.” The extensive document review, more than 100 interviews with key informants, focus group sessions with 76 youth at-risk, and nine days of field observation in the Caribbean region were critical in the team’s formulation of the proposed integrated strategy for these young people. The recommended goal of this SpO is for “adolescents and youth at-risk (10-24 years old) in Nicaragua’s Caribbean coastal region to live in strengthened and secure communities and take advantage of more ample opportunities in education, vocational training, life skills, civic engagement, sports and recreation, and positive social inter-action.” Its three components are to: 1. Strengthen vulnerable communities so that youth and young adults feel safe and have a heightened sense of security, connectedness to their families, and feel positive about their futures. 2. Improve direct services to adolescents and youth at risk (AYAR), involving them as much as possible in the design, management and implementation of these services and opportunities. 3. Raise awareness, influence public opinion, and spur community action on a wide range of topics of concern to youth at-risk. Cross-cutting themes in this strategy are to strengthen knowledge management related to AYAR, be proactive regarding gender dynamics and equity and build alliances and vibrant ties with universities, the private sector, media, faith-based organizations and others. Based on the team’s field experiences and observations, seven inter-related programmatic areas evolve from the three strategic components, the mission statement, and the cross-cutting themes. They are to: 1. Strengthen neighborhoods and communities through local engagement, support, planning, increased community security measures, and other critical support. In particular, the initiative should promote sports as an incentive, a platform for dialogue and an attractive component of holistic, integrated, multi-faceted programs for girls and boys. Sports-related activities such as preparing fields for play, repairing and building minimal infrastructure, providing equipment and materials, strengthening leagues and organization will be integrated with, for example, vocational orientation, environmental cleanups, and mentoring programs for AYAR. 2. Strengthen capacity of organizations which provide direct services to youth, both in and out of school, especially vocational and life skills training, and by creating practical, tangible opportunities for AYAR through internships, apprenticeships, etc. 3. Improve conflict management among community and youth leaders through training of teachers, youth, parents and NGOs. For instance, the team recommends that BICU’s Center for Mediation receive technical assistance for its volunteer lawyers and staff to improve upon their mediation techniques and skills, as well as beginning to impart these skills to school teachers. 4. Strengthen BICU’s and URACCAN’s roles in knowledge management by training teachers and trainers, carrying out security studies, monitoring longitudinal progress of initiatives, conducting workshops, assisting with publications, and strengthening their alliances with communities, the National Police, NGOs, the private sector and other groups. 5. Prevent increased drug use and violence by multiplying rehabilitation and attention centers for drug addicts, victims of rape and sexual abuse, and other types of violence. Much of this work will be conducted in collaboration with advocacy and media campaigns mentioned in the next point. The consultant team recommends increasing and extending geographically in RAAN and RAAS the very popular, much appreciated and effective DARE, GREAT and Second Step programs for youth in schools, made possible by the Department of State’s Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL). We also recommend assisting the Movimiento Nidia White Center in Bilwi and COPRAJ in Bluefields to benefit from a trained professional in social and psycho-social attention to/for AYAR. 6. Promote positive youth development through campaigns involving: enhanced radio programming for and with youth at-risk, community events and engagement with key public figures (e.g., well-known sports figures, political leaders). These activities will amplify youth voices, promote community values, echo anti-drug and anti-violence messages, highlight success stories, denounce crime, sexual abuse and drug use, and focus on promising practices in youth-led development. 7. Increase school relevance through improved teaching and curricular offerings, especially at the late primary (5th and 6th years) and early secondary school levels (1st, 2nd and 3rd years of secondary education), through vocational training, enhanced reading proficiency, life skills, and other self-improvement approaches, as well as establishing and fortifying education/university-private sector linkages. 8. Lastly, the team recommends the creation and crisp, effective functioning of a U.S. Embassy Youth Affairs Advisory Committee to, among other tasks, exchange information and coordinate programming options among various U.S.G. entities part of whose mandate and actual or potential funding is directed to youth at risk. The team recommends that program implementation focus on ten neighborhoods in Bluefields, two in Pearl Lagoon and five in Bilwi and its environs. This is based on need, security concerns, potential for impact on AYAR and the communities in which they live, and cost-effectiveness. Concentrating attention and scarce resources in relatively few sites holds most promise in reducing crime and violence, increasing citizen security and making more significant and lasting results for children and youth at risk. Details: Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development (USAID), 2012. 87p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 26, 2013 at: http://www.gem2.org/sites/default/files/Nicaragua%20Youth%20Assessment_13nov12.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Nicaragua URL: http://www.gem2.org/sites/default/files/Nicaragua%20Youth%20Assessment_13nov12.pdf Shelf Number: 129166 Keywords: At-Risk-Youth (Nicaragua) Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Youth Gangs

Author: Görgen, Thomas Title: Youth Deviance and Youth Violence: Findings from a European study on juvenile delinquency and its prevention (YouPrev) Summary: In the upcoming decades, European societies will be characterized by rapid demographic change. Population ageing will affect the entire structure and functioning of societies. These changes are of importance not only for the size of youth populations but also for intergenerational relations, family structures, and labour markets. They will also have substantial impact on the age structure of the staff of institutions responsible for prevention and control of youth deviance and violence; especially in the case of the police, processes of “staff ageing” are already visible in many countries. This era of shrinking adolescent populations will furthermore be facing substantial challenges related to young people’s deviance. The current deep and prolonged economic crisis which affects European countries in very differential ways entails changes in government options concerning management and control of social problems and exposes individuals, families, communities and entire populations to considerable economic risks. The rapid progress and spread of new communication technologies affects modes of communication and social relationships and has already begun to change opportunity structures for adult and juvenile crime and deviance. While in recent years police-recorded crime rates in many European countries mainly show downward trends, at least until very recently, juvenile violence has generally been rising. Self-report studies (e.g. Baier, Pfeiffer, Simonson & Rabold, 2009) asking young people about experiences as perpetrators and victims of violence point to the fact that part of this rise in police-recorded youth violence may be due to increased reporting of hitherto undetected offences. This indicates that the development of youth deviance and violence is embedded into larger European societal trends such as diminishing tolerance for the use of violence as a means of conflict resolution and an increasing reliance upon formal institutions as agents of conflict settlement (cf. Pinker, 2011). Still, youth problem behaviour and violent offences committed by young people remain very important problems and matters of discourse and dispute in media and politics. Considering the countries involved in the project – Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain – there are a number of youthrelated phenomena that are regarded and discussed as paramount problems cross-nationally. Among these are problems connected to a small but very active group of young repeat offenders, the nexus between migration and crime among young people, substance abuse among adolescents and alcohol and drug-related offences, violence in schools reaching from bullying to school shootings and killing sprees, violent youth crime including the use of guns and knives, offences committed by girls and by very young juveniles and even children, the impact of new technologies on young people’s deviance, bringing about – or making possible – phenomena like cyber-bullying or digital copyright violations, and juvenile violence committed by gangs or rooted in youth subcultures. Across countries, there appear to be widespread perceptions of an increasing brutality and rudeness of juvenile violent offences and rising levels of aggressiveness in everyday life. They are linked to a perception of declining respect for authorities – including parents, teachers, and institutions of law enforcement. Though such perceptions are only partially supported by social science research, they have an impact on the ways the public and professionals – like police and social workers – perceive problems of youth deviance and violence (see Estrada, 2001). Beyond these cross-nationally consistent conceptualizations of paramount problems in the field of youth deviance, there are phenomena currently being regarded as important mainly in some countries. This holds true for offences committed by young people belonging to the Roma minority in Hungary, or severe acts of violence committed in public spaces and in public transport in Germany. So, while it is widely recognized nowadays that certain minor forms of deviant behaviour (alcohol and substance use, truancy, petty thefts, etc.) are a broadband developmental phenomenon – most young people displaying some kind of deviance during adolescence – there is a number of critical areas of youth crime that are regarded as serious problems and as severe threats to public safety. Substantial parts of this violence happen in public places (often called street violence). This has considerable impact on fear of crime and perceived quality of life in heavily affected areas. If young people are associated with deviant and violent behaviour in public spaces (consumption of drugs and alcohol, rude and physically aggressive behaviour), the attractiveness of (especially inner city) areas diminishes, places are avoided, and this in turn influences not only individual quality of life but also the local economy, the housing market, and social cohesion in neighbourhoods (cf. Thomas & Bromley, 2000, Tiesdell & Oc, 1998; Warr & Ellison, 2000). In multiple ways, young people’s deviance is connected to lifestyle aspects. Lifestyle issues have been theoretically and empirically linked to juvenile violence as well as to violent victimization (see for example Bottoms, 2006; Nofziger & Kurtz, 2005; Pauwels & Svensson, 2009). Lifestyle approaches point both at risk factors and at opportunities for prevention and intervention. Among the lifestyle issues discussed in connection with juvenile deviance and violence are young people’s consumption and abuse of alcohol and other psychotropic substances, their use of media and new communication technologies, afterschool activities, especially when frequenting risky public spaces (pubs, discos, clubs, etc.) and associating with delinquent peers, and lifestyle factors related to cultural and ethnic diversity and to migration (including perceptions of masculinity and femininity and attitudes regarding the legitimacy of using violence). Taking these lifestyle issues into account may open up approaches to successfully prevent youth deviance and violence. Among the stable findings of criminological research is that – with some exceptions – offenders and victims of crime and violence are very similar in their basic demographic characteristics and that there is considerable overlap between those committing violent acts and those affected by them. Violence committed by young people is mostly directed against young people, often their immediate peers. Thus, successfully preventing youth violence means protecting adolescents from violent victimization (Chen, 2009; Sampson & Lauritsen, 1990). While in the past, crime-related discourses have often been dominated by rather punitive attitudes, in recent years the concept of crime prevention has gained widespread acceptance – especially with regard to offences committed by young people. In multiple ways, successful prevention and control of youth deviance and violence require a broad perspective. As regards the actors involved, prevention should not be limited to police and law enforcement but should include social work, schools, the community etc. Concerning the characteristics and behaviours to be addressed by prevention and intervention, measures should not be focussed upon violence alone, but rather include other types of delinquency, with a special emphasis on the use and abuse of legal and illegal substances (cf. Ribeaud & Eisner, 2006; Webster- Stratton & Taylor, 2001). Regarding the target groups, a diversity of preventive approaches is needed – from measures of primary prevention addressing young people in general (e.g. in the field of alcohol abuse prevention) to specific measures targeting pre-identified high risk groups and known offenders. Consequently, prevention and control require a broad perspective in terms of the approaches taken, reaching from early onset primary prevention to custodial sanctions and to offender rehabilitation. Finally, regarding the levels of action, preventive measures should proceed at different levels, ranging from a micro to a macro perspective. Young people’s deviance is deeply rooted in local and regional conditions (family, school, peer group, community) which must be taken into account. However, since these micro conditions are embedded in and partly determined by factors at higher aggregate levels, prevention also requires a national and increasingly a European perspective. In the field of prevention and control of youth deviance and young people’s violence, multiple approaches are put into action in all European countries and by many different actors. Up to now, few of them have been systematically evaluated with regard to their effects and efficiency. Exchange across projects is scarce, especially if they are located in different countries. In recent years, criminological research has produced a substantial body of knowledge on risk and protective factors, offering multiple starting points for improving deviance control and prevention (see for example the Communities that Care Programme which builds upon local analyses of risk and protective factors; cf. Brown, Hawkins, Arthur, Briney & Abbott, 2007; Cleveland, Feinberg, Bontempo & Greenberg, 2008; Harachi, Hawkins, Catalano, LaFazia, Smith & Arthur, 2003; Hawkins, Catalano, Arthur, Egan, Brown, Abbott & Murray, 2008). What is currently lacking is a systematic up-to-date approach on best practices in prevention of young people’s deviance and youth violence in European countries. Further, this knowledge should be made available to the most important professions in the field in a way suitable for training and continuing education. Conclusions and consequences for policies directed at young people and at youth deviance and violence need to be made available to policy makers and practitioners in the field. The YouPrev project aimed at filling and narrowing these gaps by using a combination of different perspectives and methods. While the approaches are described in more detail below, the logic behind the methods applied is to first look what kind of approaches are currently being taken in partner countries and what is known about their effects and efficiency, and to ask key actors and experts in the field for their expertise on how to best tackle problems of youth violence and deviance. While this approach is primarily a national and cross-national one, the project also took a micro perspective by analysing juvenile problem behaviour and measures directed at it at the local level, thereby also comparing youth living in urban and rural areas. In this part of the project, young people’s first hand perspective not only on deviance and victimization but also on their perceptions and acceptance of preventive and protective measures was taken into account via surveys conducted in schools. Having analysed the current state of affairs, the proposed project then turned to future challenges and their implications for prevention and control of youth problem behaviour. Though, of course, no attempt to predict future developments can claim perfect accuracy, at least predictions regarding demographic changes in the coming decades are well-based on evidence. Since any type of strategic planning necessarily presupposes assumptions about the future, the challenge is to put these assumptions on a basis as solid as possible. The project undertook to go beyond the level of “implicit predictions” by including experts’ views in a systematic and structured manner via Delphi surveys. The project also aimed at refining and disseminating project findings and making them available for training and continuing education of the most important professions in the field. Following the basic assumption that successful prevention and intervention require multi-professional and multi-disciplinary approaches, practitioners and experts from different institutions and academic disciplines were brought together in national and international workshops. Finally, the project undertook to put knowledge on youth deviance prevention and control into action by conceiving materials for training and continuing education for police officers on the one hand and social workers on the other. Recommendations emerging from the project were set up to be disseminated among policy makers and key professionals in the field. Prevention and control of youth problem behaviour and youth violence can only be meaningfully understood as multidisciplinary, multi-professional and multi-agency endeavours. In the frame of the project, police and social work were identified as crucial and therefore teachers, trainers, and educators in this field represented the key target groups. This refers to staff at schools, colleges, faculties, universities and other educational institutions for police officers and social workers as well as to professionals in the field of continuing education. Beyond this, other groups are targeted by the project. These include practitioners from professions involved with crime and deviance prevention and control, members of crime prevention councils and networks at local, regional, national and European levels (like the EU Crime Prevention Network EUCPN and the European Forum for Urban Safety EFUS), as well as policy makers at local, regional, national and European levels. Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2013. 188p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 1, 2013 at: http://www.youprev.eu/pdf/YouPrev_InternationalReport.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Europe URL: http://www.youprev.eu/pdf/YouPrev_InternationalReport.pdf Shelf Number: 130030 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Deviance Juvenile Delinquency (Europe) Juvenile Offenders

Author: Manuel, Celie Title: Systematic Review of Youth Crime Prevention Interventions Summary: This systematic literature review was commissioned by the Danish Crime Prevention Council to supplement the existing knowledge base about youth crime prevention and provide useful information about implementation and effectiveness of known crime prevention initiatives. The review is one component of a larger project commenced by the Danish Crime Prevention Council to collect information about methods and implementation processes for youth crime prevention interventions. Within the scope of this project, a network of prevention ambassadors is being established across Danish municipalities and it is the hope of the Danish Crime Prevention Council that this systematic literature review can inform and qualify the work of these prevention ambassadors in their local prevention efforts. INTERVENTIONS THAT INCLUDE A FOCUS ON THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT OF YOUTH HAVE GREATER LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS We included primary, secondary and tertiary prevention interventions and analysed them according to their delivery modes splitting them into seven different types: individual interventions, family-based, group-based, or school-based interventions, community oriented or systems-oriented interventions or interventions with multiple delivery modes. The greatest likelihood of positive intervention results was found for comprehensive interventions that aim to develop a more pro-social environment for target youth and that do not merely focus on individual-level factors such as cognition and behaviour management. The interventions that were most frequently successful were those with multiple delivery modes or delivered to the entire family. 63% and 57% of interventions with multiple delivery modes and family-based interventions respectively showed positive effects in terms of reducing disruptive or criminal behaviour. This is in comparison with a third or less of the school- or group-based interventions included in this review. The review also found trends to suggest that interventions with durations of at least four to six months were more likely to be effective than shorter durations in reducing disruptive or criminal behaviour. At the same time, most interventions lasting over four months had multiple delivery modes and it is as such not possible to separate effects related to longer duration from effects related to a more comprehensive approach. Also, interventions that appear to take a resource-oriented rather than a problem-focussed approach had a higher likelihood of success. This inference is tempered by the unverified assessment of approach and the fact that only few problem-focussed interventions were included in the review. GAPS IN RECENT YOUTH CRIME PREVENTION LITERATURE The systematic literature review reveals that very few quality evaluations using a control-group design have been conducted in a European let alone a Nordic setting. The vast majority of included interventions are from the United States. Due to the differences in juvenile justice systems and target group characteristics generally, translation of findings from the U.S. to the Danish context is problematic. As an example of this, an intervention such as Multisystemic Therapy (MST) which is one of the blueprints for violence prevention in the U.S. (showing sustained effects and successful replication across study sites) was not found to be better than usual services when implemented in Sweden. Recently evaluated youth crime prevention interventions distin-guish only broadly between different types of youth offenders and youth with problem behaviour. Very few interventions target for instance ethnic minorities, girls or youth with specific risk characteristics. Similarly, the interventions identified in this review do not, for the most part, expressly recognize youth offending as group behaviour, though this is the case for the majority of youth offending in Denmark. THE LITERATURE BASE FOR THE SYSTEMATIC REVIEW Seventy-two studies (incl. journal articles, dissertations, book chapters and reports) published between 2008 and 2012 were identified through a systematic literature search conducted for this review. Selected studies used using experimental or quasi-experimental research designs targeting 12-17 year olds and focusing on effects in terms of disruptive or criminal behaviour. Fifty-six studies were of adequate quality to allow a plausible inference of causality between intervention implementation and evaluation findings. These form the basis for the analysis of intervention characteristics and intervention effectiveness across preventive levels and intervention delivery modes. Details: Copenhagen: SFI Udgivelsesdato (Danish National Centre for Social Research), 2013. 312p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 3, 2013 at: http://www.sfi.dk/rapportoplysninger-4681.aspx?Action=1&NewsId=3850&PID=9267 Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://www.sfi.dk/rapportoplysninger-4681.aspx?Action=1&NewsId=3850&PID=9267 Shelf Number: 129236 Keywords: At-risk Youth Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Interventions Juvenile Offenders

Author: Soothill, Keith Title: Exploring Paradigms of Crime Reduction: An Empirical Longitudinal Study Summary: Using Danish registers for a 1980 birth cohort of 29,944 males with parental information and following up these cases for 24 years, the study considers four paradigms of crime reduction (parental child-rearing, structural factors around adolescence, locality and individual resources). Focusing on offenders with first-time convictions for shoplifting (n=1,778), for violence (n=1,585) and for burglary (n=1,208), all four paradigms made a contribution to risk of first time offending for all three crimes. The counter factual analysis indicated that a focus on structural issues within a society may have more widespread benefits, but the assumed causal links need to be further explored. The use of population registers, under controlled conditions, provides an important window on criminal careers. Details: Copenhagen: Danish National Centre for Social Research, 2008. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: 03:2008 WORKING PAPER: Accessed July 11, 2013 at: http://www.sfi.dk/publications-4844.aspx?Action=1&NewsId=90&PID=10056 Year: 2008 Country: Denmark URL: http://www.sfi.dk/publications-4844.aspx?Action=1&NewsId=90&PID=10056 Shelf Number: 129365 Keywords: Cohort Studies Criminal Careers Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Parenting (Denmark)

Author: Cunningham, Wendy Title: Youth at Risk in Latin America and the Caribbean: Understanding the Causes, Realizing the Potential Summary: Realizing the potential of Latin America and the Caribbean’s youth is essential not only to their well-being, but also to the long-term welfare of the whole region.Young people’s families, communities, and governments— as well as private, nonprofit, and international organizations—have a responsibility to help youth reach their potential. There have been many successes but also important failures. How to build on the successes and correct the failures is the subject of this report. Young people are generally perceived as the source of many problems plaguing the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region today. Crime, violence, and illegal drugs are permeating the region. Youth unemployment rates are reaching new highs, and girls are giving birth at younger and younger ages, putting enormous financial and psychological costs on young people and on their societies. Recent initiatives by young people in the region have shown how the youth of LAC can be productive and contributing members of society. But governments, often more concerned about those who are not successfully navigating the youth years, repeatedly ask for advice from international experts about how best to support them. This book has two objectives: to identify the at-risk youth in LAC, and to provide evidence-based guidance to policy makers in LAC countries that will help them to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of their youth investments. The book concludes that governments can be more effective in preventing young people from engaging in risky behavior in the first place and also in assisting those who already are engaged in negative behavior. To support governments in this endeavor, the book provides a set of tools to inform and guide policy makers as they reform and implement programs for at-risk youth. Many recent studies have analyzed the problems of young people in LAC and made policy recommendations. This book contributes to the debate in six ways that are intended to deepen our conceptual thinking about youth, to present new tools that will allow for a more accurate analysis of the youth population, and to extend the boundaries of policy options and reforms. The book does the following: 1. Focuses on young people who can be considered to be at risk. This subgroup is defined as young people who have factors in their lives that lead them to engage in behaviors or experience events that are harmful to themselves and their societies, and that affect not just the risk taker, but society in general and future generations. These behaviors include leaving school early without learning, being jobless (neither in school nor working), engaging in substance abuse, behaving violently, initiating sex at a young age, and engaging in unsafe sexual practices. 2. Considers the young person in his or her entirety rather than analyzing and proposing policies specifically for, say, the young unemployed, young mothers, or juvenile delinquents. This required the use of data sets that contained information about the many facets of a young person’s life and the use of analytical tools that allowed us to view many different dimensions of a young person’s life simultaneously. 3. Considers the many actors who shape the young person’s environment during his or her youth. This allowed us to make policy recommendations for a wider range of actors than studies that focus only on the young person. 4. Highlights the common factors that underlie most kinds of risky behavior and argues that a small set of broad, well-chosen policies can have a bigger impact than a sector-based portfolio. 5. Develops a new methodology to estimate the cost of risky behavior— to the individual and to society—across Latin America that will yield more accurate information for decision making at the individual and government levels. 6. Narrows the thousands of youth programs in the world to 7 “must have” initiatives, 9 “should have” initiatives, and 7 “general” programs and policies that are the most relevant for at-risk youth in LAC. These 23 programs and policies are the result of intensive consultation with policy makers, practitioners, and academics to identify the most appropriate policies and programs to support at-risk youth in LAC. Details: Washington, DC: The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank, 2008. 326p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 17, 2013 at: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTLACREGTOPLABSOCPRO/Resources/YouthatriskinLAC.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Central America URL: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTLACREGTOPLABSOCPRO/Resources/YouthatriskinLAC.pdf Shelf Number: 116645 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (Latin America) Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders

Author: Thelin, Rachel Title: Evaluation of Indianapolis Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative, Final Report Summary: Through collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the City of Indianapolis/Marion County, and the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, a steering committee was formed to plan and execute activities for the three-pronged approached focusing on prevention, law enforcement, and reentry programs to diminish gang activity in Indianapolis. The CAGI Steering Committee was comprised of representatives from the Indianapolis Mayor’s Office, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, community leaders, and members of the faith community. Three subcommittees also were created to oversee the three initiatives (law enforcement, prevention/intervention, and reentry).. In July 2008, the Center for Criminal Justice Research (CCJR), part of the Indiana University Public Policy Institute, was engaged to serve as the research partner for CAGI. Throughout the program, CCJR provided feedback on implementation, input on data collection, and gathered a considerable amount of information for evaluating law enforcement, prevention/intervention, and reentry activities. This report summarizes the history of the grant and expenditures, recaps CAGI research activities undertaken in 2009 and 2010, and discusses research activities across all three areas in 2011 and 2012, concluding with lessons learned during the entire grant period. Details: Indianapolis: Center for Criminal Justice Research, School of Public and Environmental Affairs Indiana University, 2012. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 5, 2013 at: https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/6868 Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/6868 Shelf Number: 129538 Keywords: Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Gangs (U.S.) Youth Gangs

Author: Thelin, Rachel Title: Evaluation of Indianapolis Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative Prevention/Intervention Summary: This report focuses on an assessment of the prevention/ intervention initiatives for the Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative (CAGI) grant to the city of Indianapolis through 2010. CAGI prevention/intervention programming in Indianapolis was to provide services to gang involved or at-risk youth in five target zip codes that were designated as high crime areas in the CAGI proposal to DOJ. Prevention activities targeted children ages 7 to 13 years, and intervention approaches focused on youth ages 14 to 18 years, including both in-school and after-school programs. Five local organizations were initially selected to provide CAGI prevention/intervention programming services. A sixth was promoted from a subcontractor to an independent subgrantee in the second year of funding. Three of these programs were community-based providers, two were evening-reporting programs for court-ordered youth, and one was a school-based program. These programs varied dramatically in goals, characteristics, and definitions of success. Details: Indianapolis: Center for Criminal Justice Research, School of Public and Environmental Affairs Indiana University, 2011. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 5, 2013 at: https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/5567 Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/5567 Shelf Number: 129541 Keywords: At-risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Gangs (Indianapolis, U.S.)

Author: Thelin, Rachel Title: Evaluation of Indianapolis Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative Reentry Program, 2009-2010 Summary: In 2006, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) initiated the Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative (CAGI) to support law enforcement in combating violent gang crime and promoting prevention efforts that discouraged gang involvement. The initiative grew out of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program aimed at reducing gun and gang crime through support of existing local programs. DOJ dedicated $30 million in grant funding to support new and expanded anti-gang prevention and enforcement efforts through CAGI. DOJ initially provided anti-gang resources to six cities. In April 2007, CAGI was expanded to include four additional sites, including Indianapolis, Indiana. CAGI provided $2.5 million in targeted grant funding for a three-year period to each selected city to implement a three-pronged strategy to reduce gang involvement and crime, which included initiatives in prevention/intervention, law enforcement, and reentry. Approximately $1 million was dedicated to support comprehensive gang prevention and intervention efforts with youth. An additional $1 million was targeted to law enforcement and $500,000 to support reentry initiatives. This report focuses on an assessment of the reentry initiatives for the CAGI grant to the city of Indianapolis through 2010. Details: Indianapolis: Center for Criminal Justice Research, School of Public and Environmental Affairs Indiana University, 2011. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 5, 2013 at: https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/5568 Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/5568 Shelf Number: 129540 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Gang Violence Gangs (Indianapolis, U.S.) Reentry

Author: Stucky, Thomas Title: The Marion County Prosecutor's Office Educating Kids About Gun Violence (EKG) Program Evaluation Summary: In response to high levels of gun violence among youth in Marion County, the Marion County Prosecutor's office developed the Educating Kids about Gun Violence (EKG) program. This program incorporates short video clips and interactive presentations which address legal, physical, and medical consequences of guns and gun violence. This report documents the findings of a program evaluation conducted by the Center for Criminal Justice Research, including analysis of 221 completed pre-program surveys and 176 post-program surveys, focusing on 130 surveys for which pre- and post-surveys could be matched. Included in the analyses are several different types of youth audiences, varying in both age and degree of prior contact with the criminal justice system. Details: Indianapolis: Center for Criminal Justice Research, Indiana University, 2009. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 6, 2013 at: https://archives.iupui.edu/bitstream/handle/2450/3511/EKG%20final%202009.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: https://archives.iupui.edu/bitstream/handle/2450/3511/EKG%20final%202009.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 129549 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Gun Violence (U.S.) Juvenile Offenders Violent Crime Youth Gangs

Author: University of Chicago Crime Lab Title: Short Term Results of the One Summer Plus 2012 Evaluation Summary: In 2012, Chicago’s Department of Family and Support Services designed and implemented a youth summer employment program called One Summer Plus (OSP). OSP combined a part-time summer job with proven cognitive behavioral therapy-based programming in order to reduce violence involvement and generate lasting improvements in youth outcomes. Importantly, OSP was structured like a clinical trial in medicine to generate rigorous evidence on the program’s effects – a vital contribution given that there is almost no convincing research on the effects of summer jobs, especially on crime. The program was open to youth in 13 Chicago Public Schools located in high-violence neighborhoods. This brief reports on the early findings from the evaluation study, using administrative data on schooling and crime during a 7-month follow-up period. While participants attended less summer school (4 percentage points lower enrollment) and saw no change in other schooling outcomes, they also showed an enormous proportional drop in violent-crime arrests after 7 post-program months (3.7 fewer arrests per 100 participants, a 51 percent decline). Although it is too early for a full benefit-cost analysis, if these results persist, the program’s benefits may eventually outweigh its costs given the extremely high social costs of violent crime. Future work will continue to track study youth, but even these preliminary findings provide convincing evidence that OSP was highly successful in reducing violence among adolescents. Details: Chicago: University of Chicago Crime Lab, 2013. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2013 at: http://crimelab.uchicago.edu/sites/crimelab.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/Plus%20results%20brief%20FINAL%2020130802.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://crimelab.uchicago.edu/sites/crimelab.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/Plus%20results%20brief%20FINAL%2020130802.pdf Shelf Number: 129575 Keywords: At-risk Youth Behavior Therapy Delinquency Prevention Employment Juvenile Delinquency (Chicago, U.S.)

Author: Catch22 Title: The Heart Programme: Final evaluation report Summary: This report is an evaluation of the Healthy Relationships Training (HEART) pilot programme. HEART was designed to support vulnerable young people and improve their relationships with both peers and prospective partners. The primary focus was on reducing the risk of young women either committing or being subject to serious violence, particularly gang-related and sexual violence, with a view to reducing victimisation and crime levels. The programme was co-ordinated by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and implemented by the charity Foundation4Life (F4L) in the London Boroughs of Lewisham, Newham and Waltham Forest, with Croydon as a later addition. The model comprised several strands: group training (both universal and targeted), mentoring, a website and a helpline. Coreplan UK developed programme content and trained F4L facilitators and mentors to deliver it. Catch22 and Analytica Consulting were commissioned to carry out the evaluation, beginning in November 2011 and following the life of the programme until December 2012. The evaluation focused on the targeted strands of the programme, the ‘distance travelled’ by those on the targeted training and mentoring strands, and the process and implementation of these strands. The evaluation used an ‘outcomes star’ (see Appendix II), a purpose-designed selfassessment tool, to track individuals’ progress towards planned outcomes related to healthy relationships or ‘distance travelled’. Further relevant qualitative information was collected through interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders, including the young participants themselves. Details: London: Catch22, 2013. 101p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2013 at: http://www.catch-22.org.uk/Files/HEART-edited-final-draft-17-04-13.pdf?id=ffe84458-5f05-422a-a3c8-a1ac00e3d308 Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.catch-22.org.uk/Files/HEART-edited-final-draft-17-04-13.pdf?id=ffe84458-5f05-422a-a3c8-a1ac00e3d308 Shelf Number: 129602 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.K.) Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Mentoring Peer Relationships

Author: Catch Title: Violence Prevention, Health Promotion: A public health approach to tackling youth violence Summary: The publication of Ending Gang and Youth Violence: A Cross- Government Report in 2011 heralded a change of policy direction. Unlike traditional approaches to tackling gang and youth violence, which placed responsibility within the hands of the Home Office and the criminal justice community, the Government's report recognised gang and youth violence as a public health issue. This report is designed to help us understand emerging practice and to inform the design of future services and public health funding. A public health approach holds a number of benefits. For example, taking a more holistic approach to the planning and delivery of services enables agencies to work together more effectively and improve the quality of support young people receive. Success in reducing the number of incidences of violence can also help to reduce the costs to the NHS, which is currently estimated at L2.9 billion per year. The Ending Gang and Youth Violence report emphasised the role of the new public health system and local health and wellbeing boards, established under the Coalition Government's Health and Social Care Act 2012, in tackling gang and youth violence. These reforms aim to localise public health and allow communities to use public health funding to tackle the issues that most affect them. The health and wellbeing boards are central to achieving these aims. Having come into effect in April 2013, they provide a local forum where leaders from the health and care system can work together to improve the health and wellbeing of their community - including through crime prevention. Details: London: Catch 22, Dawes Unit and MHP Health, 2013. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 6, 2013 at: http://mhpccom.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/health/files/2013/10/Violence-prevention-health-promotion.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://mhpccom.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/health/files/2013/10/Violence-prevention-health-promotion.pdf Shelf Number: 131595 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Public Health Programs Youth Gangs Youth Violence (U.K.)

Author: Walsh, Michael Allen Title: Wilderness Adventure Programming as an Intervention for Youthful Offenders: Self-Efficacy, Resilience, and Hope for the Future Summary: A review of the literature on positive youth development clearly identifies demonstrated empirical relationships between perceived self competence, adolescent resilience, and hope, which are theorized in a strengths-based focus on youth offenders to be predictors of reduced recidivism. This evaluation of outcomes associated with participation in the Wilderness Endeavors (WE) Program of Thistledew seeks to test this theory that individuals who participate in WE will develop enhanced levels of perceived self competence, resiliency, and hope for the future, and therefore, result in a reduction of recidivism. The specific aims guiding this exploratory study include: 1) to establish a matched-pair control group using youth who were not referred to Thistledew, but which were referred from the same county court system to a Minnesota Department of Correction (MDOC) disposition or other programs, by using as matching variables age, age of first offense, type of committing offense, and risk assessments as determined by the Youth Level of Service Inventory (YSLI) used by the referring Youth Probation Officer (if possible given county court use of the YSLI from which a control group will be drawn); 2) to assess the baseline scores of the youth participant's on the following measures: a) Perceived-Self Competence (Self Efficacy), b) Hope, and c) Adolescent Resiliency; and to assess post-program scores on Perceived-Self Competence, Hope, and Adolescent Resiliency, and 3) to conduct a six-month follow up assessment that will assess both treatment and control youth re-offense rates, including the nature and degree of the re-offense. The paired t tests revealed that self efficacy and hope scores showed significant changes from pretest to posttest, suggesting that the Wilderness Endeavors Program had a significant positive effect on participant's self-efficacy and hope for the future. The non parametric test (McNemar) utilized to investigate the four hypotheses related to Wilderness Endeavors Program participation on the future offending behaviors (recidivism) of participants revealed that there were no significant differences in recidivism rates, or new program placements, between the treatment and control groups. Furthermore, involvement in school and employment were not significantly associated with recidivism rates in both treatment and control groups. The binary logistic regression showed that higher levels of hope were associated with those Wilderness Endeavors Program participants who did not recidivate, while changes in self-efficacy and resilience scores had no association with recidivism. Finally, the three demographic variables that are supported in the literature as being strong predictors of recidivism for juvenile offenders revealed only YLSI scores were associated with recidivism; those individuals who did not recidivate were more likely to have a lower risk score. Gender and age of first offense had weak or no associations with either group. Details: St. Paul, MN: University of Minnesota, 2009. 184p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed November 11, 2013 at: http://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/57003/1/Walsh_umn_0130E_10685.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/57003/1/Walsh_umn_0130E_10685.pdf Shelf Number: 131611 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Recidivism Rehabilitation Programs Wilderness Programs Youthful Offenders

Author: Moore, Marianne Title: Save Money, Protect Society and Realise Youth Potential. Improving Youth Justice Systems During a Time of Economic Crisis Summary: In 1978, the Council of Europe published a resolution on juvenile delinquency and social change calling for 'the prevention of juvenile delinquency and the social integration of the young'. Since then, despite over ten recommendations relating to youth justice being released by the Council of Europe, few concerted attempts have been made by governments to meet them. When we acknowledge the fact that many countries generally ignore the youth justice standards, the situation becomes all the more concerning during a time of economic turmoil when even the most basic services to protect children's economic, social, and cultural rights are at an increased risk. The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child frequently expresses its concern that international standards on youth justice have not been fully implemented by European countries. Indications exist suggesting that the majority of European countries do not have a clear picture of the extent to which they are adhering to international and European standards, or, indeed, whether or not any of their practices in the sphere of youth justice are truly yielding the expected results, because they do not have sufficient data collection, monitoring and evaluation systems. In general, most countries tend to favor detention and punitive measures, however, this white paper will argue that through the prioritization of four key factors in the design of juvenile justice policies, European governments can save money, ensure greater security, and foster the positive development of its young population. Details: Brussels, Belgium: International Juvenile Justice Observatory, 2013. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 11, 2013 at: http://ejjc.org/sites/default/files/white_paper_publication.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Europe URL: http://ejjc.org/sites/default/files/white_paper_publication.pdf Shelf Number: 131634 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Justice (Europe) Juvenile Justice Reform

Author: Mcgrath, Alice Title: A Voice for the Future of Juvenile Justice in Asia-Pacific: Introduction to the Asia Pacific Council for Juvenile Justice and Leading Juvenile Justice Reforms in the Region Summary: The situation of children in conflict with the law, child victims and witnesses of crime has become an increasing concern for most of the countries of the Asia-Pacific region. Even if significant reform initiatives are currently underway in response to issues of violence against children, child trafficking and children rights, a lack of specific guarantee of protection of the rights of children in conflict with the law and juvenile justice systems still persists in some countries. In order to assist countries in the region in the implementation of international standards and the development of reforms, the International Juvenile Justice Observatory - (IJJO) has established the Asia-Pacific Council for Juvenile Justice - APCJJ to formulate recommendations on juvenile justice in Asia-Pacific, as well as to gather quantitative and qualitative information on the situation of children, adolescents and young people in conflict with the law. In 2012, the International Juvenile Justice Observatory together with the Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection of the Ministry of Justice of Thailand organised the first meeting of the Asia Pacific Council of Juvenile Justice - APCJJ. The objective of the APCJJ meeting was to develop solid strategies to ensure the respect for the rights of children and adolescents in conflict with the law and to promote crime prevention policies toward Asia-Pacific institutions, such as the ASEAN, based on existing initiatives and programmes. The report sheds light on crucial areas of juvenile justice and leading practices in this regard, including prevention, diversion, restorative justice, improving conditions of detention and promoting social reintegration. Details: Brussels: International Juvenile Justice Observatory (IJJO), 2013. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 13, 2013 at: http://www.ipjj.org/fileadmin/data/documents/reports_monitoring_evaluation/IJJO_AVoiceForTheFutureOfJuvenileJusticeAsiaPacific_2013_EN.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Asia URL: http://www.ipjj.org/fileadmin/data/documents/reports_monitoring_evaluation/IJJO_AVoiceForTheFutureOfJuvenileJusticeAsiaPacific_2013_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 131648 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile Detention Juvenile Justice (Asia, Pacific Region) Juvenile Justice Reform

Author: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales Title: National Evaluation of the Restorative Justice in Schools Programme Summary: In May 2000, the Youth Justice Board of England and Wales launched a pilot initiative to test the impact of restorative justice conferences in two Lambeth schools. Following early signs that restorative justice conferences showed promise in addressing bullying and other forms of anti-social behaviour, the Board was successful in attracting funding for three years from the Treasury's Invest to Save fund to extend the programme to other areas of London in April 2001. Borough partnerships were invited to tender for these initiatives through the local Youth Offending Teams (Yots). By the end of May 2001, three other boroughs joined the initiative, following the tender process: Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Islington. However, by the summer of 2002, only one of the new boroughs (Hammersmith and Fulham) had made any progress towards implementing a programme of restorative justice work in schools, and the Board decided to take back the funds that had been allocated to Hackney and Islington. The remaining funding was repackaged into a national programme, and Yots in England and Wales were invited to apply for funds to implement restorative projects within schools in their local area. Due to the lack of progress in implementing projects in Hackney and Islington, bids had to demonstrate that Yots already had relationships with the schools in their area. Seven Yots were successful in this bidding process: Barnet, Blackpool, Medway, North Lincolnshire, Oxford, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Somerset. The projects spanned a range of different approaches to introducing restorative practices into schools, including restorative justice conferences. Chapter 3 of this report details these approaches. The newly recruited Yots had only 18 months to develop and implement their projects (because of considerably smaller budgets, ranging between $15,000 and $44,000, and the timespan of the Treasury grant) rather than the three years that the Hammersmith and Fulham, and Lambeth projects had had to implement their projects. As such, the Restorative Justice in Schools programme consisted of nine local Yots working across 26 schools (20 secondary and 6 primary). The contract to evaluate these initiatives was awarded to Partners in Evaluation, a specialist agency with a multi-ethnic team of researchers and a national reputation for conducting evaluations in the fields of health, education, social exclusion and regeneration. The evaluation was intended to explore the following research questions: 1. What are the levels of victimisation, bullying and robbery in the schools in the study? 2. How are restorative justice approaches introduced into the schools? 3. To what extent are participants in restorative justice conferences (victims and offenders) satisfied with the process at the time of the conference? Details: London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 2004. 99p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 24, 2014 at: http://www.restorativejustice.org.uk/resource/national_evaluation_of_the_restorative_justice_in_schools_programme/ Year: 2004 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.restorativejustice.org.uk/resource/national_evaluation_of_the_restorative_justice_in_schools_programme/ Shelf Number: 131797 Keywords: Bullying Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Restorative Justice School Crime School Violence

Author: Cook, Philip J. Title: The (Surprising) Efficacy of Academic and Behavioral Intervention with Disadvantaged Youth: Results from a Randomized Experiment in Chicago Summary: There is growing concern that improving the academic skills of disadvantaged youth is too difficult and costly, so policymakers should instead focus either on vocationally oriented instruction for teens or else on early childhood education. Yet this conclusion may be premature given that so few previous interventions have targeted a potential fundamental barrier to school success: "mismatch" between what schools deliver and the needs of disadvantaged youth who have fallen behind in their academic or non-academic development. This paper reports on a randomized controlled trial of a two-pronged intervention that provides disadvantaged youth with non-academic supports that try to teach youth social-cognitive skills based on the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and intensive individualized academic remediation. The study sample consists of 106 male 9th and 10th graders in a public high school on the south side of Chicago, of whom 95% are black and 99% are free or reduced price lunch eligible. Participation increased math test scores by 0.65 of a control group standard deviation (SD) and 0.48 SD in the national distribution, increased math grades by 0.67 SD, and seems to have increased expected graduation rates by 14 percentage points (46%). While some questions remain about the intervention, given these effects and a cost per participant of around $4,400 (with a range of $3,000 to $6,000), this intervention seems to yield larger gains in adolescent outcomes per dollar spent than many other intervention strategies. Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2014. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working Paper Series; Working Paper 19862: Accessed January 27, 2014 at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w19862.pdf?new_window=1 Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w19862.pdf?new_window=1 Shelf Number: 131801 Keywords: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Delinquency Prevention Disadvantaged Youth Education Intervention Programs Youth-At-Risk

Author: Senior, Kate Title: Developing Successful Diversionary Schemes for Youth from Remote Aboriginal Communities Summary: This report explores the experiences and aspirations of youth in Wadeye, a remote Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory which has become synonymous with the deviant behaviours of its young people. The research was undertaken over a three year period, and builds upon a previous ten year period of community based research. As such it forms a unique longitudinal study of young people during a period of extreme change in their lives. The research applied a mixed methods approach, utilising ethnography, interviews and the application of a community wide survey. Although young community based people were the primary focus of the study, the research also included the wider community perspectives, service providers and a sample of imprisoned community members. The proliferation of gangs in the Wadeye community has become a primary focus for outsiders' interpretation of social issues in the community. These gangs have been defined by their violent and oppositional cultures. This period of research and the research which preceded it, emphasise the complexity of gang cultures and gang dynamics in this community. The report also emphasises that a primary focus on gangs serves to obscure other factors influencing young people's lives and behaviours. This includes those youth who do not engage in deviant behaviour, who attend school and progress to employment. It also includes youth who engage in non-gang related violent and anti-social behaviour. The report argues that effective service delivery and the development of appropriate diversion activities for young people must recognise the diversity and complexity of the youth experience in the community and recognise and develop their current strengths. Feedback from elders, young people and long-term community workers, advocates that more partnership approaches to further research and program evaluation must become an integral part of the process. Involving young people themselves as part of this research process will provide opportunities to create new roles for them and to establish a positive foundation for the future of the community. Details: Sydney: Criminology Research Advisory Group, 2012. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 27, 2014 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/1314/26-0809-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/1314/26-0809-FinalReport.pdf Shelf Number: 131811 Keywords: Aboriginals Antisocial Behavior At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Gangs Indigenous Peoples Juvenile Delinquents Juvenile Offenders Longitudinal Studies

Author: Tomberg, Kathleen A. Title: Ready for Success: A Profile of YouthBuild Mentoring Participants Summary: The YouthBuild USA National Mentoring Alliance program ("YouthBuild Mentoring") seeks to engage students with responsible, supportive, committed adult volunteers in order to help young people achieve success in education, employment, and social relationships. By matching students with adult mentors for a minimum of 15 months, YouthBuild Mentoring helps these youth form strong emotional bonds and continuing relationships that will ideally last for years beyond the end of the program. In 2010, YouthBuild USA partnered with the Research and Evaluation (R&E) Center of John Jay College of Criminal Justice to assess the attitudes of YouthBuild Mentoring participants on a variety of topics, including self-image, self-efficacy, perceptions of social support, family function, attitudes towards society, perceptions of YouthBuild, and education goals. The assessment focused on students between the ages of 16 and 18 years old who entered YouthBuild between October 2010 and September 2012. A survey designed to measure student attitudes and opinions was administered to students during their initial involvement in the program. This information was paired with YouthBuild administrative and programmatic data to create a profile of students in YouthBuild Mentoring. The R&E research team statistically analyzed the data to examine differences between different groups of students. The survey results did not reveal any significant differences between the responses of different student groups. As a whole, however, YouthBuild Mentoring students reported a high sense of self-efficacy, high self-confidence, and a belief that they have the ability to make a positive impact on their communities. Most students believed they had potential to achieve educationally, economically, and socially in their lives. They also reported that YouthBuild is a beneficial program that can help them develop and achieve. Students matched with a mentor during the YouthBuild Mentoring program were more likely to complete the program than students who were never matched with a mentor. Together, these findings suggest that YouthBuild Mentoring students are enthusiastic, self-confident, and ready to put their energy to work to improve their communities. They believe in the usefulness of YouthBuild and are primed to take advantage of the program to further their own development and success, especially when they are paired with a supportive, encouraging adult mentor. If YouthBuild Mentoring can harness these positive attitudes and continue successfully matching students with caring mentors, the program model will continue to support the development of YouthBuild students. Details: New York: John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Research & Evaluation Center, 2013. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 14, 2014 at: http://johnjayresearch.org/rec/files/2013/08/ybmentor2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://johnjayresearch.org/rec/files/2013/08/ybmentor2013.pdf Shelf Number: 131921 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Mentoring

Author: Belfield, Clive R. Title: The Economic Burden of Crime and Substance Abuse for Massachusetts and the City of Boston Summary: The negative social and economic burden from youth violence, adult crime, and substance addiction is substantial. Juvenile crime is a large proportion of total crime. Juveniles are arrested for one-in-six violent crimes and over one-quarter of all property crimes (NCJJ [2008]). They also commit crimes in school: 25% of students and 8% of teachers report some form of victimization over a school year (Dinkes et al. [2007]). Also, juvenile offenses are often the precursor to more frequent adult criminal activity: the peak offending ages are 18-22, with many criminals' first offenses during their teenage years. Such crime and violence imposes heavy burdens on victims, as well as on citizens who pay for government prevention programs and the criminal justice system. In similar fashion, substance abuse and addiction is highly prevalent, imposing significant costs on both the health care system and the justice system, as well as adversely affecting families (ONDCP [2004]). The chronic nature of substance abuse and addiction magnifies these burdens as well (Califano [2009]. In this paper we calculate the economic burden of juvenile and adult crime and substance abuse and addiction in Boston, Massachusetts. Placing economic values on these activities is the first step in assessing what public policies are appropriate and what amounts might be justifiably spent on prevention. We begin by describing the extent of juvenile and adult crime and substance abuse. No single statistic fully captures the scale of deviant behavior because it takes many inter-related forms: substance abuse often leads to crime and vice versa (NCASA [2004]). However, we emphasize deviant behavior by youth because of the strong association between youth and adult behaviors. Next, we calculate the total fiscal burden imposed on taxpayers as an annual amount. We also document the economic burden imposed on society (victims). Finally, we calculate the per youth fiscal burden. Estimates are reported as annual figures and as present values over the lifetime for youth with varying characteristics. These present value figures may be interpreted as the expected burden that a deviant youth would impose over their lifetime and so the amount that would be saved should that behavior be prevented. In conclusion, we place these calculations in the context of current public investments. Details: Unpublished paper, 2010. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2014 at: http://www.sel4mass.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Economist-Belfieds-Economic-Burden-Report-March-2010.doc.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.sel4mass.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Economist-Belfieds-Economic-Burden-Report-March-2010.doc.pdf Shelf Number: 131944 Keywords: Costs of Crime Delinquency Prevention Drug Abuse and Crime Economics of Crime Juvenile Offenders Socioeconomic Status and Crime

Author: Mytton, J.A. Title: School-Based Secondary Prevention Programmes for Preventing Violence (Review) Summary: Are school-based programmes aimed at children who are considered at risk of aggressive behaviour, effective in reducing violence? Violence is recognised as a major global public health problem, thus there has been much attention placed on interventions aimed at preventing aggressive and violent behaviour. As aggressive behaviour in childhood is considered to be a risk factor for violence and criminal behaviour in adulthood, violence prevention strategies targeted at children and adolescents, such as school-based programmes, are considered to be promising interventions. Some school-based prevention programmes target all children attending a school or class, whilst others confine the intervention to those children who have already been identified as exhibiting, or threatening, behaviour considered to be aggressive, such an approach is known as 'secondary prevention'. A wide variety of school-based violence prevention programmes have been implemented over the last 20 years, yet we are still without a full understanding of their effectiveness. The objective of this systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of school-based secondary prevention programmes to prevent violence (that is those interventions targeted at children identified as aggressive or at risk of being aggressive). The authors examined all trials investigating the effectiveness of secondary violence prevention programmes targeted at children in mandatory education compared to no intervention or a placebo intervention. The authors found 56 studies; the overall findings show that school-based secondary prevention programmes aimed at reducing aggressive behaviour do appear to produce improvements in behaviour. The improvements can be achieved in both primary and secondary school age groups and in both mixed sex groups and boy-only groups. Further research is needed to investigate if the apparent beneficial programmes effects can be realised outside the experimental setting and in settings other than schools. None of the studies collected data on violent injury, so we can not be certain of the extent to which an improvement in behaviour translates to an actual injury reduction. In addition, more research is needed to determine if the beneficial effects can be maintained over time, and if the benefits can be justified against the costs of implementing such programmes. Details: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2006, Issue 3. 97p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 19, 2014 at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004606.pub2/pdf Year: 2006 Country: International URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004606.pub2/pdf Shelf Number: 131964 Keywords: Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention School-Based Programs Secondary Prevention Programs Violence Prevention

Author: Stevens, Alex Title: Review of Good Practices in Preventing Juvenile Crime in the European Union Summary: The report provides information from a review of good practices in preventing juvenile crime in the European Union. It is based on a multi-lingual systematic literature review, visits to EU countries and conferences and a meeting of European experts. These activities took place between June 2005 and February 2006. It provides, in appendices, an inventory of promising and effective European approaches and a glossary of useful terms in crime prevention. Following earlier work in this field (FitzGerald, Stevens, & Hale, 2004), we use the public health approach to the prevention of juvenile crime. This involves work at three levels: 1. Primary prevention - universal approaches that aim to prevent crime before it occurs. 2. Secondary prevention - approaches that focus on those people who are at the highest risks of victimisation and perpetration of crime. 3. Tertiary prevention - approaches that focus on people who have already been victimised or criminal. Details: Brussels: European Crime Prevention Network, 2006. 138p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 28, 2014 at: http://www.eucpn.org/pubdocs/A%20review%20of%20good%20practice%20in%20preventing%20juvenile%20ccrime%20in%20the%20EU.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Europe URL: http://www.eucpn.org/pubdocs/A%20review%20of%20good%20practice%20in%20preventing%20juvenile%20ccrime%20in%20the%20EU.pdf Shelf Number: 106733 Keywords: Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile Offenders

Author: Independent Commission on Youth Crime and Antisocial Behaviour (UK) Title: A Fresh Start to Tackling Youth Crime: A Briefing for Police and Crime Commissioners Summary: Two decades of falling crime have presented Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) with an unprecedented window of opportunity to secure a low-crime future for children and young people in England and Wales. This briefing identifies ways that PCCs can play a leading part in reducing crime and antisocial behaviour by children and young people while helping them grow into successful adults and law-abiding citizens. It is published by the Independent Commission on Youth Crime and Antisocial Behaviour. In 2010, the Commission, chaired by Sir Anthony Salz, published Time for a fresh start, its influential blueprint for reform, based on three underlying 'pillars of principle': Prevention - tackling antisocial behaviour, crime and reoffending through families, schools, communities and knowledge of children's underlying needs. Restoration - ensuring children and young people who break the law face meaningful consequences that hold them accountable for the harm caused to victims and the wider community. Integration - striving to retain young people who offend within mainstream society or re-connect them wherever possible. Positive policy and practice developments in the past three years have demonstrated the central importance of these guiding principles. Their value is also apparent in guiding responses to crime issues affecting children and young people that are especially challenging today. These range from 'smart' phone thefts and online 'cyber-bullying' to sexual exploitation and organised gang cultures. This briefing describes how PCCs, working with police forces and their partners in local government and the youth justice system, can apply the principles to take cost-effective, local action to reduce antisocial behaviour and young people's involvement in crime. Details: London: The Commission, 2013. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 31, 2014 at: http://www.police-foundation.org.uk/uploads/holding/projects/fresh_start_to_tackling_youth_crime.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.police-foundation.org.uk/uploads/holding/projects/fresh_start_to_tackling_youth_crime.pdf Shelf Number: 103026 Keywords: Antisocial Behavior Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Justice Reform Juvenile Justice Systems

Author: Moran, Patricia Title: What Works in Parenting Support? A Review of the International Evidence Summary: This is a summary of a review of the international (English language) evidence regarding the effectiveness of parenting support programmes, carried out by the independent Policy Research Bureau on behalf of the DfES. In the light of research evidence from recent decades linking various aspects of parenting with outcomes for children, many programmes have sprung up aimed at helping parents to enhance their ability to parent, in the hope that outcomes for children may ultimately improve. At the same time, a body of literature documenting the scientific evaluation of parent support programmes has also accumulated, assessing its effectiveness. The current study set out to review this growing body of literature. The task involved collating, grading, sorting and summarising parenting support evaluation literature (both published and unpublished) in order to delineate what is known about 'what works' both in the UK and elsewhere, and to distil key messages for policy makers regarding practice, research and overarching national policy. Details: London: Department for Education and Skills, 2004. 206p. Source: Internet source: Research Report RR574: Accessed March 31, 2014 at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130401151715/https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/RR574.pdf.pdf Year: 2004 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130401151715/https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/RR574.pdf.pdf Shelf Number: 132034 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Family Interventions Parenting Programs

Author: Smith-Moncrieffe, Donna Title: Youth Gang Prevention Fund Projects: What Did We Learn about What Works in Preventing Gang Involvement? Summary: Public Safety Canada's National Crime Prevention Centre (NCPC) has a mandate to help prevent crime in local communities by generating and disseminating evidence-based knowledge of 'what works' in crime prevention. This practical knowledge of effective practices will assist policy makers, program developers and practitioners make the best use of limited resources. Since 2007, NCPC has undertaken a deliberate effort to develop the Canadian knowledge base of effective crime prevention programming focused on addressing known criminogenic factors among specific groups of persons including: children 6-11 who demonstrate early risk factors such as premature police contact, systematic difficulties adapting to school or high levels of impulsiveness and aggression; youth 12-17 who demonstrate multiple risk factors such as substance abuse, school drop-out or contact with the youth criminal justice system; young adults who have a known history of offending and incarceration; Aboriginal peoples because of their significant over-representation as offenders and victims; and gang-involved youth. In order to conduct this work, NCPC provides financial and technical support for the implementation and evaluation of community-based projects that address one or more of these priority areas. This report provides a high level synthesis of key findings from projects addressing youth gangs between 2007 and 2012. During this period, NCPC provided funding to community-based organizations for 17 youth gang intervention projects in communities across Canada through its Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF). These projects aimed to reduce the number of gang-involved youth in communities with a known or emerging gang problem. To determine what works in gang crime prevention, 14 impact evaluation studies of gang projects were conducted across Canada. Evaluation research of crime prevention programs is one of the key activities conducted to generate this knowledge. Given that resources are limited and communities require the most effective programs to reduce offending among at risk children and youth, it is important to rigorously establish what works in crime prevention. This paper provides a context for NCPC's work on youth gangs, briefly describes the funded projects and the approach to conducting the evaluation studies, presents the key findings, and provides some conclusions for moving forward. Details: Ottawa: National Crime prevention Centre, Public Safety Canada, 2013. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 19, 2014 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/yth-gng-prvntn-fnd/yth-gng-prvntn-fnd-eng.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/yth-gng-prvntn-fnd/yth-gng-prvntn-fnd-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 132074 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Gangs (Canada) Intervention Juvenile Offenders Youth Gangs

Author: Goldschmidt, Pete Title: The Long-Term Effects of After-School Programming on Educational Adjustment and Juvenile Crime: A Study of the LA.s BEST After-School Program Summary: Widespread interest in the impact of after-school programs on youth development has increased dramatically over the past several years. Although research has investigated the short-term impact of programs on academic and social student development, there is limited research on the long-term effectiveness of after-school programs in lowering rates of juvenile crime. This study bridges that research gap and presents results from an evaluation of the effectiveness of LA's BEST - the largest urban-based, after-school program in Los Angeles County - on long-term academic achievement growth and juvenile crime. This research tracked the academic and juvenile crime histories for a sample of 6,000 students, 2,000 students participating in LA's BEST and 4,000 matched control students not participating in LA's BEST. We used multilevel propensity scores to match control to treatment students and applied multilevel longitudinal models and multilevel survival analyses methods to analyze the data. Results indicate that students' engagement in the program is a strong mediating factor of program effectiveness. The key element of positive program impact is student engagement, as indicated by a medium to high average monthly attendance, and by significant adult contact of at least one additional adult (volunteer) per day. Student participants, who attended sites with a higher average of adult volunteerism, demonstrate modest achievement gains compared to students who did not participate in LA's BEST. Likewise, students who consistently attended LA's BEST demonstrate a substantively significant reduction in the juvenile crime hazard compared to participants with inconsistent attendance, and compared to students in the control group. Benefit-cost analyses indicate that results are sensitive to assumptions regarding the value of avoided costs from prevented crimes. Details: Los Angeles: University of California, National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST), 2007. 177p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 19, 2014 at: http://www.lasbest.org/download/dept-of-justice-final-report Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.lasbest.org/download/dept-of-justice-final-report Shelf Number: 132087 Keywords: After-School Programs Cost-Benefit Analysis Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Educational Programs Juvenile Delinquency

Author: Buckley, Laura Title: An Evaluation Activity Undertaken by Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships in the North West Which Aim to Engage Young People in Crime Prevention and Reduction Initiatives Summary: In 2009 the ten Neighbourhood and Home Watch (NHW) regions in England and Wales were awarded a small sum of money by the Home Office to spend on developing the capacity of the movement regionally to better engage with the communities they serve. Neighbourhood and Home Watch North West decided to look specifically at the engagement of young people and, as part of this strategy, commissioned the International School for Communities, Rights and Inclusion at the University of Central Lancashire to undertake a small scale evaluation of existing activity undertaken to engage young people in crime reduction and crime prevention initiatives. It was agreed that there would be three strands to this work: 1. A brief literature review of published and grey literature relating to the engagement of young people in crime reduction activity to identify any best practice with respect to the engagement of young people in crime reduction and crime prevention initiatives; 2. A survey of Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) leads for the North West to identify examples of successful engagement practice. 3. The production of a report identifying best practice and making practical and strategic recommendations for future Neighbourhood Watch activity across the North West. This research proposal was reviewed by an Ethics Committee at the University of Central Lancashire in order to ensure compliance with appropriate standards of ethics and procedures. This report sets out the findings and recommendations from the work and is split in to three parts. Part 1 - the literature review Part 2 - findings from the survey data Part 3 - discussion and recommendations for Neighbourhood and Home Watch North West Details: Lancashire, UK: University of Central Lancashire, 2010. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2014 at: http://www.ourwatch.org.uk/uploads/general/Research_Paper_on_engagement_with_young_people_in_crime_prevention_initiatives_by_CDRPs_in_the_North_West_region.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.ourwatch.org.uk/uploads/general/Research_Paper_on_engagement_with_young_people_in_crime_prevention_initiatives_by_CDRPs_in_the_North_West_region.pdf Shelf Number: 132117 Keywords: Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Neighborhood Watch Partnerships

Author: Rud, Iryna Title: The Effect of Restorative Juvenile Justice on Future Educational Outcomes Summary: In this article, we study the effects of a Dutch restorative justice program for adolescent first-time offenders on early school leaving and years of education attained. Causal statistical estimates are presented using data from a randomized experiment, in which 944 adolescent offenders are randomly assigned to the experimental condition, and by linking these data to registration data that track the educational careers of all adolescents in the Netherlands. We found that the program reduces early school leaving by 6 percentage points and increases years of education attained by 0.29 years. The findings show that restorative juvenile justice programs have signicant educational benefits and should be considered as a tool to reduce early school leaving and increase educational attainment. Details: Amsterdam: University of Amsterdam, 2014. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Tier Working Paper Series, Tier AP 14/01: Accessed April 24, 2014 at: http://www.tierweb.nl/assets/files/UM/Working%20papers/TIER%20WP%2014-01.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Netherlands URL: http://www.tierweb.nl/assets/files/UM/Working%20papers/TIER%20WP%2014-01.pdf Shelf Number: 132159 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Education Juvenile Offenders Restorative Justice

Author: Rud, Iryna Title: Education and Youth Crime: A Review of the Empirical Literature Summary: This paper provides a systematic literature review on the relationship between education and criminal behavior of young people, using the Technology of Skill Formation (Cunha & Heckman, 2007) as a theoretical framework. The nature of youth crime is different than the nature of adult crime. We analyze studies that evaluate childhood and adolescence interventions and studies that examine the effects between education and criminal behavior of young people. The former suggests a link between education and youth crime. The latter shows that education reduces the probability of criminal behavior in adolescence and young adulthood, whereas early criminal involvement is likely to have a negative impact on educational attainment. The underlying mechanisms of these effects are generally not identified and can combine different components, such as incapacitation effects, skill acquisition and peer effects. Details: Amsterdam: University of Amsterdam, 2013. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Tier Working Paper Series, Tier WP 13/06: Accessed April 24, 2014 at: http://www.tierweb.nl/assets/files/UM/Working%20papers/TIER%20WP%2013-06.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://www.tierweb.nl/assets/files/UM/Working%20papers/TIER%20WP%2013-06.pdf Shelf Number: 132161 Keywords: Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Education and Crime

Author: Hurry, Jane Title: Improving the Literacy and Numeracy of Young People in Custody and In the Community. Summary interim report of the first 18 months of the study Summary: The Moser report (DfEE, 1999) stated that too many adults were not functionally literate and had problems with numeracy, which cramped their lives and undermined national productivity. Moser made wide-ranging recommendations which are now having a major impact on adult basic skills. Younger people (16 to 20-year olds) were seen as a particular priority and this is endorsed by the criminal justice system since recent Home Office statistics show that young men aged between 10 and 20 commit 42 per cent of all indictable offences (Kurtz, A. 2002 What works for delinquency, Journal of Forensic Psychiatry, 33, p 672). Offenders have also been identified as a group requiring attention 'as a matter of urgency' (Skills for Life: The national strategy for improving adult literacy and numeracy skills, focus on delivery to 2007, DfES, 2003) because their numeracy and literacy skills are under-developed compared with those of their peers. One of the measures being explored to reduce youth offending is the provision of education and training. The purpose of this study is therefore twofold:  To explore ways of improving the literacy and numeracy skills of young offenders with underdeveloped basic skills;  To see what impact literacy and numeracy have on economic activity and offending over time. In this interim report we provide snapshots of basic skills issues for this group, both in community and secure settings. Understanding these issues is likely to be the key to engineering long-term positive outcomes. Details: London: Institute of Education, University of London, 2005. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 24, 2014 at: http://eprints.ioe.ac.uk/4831/1/Hurry2005Improving.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://eprints.ioe.ac.uk/4831/1/Hurry2005Improving.pdf Shelf Number: 132167 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Education and Training

Author: World Bank. Education Research Resilience Approaches Team Title: A school snapshot amidst urban violence : what can be learned from a resilience rapid assessment -Honduras: Education Resilience Case Report Summary: This country report and the data presented herein are a product of the piloting of the RES-360 tool in Honduras. First, national level data was collected from government strategic plans, focus groups with Ministry of Education leadership, and secondary sources such as national studies on youth violence. Next, focus groups were conducted with teachers, parents, and students from two selected schools in low income neighborhoods affected by violence in the capital, Tegucigalpa Details: Washington, DC: The World Bank, 2013. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 28, 2014 at: http://wbgfiles.worldbank.org/documents/hdn/ed/saber/supporting_doc/Background/EDR/Honduras_Case_Report%20.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Honduras URL: http://wbgfiles.worldbank.org/documents/hdn/ed/saber/supporting_doc/Background/EDR/Honduras_Case_Report%20.pdf Shelf Number: 132199 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Educational Programs Juvenile Offenders Urban Areas Youth Violence

Author: Campie, Patricia E. Title: What Works to Prevent Urban Violence Among Proven Risk Young Men? The Safe and Successful Youth Initiative Evidence and Implementation Review Summary: The Massachusetts Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI) commissioned a review of the evidence underlying effective programs designed to reduce serious violence among targeted groups of young offenders. A Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) methodology was used to identify and determine the effectiveness of rigorous evaluation studies of programs most similar to the SSYI intervention. A review of the implementation science literature complemented the evidence review to determine what characteristics organizations should demonstrate in order to produce optimal results from their SSYI efforts. Taken together, the guidance from evaluations of effective programs and the characteristics of high quality implementation provide SSYI with valuable insight on enhancing and improving violence prevention efforts moving forward. Findings -- Eleven program evaluations were identified, of which ten were deemed as producing "effective" results, with one program showing ineffective or detrimental outcomes. The two common features of all programs deemed to be effective included: Using street outreach workers. Providing positive development supports to high-risk persons. However, the evaluations were generally not designed to specifically test the individual effects of single intervention components (such as street outreach) on individual or community-level outcomes. Most studies focused on measuring criminal justice outcomes (i.e., arrests and homicides) rather than norms of violence or changes in individual or community-well-being (i.e., mental health status or unemployment). None of the evaluated programs included any reference to trauma-informed supports and none evaluated a program implemented in multiple cities in the same state. Despite some differences with SSYI, most of the initiatives included multi-agency efforts, community mobilization, and the use of street outreach workers. At least three used a "list" of high-risk individuals to target for suppression and social services. The effective programs contained eight themes that can be instructive for guiding efforts to improve SSYI's ongoing implementation and to evaluate impacts. Details: Boston, MA: Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, 2013. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2014 at: http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/What%20Works%20to%20Prevent%20Urban%20Violence%20Among%20Proven%20Risk%20Young%20Men.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/What%20Works%20to%20Prevent%20Urban%20Violence%20Among%20Proven%20Risk%20Young%20Men.pdf Shelf Number: 132211 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Street Outreach Workers Treatment Programs Youthful Offenders

Author: Campie, Patricia E. Title: Strategies to Prevent Urban Violence. A Companion Report to the SSYI Evidence and Implementation Review Summary: The Massachusetts Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI) commissioned a review of strategies utilized by the federal government, states and cities trying to address serious youth violence among older youth ages 14-24. The goal of this work is to provide Massachusetts with a sense of where its own violence prevention efforts fit among the range of initiatives implemented in localities nationwide and provide additional insights on strategies that SSYI may want to employ in the future. This strategy review complements the 2013 report "What Works to Prevent Urban Violence Among Proven Risk Young Men? The Safe and Successful Youth Initiative Evidence and Implementation Review". In that report, the SSYI evaluation team reviewed the state of the research on effective urban violence prevention programs targeting highest risk older youth, ages 14-24. Taken together, the guidance from research on effective programs and high quality implementation, along with the best thinking from state and local policymakers, provide SSYI with valuable information to inform SSYI moving forward. Details: Boston, MA: Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, 2013. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2014 at: http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/Strategies%20to%20Prevent%20Urban%20Violence.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/Strategies%20to%20Prevent%20Urban%20Violence.pdf Shelf Number: 132214 Keywords: At-Risk Yough Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Urban Violence Violence Prevention

Author: Hurry, Jane Title: Improving the Literacy and Numeracy of Young People in Custody and In the Community. Research Report Summary: Young people in the youth justice system tend to have lower than average attainment in literacy and numeracy. This makes it more difficult for them to find consistent employment and heightens the chances of offending. As a result, education/training is identified as one of the promising approaches to reducing reoffending, and has been rigorously translated into policy in the UK, with a requirement that 'at least 90% of young offenders are in suitable full-time education, training and employment'. However, the young people themselves are often very reluctant students. There is a shortage of evidence as to the best methods of improving the literacy and numeracy of these young people. The aims of this present study were to: - observe the kind of provision on offer and how students responded to this provision - test the impact of either increasing discrete literacy and numeracy provision or contextualising provision. Details: London: National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy, 2010. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 5, 2014 at: http://www.nrdc.org.uk/publications_details.asp?ID=183 Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.nrdc.org.uk/publications_details.asp?ID=183 Shelf Number: 132232 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Education and Training Employment Juvenile Offenders Reoffending

Author: Chan, Linda S. Title: Preventing Violence and Related Health-Risking Social Behaviors in Adolescents Summary: Over the last two decades of the 20th century, violence emerged as one of the most significant public health problems in the United States (Administration for Children and Families, 2004). While recent trends have been encouraging, homicide remains the second leading cause of death among adolescents (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2004). During this period, an increasing number of research studies has have sought to characterize youth violence and the contexts in which it occurs, as well as risk and protective factors associated with such violence. At the same time, a myriad of prevention interventions have been developed and evaluated with multiple youth populations and in a range of settings. In the fall of 2004, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) will convene a State-of-the- Science Conference on �Preventing Violence and Related Health-Risking Social Behaviors in Adolescents.� The purpose of this consensus conference is to provide a forum to present and review what is currently known about preventing youth violence. In preparation for this meeting, the Office of Medical Applications of Research (OMAR) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) nominated and supported the topic for an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)-sponsored systematic review and analysis of the evidence. AHRQ awarded this project to the Southern California Evidence-based Practice Center (SC-EPC)and its partner, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, to conduct the review and summarize the findings in an evidence report. Researchers were to review longitudinal risk factor research to identify the role of individual, family, school, community and peer-level influences as well as interventional research to evaluate prevention intervention effectiveness. This evidence report addresses the following six key questions: 1. What are the factors that contribute to violence and associated adverse health outcomes in childhood and adolescence? 2. What are the patterns of co-occurrence of these factors? 3. What evidence exists on the safety and effectiveness of interventions for violence? 4. Where evidence of safety and effectiveness exists, are there other outcomes beyond reducing violence? If so, what is known about effectiveness by age, sex, and race/ethnicity? 5. What are commonalities of the interventions that are effective, and those that are ineffective? 6. What are the priorities for future research? For the purpose of this evidence review, we used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention�s definition of violence: �threatened or actual physical force or power initiated by an individual that results in, or has a high likelihood of resulting in, physical or psychological injury or death� (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2004). We made the decision to include only the following types of violent behavior: murder or homicide, aggravated assault, non-aggravated assault, rape or sexual assault, robbery, gang fight, physical aggression, psychological injury or harm, and other serious injury or harm. Thus, we did not review the growing literature that reports on studies of suicide, verbal aggression, bullying, arson, weapon carrying, externalizing behaviors (e.g., acting out), attitude about violent behavior, youth crime against property or materials (such as burglary, theft), or intent to commit violence as outcomes. These related behaviors and attitudes are included in this report only to the extent that they have been proposed as risk factors for the forms of violence on which this report focuses. The definition of violence prevention interventions that we used was developed for and published in the Surgeon General�s Report on Youth Violence (Satcher, 2001). According to this definition, �Primary prevention interventions are those that are universal, intended to prevent the onset of violence and related risk factors; secondary prevention interventions are those implemented on a selected scale for children/youth at enhanced risk for youth violence, intended to prevent the onset and reduce the risk of violence; and tertiary prevention interventions are those that are targeted to youth who have already demonstrated violent or seriously delinquent behavior.� Details: Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2004. 372p. Source: Internet Resource: Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, no. 107: Accessed May 8, 2014 at: http://archive.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/adolviol/adolviol.pdf Year: 2004 Country: United States URL: http://archive.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/adolviol/adolviol.pdf Shelf Number: 132296 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Evidence-Based Practice Juvenile Delinquents (U.S.) Juvenile Offenders Youth Violence

Author: Ludwig, Jens Title: Think Before You Act: A New Approach to Preventing Youth Violence and Dropout Summary: Improving the long-term life outcomes of disadvantaged youths remains a top policy priority in the United States. Unfortunately, long-term progress in improving outcomes like high school graduation rates and reduction of violent crime has been limited, partly because finding ways to successfully improve outcomes for disadvantaged youths (particularly males) has proven to be challenging. We believe one reason so many previous strategies have failed is because they at least implicitly assume that young people are forward-looking and consider the long-term consequences of their actions before they act. But a growing body of research in psychology and behavioral economics suggests that a great deal of everyone's behavior happens intuitively and automatically, with little deliberate thought. Although it is often helpful for us to rely on automatic responses to guide our daily behavior, doing so can also get us into trouble, with consequences that are particularly severe for young people growing up in distressed urban areas where gangs, drugs, and guns are prevalent. We thus propose that the federal government aim to provide each teenager living in poverty in the United States with one year of behaviorally informed programming, intended to help youths recognize high-stakes situations when their automatic responses may be maladaptive. Such a program could teach young people to slow down and think about what they are doing, or could help them "rewire" their automatic responses. Our team has carried out several randomized controlled trials in Chicago that demonstrate that this approach, which is a version of what psychologists call cognitive behavioral therapy, can reduce arrests for violent crime by 30 to 50 percent, improve schooling outcomes, and generate benefits to society that may be up to thirty times the program costs. We suggest that the federal government scale up the program over five years, and that it combine this scale-up with rigorous evaluation to learn more about how best to implement (and, if needed, modify) the program at scale in different contexts across the country. The demonstration phase of the project would cost $50 million to $100 million per year over five years, while the at-scale cost would be $2 billion annually. The demonstration and eventual scale-up would be led by the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. If successful, this effort would improve the long-term well-being of our nation's most disadvantaged young people, reduce crime, improve schooling attainment, reduce income inequality, and enhance the nation's overall economic competitiveness. Details: Washington, DC: The Hamilton Project, 2014. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper 2014-02: Accessed May 10, 2014 at: http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/papers/2014/05/01%20preventing%20youth%20violence%20and%20dropout%20ludwigj%20shaha/v10_thp_ludwigdiscpaper.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/papers/2014/05/01%20preventing%20youth%20violence%20and%20dropout%20ludwigj%20shaha/v10_thp_ludwigdiscpaper.pdf Shelf Number: 132319 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Delinquency Prevention Disadvantaged Youth School Dropouts

Author: World Health Organization Title: Preventing Violence: Evaluating Outcomes of Parenting Programmes Summary: Violence is both a serious human rights violation and a major public health concern. It affects the general well-being, physical and mental health, and social functioning of millions of people; it also puts strain on health systems, lowers economic productivity, and has a negative effect on economic and social development. In particular, the number of children affected by violence each year is a major concern. Child maltreatment affects children's physical, cognitive, emotional and social development. It can lead to the body's stress response system being overactive, which can harm the development of the brain and other organs, and increase the risk for stress-related illness and impaired cognition (the capacity to think, learn and understand). Maltreatment is a risk factor for mental health, education, employment and relationship problems later in life. It also increases the likelihood of behavior that is a risk to health, such as smoking, drinking heavily, drug use, over-eating and unsafe sex. These behaviours are, in turn, major causes of death, disease and disability, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes and suicide - sometimes decades later. Victims of maltreatment are also more likely to become perpetrators and victims of other types of violence later in life. Child maltreatment negatively affects a country's economy, due to expenses relating to treating victims' health problems, welfare costs, lowered economic productivity and so forth. In the United States of America (USA), in 2010, the lifetime cost for each victim of non-fatal child maltreatment was estimated to be US$ 210 012. The many serious economic, physical and mental health consequences of child maltreatment mean that it makes sense to develop and implement effective prevention strategies. Child maltreatment is more likely in families that have difficulties developing stable, warm and positive relationships. Children are at increased risk of being maltreated if a parent or guardian has a poor understanding of child development, and therefore has unrealistic expectations about the child's behaviour. This is also the case if parents and guardians do not show the child much care or affection, are less responsive to the child, have a harsh or inconsistent parenting style, and believe that corporal punishment (for example, smacking) is an acceptable form of discipline. Strengthening parenting therefore plays an important role in preventing child maltreatment. One way of strengthening parenting is through parenting programmes. Although many parenting programmes do not specifically aim to reduce or prevent violence, those which aim to strengthen positive relationships through play and praise, and provide effective, age-appropriate positive discipline, have the potential to do so. Parenting programmes to prevent violence usually take the shape of either individual or group-based parenting support. An example of individual parenting support is home visits, which involve trained home visitors visiting parents (typically only the mother) in their homes both during and after their pregnancy. The home visitor supports and educates parents so as to strengthen parenting skills, improve child health and prevent child maltreatment. Group-based parenting support, on the other hand, is typically provided by trained staff to groups of parents together. These programmes aim to prevent child maltreatment by improving parenting skills, increasing parents' understanding of child development and encouraging the use of positive discipline strategies. Most parenting programmes that have proven to be effective at preventing violence have been developed and tested in high-income countries such as the USA and the United Kingdom. There is very little work on parenting programmes in lowand middle-income countries. However, there is evidence from low-resource settings that positive parent-child relationships and a positive parenting style can buffer the effects of family and community influences on children's development, including violent behaviour later in life. From what is already known, there is good evidence to support promoting parenting programmes across different cultural and economic backgrounds. Because we do not know enough about parenting programmes in low- and middle-income countries, evaluations of programmes are critical. First, we need to confirm that desired results are achieved in new contexts. Second, because of the lack of resources available to fund programmes in poorer countries, evaluations can prevent time and money from being wasted on programmes that do not work. Third, the results from outcome evaluations can be used to influence governments to fund parenting programmes. This document was designed to help strengthen the evidence for parenting programmes aimed at preventing violence in low- and middle-income countries. The intended audiences are: - policy-makers; - programme developers, planners and commissioners; - high-level practitioners in government ministries, such as health and social development; - nongovernmental organisations; - community-based organisations; and - donors working in the area of violence prevention. Details: Geneva, SWIT: World Health Organization, 2013. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 14, 2014 at: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/85994/1/9789241505956_eng.pdf?ua=1 Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/85994/1/9789241505956_eng.pdf?ua=1 Shelf Number: 104859 Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Child Maltreatment Child Protection Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Parenting Programs

Author: Public Safety Canada. National Crime Prevention Centre Title: Results from the Stop Now and Plan (SNAP) Program Summary: Stop Now and Plan (SNAP) is a community-based program for children (under the age of twelve) who have come into contact, or are at risk of coming into contact, with the criminal justice system, and who display early signs of anti-social or aggressive behaviour. The program uses a cognitive-behavioural, multicomponent approach to decrease the risks of children engaging in future delinquent behaviour. The SNAP model is based on a comprehensive framework for effectively teaching children with serious behavioural problems, emotional regulation, self-control and problem-solving skills. Parents also learn SNAP skills, as well as cognitive behavioural parenting techniques. Children learn how to stop and think in order to find solutions to resolve their problems. Although there is evidence regarding the effectiveness of SNAP in Canadian contexts (within accredited mental health centres), further evaluation is needed to assess the impact the program has in a variety of community-based organizations across Canada. This summary provides an overview of the multi-site impact evaluation of SNAP that is being funded by the National Crime Prevention Centre (NCPC). Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2013. 8p. Source: Evaluation Summary ES-2013-38: Internet Resource: Accessed June 12, 2014 at http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/rslts-stp-nwpln/rslts-stp-nwpln-eng.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/rslts-stp-nwpln/rslts-stp-nwpln-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 132448 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (Canada) Cognitive Behavioral Skills Community-Based Organizations Delinquency Prevention

Author: My Brother's Keeper Task Force Title: My Brother's Keeper Task Force Report to the President Summary: For decades, opportunity has lagged behind for boys and young men of color. But across the country, communities are adopting innovative approaches, opening doors, strengthening supports, and building ladders of opportunity for young people, including boys and young men of color, to help put them on the path to success. President Obama wants to build on that success. That's why, on February 27, 2014, the President took action, joining with philanthropy and the private sector to launch an initiative to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color and ensure that all young people who are willing to do the hard work to get ahead can reach their full potential - using proven tools and focusing on key moments in their lives where we can help make a difference. Over the last three months, we have had conversations with thousands of individuals and groups who care about this set of issues and share a common belief that, working together, we can help empower boys and young men of color and all youth with the tools they need to succeed. Today, the Task Force is providing a 90-day report on progress and an initial set of recommendations. This is a first step. In the coming months and years, the Task Force will build on the framework and initial recommendations offered here, and will work together with others to help ensure that all youth in America are on the path to success. Details: Washington, DC: The White House, 2014. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 2, 2014 at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/053014_mbk_report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/053014_mbk_report.pdf Shelf Number: 132595 Keywords: African Americans Delinquency Prevention Disadvantaged Youth Minority Youth

Author: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales Title: Modern Youth Offending Partnerships: Guidance on effective offending team governance in England Summary: New statutory guidance has been issued to Youth Offending Teams and local partners in England to ensure youth justice services remain effective in a changing landscape. 'Modern Youth Offending Partnerships', published today, recognises the many significant reforms both nationally and locally, which have affected YOTs and statutory partners. Recent changes include, the introduction of police and crime commissioners, the new health commissioning structures and initiatives such as 'Troubled Families'. The new guidance, replaces 'Sustaining the Success' published in 2004, and reaffirms the responsibilities YOTs, local authorities and statutory partners, including health, police and probation services, have within the youth justice system, while also recognising that local arrangements will vary to meet local circumstances. In writing the foreword to 'Modern Youth Offending Partnerships' Justice Minister Jeremy Wright said: 'The local and national youth justice landscape within which youth justice services are delivered has changed significantly since the first multi-agency YOTs were established. 'We now have increased co-ordination between YOTs and children's services, new youth sentencing provisions resulting in changes to how YOTs deal with young people who have offended, and more opportunity for YOTs to be innovative at a local level. 'Nevertheless, the primary duty of local authorities, together with statutory partners in health, police and probation - to oversee and co-ordinate the provision of youth justice services locally and to ensure that the actions outlined in annual youth justice plans are carried out effectively - remains the same. 'The time is right, therefore, to refresh and reissue guidance to statutory partners to help them, their YOTs and the young people and victims they work with. 'It's a timely reminder that although much has changed, the principal aim of all youth justice services remains the same: that of preventing offending by children and young people.' Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2013. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/319291/youth-offending-partnerships-guidance.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/319291/youth-offending-partnerships-guidance.pdf Shelf Number: 132640 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Justice Reform Juvenile Offenders (U.K.) Partnerships

Author: Aird, Elyse Title: Impact of ICAN Flexible Learning Options on Participant Offending Behaviour Summary: Innovative Community Action Networks (ICAN) is a Department for Education and Child Development (DECD)-led community driven social inclusion initiative that aims to re-engage young people who have disengaged from school or are at risk of doing so. An ICAN developed learning strategy known as a Flexible Learning Option (FLO) provides funding and support for young people to engage in different accredited learning and engagement activities while still enrolled in their school. OCSAR was approached by ICAN representatives and asked to investigate the offending behaviour of FLO participants. Anecdotal evidence suggests that involvement in ICAN and FLO may be associated with a reduction in offending behaviour (ARTD Consultants 2012, Atelier Learning Solutions 2007). Although preventing offending is not a primary objective of ICAN, it is known that disengagement from education is associated with an increased risk of contact with the justice system (Henry, Knight & Thornberry 2012), and it is therefore possible that an improvement in engagement in education would be associated with a reduction in contact with the justice system. The aims of the current study are to: - determine the offending profile of a group of ICAN Flexible Learning Options (FLO) participants before, during and after enrolment in FLO; and - examine the impact of the ICAN FLO strategy on participant offending behaviour. The specific research questions for the study are: - What proportion of FLO students had a record of recent formal contact with the police and/or a proven conviction/s prior to FLO enrolment? - For those who had recent formal contact with police or had been convicted of an offence/s, what is the nature of the offending? - How did the offending profile of FLO students change during and after their FLO enrolment, in terms of rate, type and severity of offending? - How do outcomes following FLO vary according to student characteristics such as Indigenous status, disability status, geographical area and Guardianship status? - How do the age-specific offending rates for FLO-enrolled young people compare with those of the South Australian population? Details: Adelaide, SA: Office of Crime Statistics and Research, Strategic Policy and Organisational Performance, South Australian Attorney-General's Department, 2014. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2014 at: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/evaluation_reports/ICAN.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia URL: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/evaluation_reports/ICAN.pdf Shelf Number: 132746 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Education Juvenile Offenders (Australia) School Attendance School Dropouts

Author: University of Victoria. Collaborative Community Health Research Centre Title: Research Review of Best Practices for Provision of Youth Services Summary: This report identifies elements of "best practice" in service delivery for high-risk youth. "Best practices" are based on the results of a review of current literature related to evidence of program model's effectiveness. The report also addresses barriers to service delivery affecting the high-risk youth population. In order to provide a context for examining effective approaches for high-risk youth, the report describes characteristics of specialized population groups, such as: - Runaway - Homeless - Street Involved - Suicidal - Substance Misuse - LBGTQ - Sexually Exploited - Drop-Outs The report also examines effective approaches within program/service areas, such as: - Outreach - Independent Living - Emergency Shelters - Transitional Housing - Youth and Peer Mentoring - System Development - Youth-Family Mediation - Reunification - School-Based Services - Youth Addiction Services - Aboriginal Services - Youth Development Approach The main findings of this review on effective service delivery for high-risk youth is that services need to aim to achieve appropriate cognitive, interpersonal, social and physical competencies that protect youth exposed to high risk by integrating a combination of targeted individual and system focused services which reach-out into the daily circumstances of the youth through some strategic alliances between school, family, ommunity that are implemented and sustained in a local context. Details: Vancouver, BC: Ministry of Children and Family Development, 2002. 217p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 14, 2014 at: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/youth/pdf/best_practices_provision_of_youth_services.pdf Year: 2002 Country: International URL: http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/youth/pdf/best_practices_provision_of_youth_services.pdf Shelf Number: 132672 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Problem Youth Youth Programs

Author: David-Ferdon, Corinne Title: Preventing Youth Violence: Opportunities for Action Summary: All forms of violence, including youth violence, suicidal behavior, child maltreatment, sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and elder abuse, negatively affect the health and well-being of our country. Youth violence, in particular, is a significant public health problem. Each and every day, approximately 13 young people in the United States are victims of homicide and an additional 1,642 visit our hospital emergency departments because of physical assault-related injuries. Among high school students, 1 in 4 report being in at least one physical fight and 1 in 5 report being bullied in the last year. Youth who are victims of violence also have a higher risk for many other poor physical and mental health problems, including smoking, obesity, high-risk sexual behavior, asthma, depression, academic problems, and suicide. Young people are frequently the ones hurting other youth and commit a significant proportion of the violence in communities-youth aged 10-24 years represented 40% of all arrests for violent crimes in 2012. The damage resulting from youth violence extends beyond the young perpetrators and victims. Each year, youth homicides and nonfatal assault injuries result in an estimated $17.5 billion in combined medical and lost productivity costs. Violence can increase health care costs for everyone, decrease property values, and disrupt social services. Many of our young people and communities view the grim facts about youth violence as unavoidable and have accepted youth violence as a societal reality. However, the truth is that youth violence is not inevitable. Youth violence is preventable. The past investment into monitoring, understanding, and preventing youth violence is paying off and proving that youth violence can be stopped before it occurs. We cannot continue to just respond to violence after it happens�the public health burden of youth violence is too high and our potential to prevent youth violence is too great. Our understanding about youth violence and our ability to prevent it is based on decades of work by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the larger field of youth violence prevention researchers and practitioners. From systematic surveillance, rigorous research on modifiable factors that predict violence, evaluation of prevention strategies, and the strengthening of the capacity of communities to use approaches that work, we have learned a great deal about how to prevent youth violence. To help communities take advantage of the available knowledge, CDC has developed, Preventing Youth Violence: Opportunities for Action. This resource summarizes what we currently know about youth violence-the health consequences, trends, disparities, causes, costs, and prevention strategies. This resource outlines important strategies for youth violence prevention that are based on strong evidence and experience. It includes examples of specific programs and activities that have been found to be effective. These evidence-based youth violence prevention strategies focus on reducing the factors that put young people at risk for violence and bolstering the factors that strengthen their positive development and buffer against violence. Everyone has a role to play in preventing youth violence. Preventing Youth Violence: Opportunities for Action provides information and action steps that can help public health and other community leaders work with partners to prevent youth violence. This resource also describes actions that young people, families, caregivers, adults who work with youth, and other community members can take to reduce youth violence. A companion document, titled Taking Action to Prevent Youth Violence, is available to help these groups better understand the steps they can take. Details: Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 17, 2014 at: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/pdf/opportunities-for-action.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/pdf/opportunities-for-action.pdf Shelf Number: 132706 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Violence Prevention Youth Programs Youth Violence

Author: Kent, Tyler Title: Process Evaluation of a Non-Profit Youth Services Agency: Original Gangster's Basic Academy for Development. Summary: Based in Nampa, Idaho, the Original Gangster's Basic Academy of Development (OG's BAD) is a youth based services program founded in 2005. The mission of the Academy is to provide youth who are prone to gang involvement with alternatives to a gang lifestyle. The program provides at-risk youth with: 1) tutoring tailored to meet the specific needs of each participant to obtain high school credits or a GED; 2) internships at worksites for on-the-job training; and 3) recreational activities to demonstrate appropriate use of free time. The project also includes a drug strategy component, which focuses on deterring first time users and provides drug and/or alcohol treatment for participants. This process evaluation, performed by the Idaho Statistical Analysis Center, was initiated to provide the Idaho Grant Review Council and the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) manager with an assessment of the development of OG's BAD program, problems encountered, solutions created, and overall accomplishments achieved. Details: Meridian, ID: Idaho Statistical Analysis Center, 2014. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2014 at: https://www.isp.idaho.gov/pgr/inc/documents/OGBAD.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://www.isp.idaho.gov/pgr/inc/documents/OGBAD.pdf Shelf Number: 132750 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Gangs Rehabilitation Youth Gangs

Author: Reichert, Jessica Title: Evaluation of the 2013 Community Violence Prevention Programs Youth Employment Program Summary: In 2013, the Community Violence Prevention Program's Youth Employment Program (YEP) offered job readiness training, mentoring, and summer employment to approximately 1,800 youth participants in 24 Chicago-area communities. The evaluation of YEP was designed to guide programmatic enhancements and funding decisions. Researchers used multiple surveys of program staff and participants in order to obtain feedback on trainings for participants, the employment component, mentoring component, and general program operations. The following are key findings from the evaluation of YEP. About the trainings -- - According to administrative data, 1,924 youth enrolled in job readiness training, 1,686 completed training, and 1,750 created resumes. - Job readiness training participants agreed or strongly agreed that the training was well designed (72 percent, n=537), questions were answered (80 percent, n=598), materials were useful (71 percent, n=586), trainers were knowledgeable (84 percent, n=629), and they gained a better sense of what it takes to obtain and maintain a job (82 percent, n=610). - Mentor training participants agreed or strongly agreed that the training was well designed (88 percent, n=120), questions were answered (89 percent, n=121); training materials were useful (89 percent, n=122), trainers were knowledgeable, and they gained a sense of what it takes to be a mentor (84 percent, n=115). - Many job readiness training participants wanted to spend more time on developing a resume or filling out applications (n=48) and building their skills in interviewing (n=44). - Some youth wanted to spend less training time on how to dress for a job (n=45) and hygiene (n=31). - A majority of youth participants (73 percent, n=633) stated that in the job readiness training, they learned speaking and listening skills for the job and the importance of attendance (73 percent, n=632). - Most youth participants (85 percent, n=733) thought the job readiness training helped prepare them for their jobs. - Some mentor training participants suggested having more interaction between youth and mentors (n=13) and discussion on how to deal with problems, crises, or emergencies (n=10). - Mentor training participants recommended the training cover additional mentor skills, such as how to interact with a mentee, build rapport, communicate; including conversation topics, make good first impressions, establish boundaries, and learn their role as mentor (n=21). - Many mentor training participants (30 percent) commented that nothing would improve the training (n=41). Details: Chicago, IL: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2014. 102p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2014 at: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/ResearchReports/Evaluation_YEP_Report_062014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/ResearchReports/Evaluation_YEP_Report_062014.pdf Shelf Number: 132775 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (Illinois) Delinquency Prevention Employment Mentoring Vocational Education and Training

Author: Macvean, Michelle Title: Evidence review: An analysis of the evidence for parenting interventions in Australia Summary: Overview This analysis of parenting programs was conducted by the Parenting Research Centre for the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA), the funders of Family Support Programs (FSP) in Australia. The report provides an analysis of the evidence for parenting interventions, with a focus on: target populations; target child, parent and family outcomes; and ratings of effectiveness. Factors to consider when implementing programs in the Australian context are also presented. Methods Step A: Program information and effectiveness ratings were collated from international web-based clearinghouses and evidence for additional programs was sought from systematic reviews of parenting programs. Step B: A Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) of Australian evaluations of parenting programs was conducted. Published and unpublished literature dated 2002-2012 was included, with programs rated for effectiveness. Findings The analysis found 34 international and 25 Australian programs with strong evidence, with only two programs with strong evidence at both the international level and within Australia (i.e., Triple P and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy). A large proportion of the programs with good evidence targeted child behaviour specifically in children with identified behavioural problems. Other outcomes, in particular basic child care, were targeted infrequently in the programs with strong evidence. There is little evidence for programs targeting specific groups of parents, such as those with intellectual disabilities or mental illnesses and teen parents. Conclusions and limitations Further rigorous program evaluations are needed to determine the effectiveness of many of the reviewed programs. Although systematic in its approach, this analysis was time-limited and some programs may have been missed from review. Readers are advised to seek updated evidence before selecting and implementing programs. Details: Melbourne: Parenting Research Centre, 2013. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2014 at: http://www.parentingrc.org.au/images/stories/evidence_review_parenting_interventions/main_report_evidencereviewparentinginterventions.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://www.parentingrc.org.au/images/stories/evidence_review_parenting_interventions/main_report_evidencereviewparentinginterventions.pdf Shelf Number: 133083 Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Child Protection Delinquency Prevention Interventions Parenting Programs

Author: Robertson, Jeremy Title: Effective Parenting Programmes: A review of the effectiveness of parenting programmes for parents of vulnerable children Summary: The urgent need to address New Zealand's high rate of child maltreatment has led to the search for effective interventions to reduce child maltreatment and its main risk factors. The 2012 White Paper for Vulnerable Children highlighted the importance of positive parenting practices for optimal child development and the value of supporting parenting, especially in the early years. An action from the White Paper was for SuPERU to review and report on effective parenting programmes by the end of 2013. For the purposes of this review we focused on parenting support programmes for parents of vulnerable children aged zero to six years. This included parent education, parent training programmes and home visiting programmes, but excluded general support that does not address parenting (such as financial assistance, mental health and drug abuse programmes). We aimed to provide evidence on the effectiveness of parenting support programmes in reducing maltreatment, or the risk of maltreatment, of vulnerable children. We first reviewed international research, determining common features of successful programmes overseas. We then reviewed the evidence for the effectiveness of New Zealand programmes. The review highlighted a number of issues related to the effectiveness of programmes (such as programme implementation) and these are also covered in this report. Details: Wellington, NZ: SuPERU, a division of Families Commission, 2014. 190p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report no. 1/14: Accessed August 22, 2014 at: http://www.familiescommission.org.nz/sites/default/files/downloads/Effective-Parenting-Programme-Report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://www.familiescommission.org.nz/sites/default/files/downloads/Effective-Parenting-Programme-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 133084 Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Child Maltreatment Delinquency Prevention Parenting Programs

Author: Rodriguez-Planas, Nuria Title: Mentoring, Educational Services, and Economic Incentives: Longer-Term Evidence on Risky Behaviors from a Randomized Trial Summary: his paper is the first to use a randomized trial in the US to analyze the short- and long-term impacts of an after-school program that offered disadvantaged high-school youth: mentoring, educational services, and financial rewards to attend program activities, complete high-school and enroll in post-secondary education on youths' engagement in risky behaviors, such as substance abuse, criminal activity, and teenage childbearing. Outcomes were measured at three different points in time, when youths were in their late-teens, and when they were in their early- and their late-twenties. Overall the program was unsuccessful at reducing risky behaviors. Heterogeneity matters in that perverse effects are concentrated among certain subgroups, such as males, older youths, and youths from sites where youths received higher amount of stipends. We claim that this evidence is consistent with different models of youths' behavioral response to economic incentives. In addition, beneficial effects found in those sites in which QOP youths represented a large fraction of the entering class of 9th graders provides hope for these type of programs when operated in small communities and supports the hypothesis of peer effects. Details: Bonn: Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 2010. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: IZA Discussion Paper 4968: Accessed August 28, 2014 at: http://ftp.iza.org/dp4968.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://ftp.iza.org/dp4968.pdf Shelf Number: 133159 Keywords: After-School Programs At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Mentoring (U.S.)

Author: Kaye, Lara Title: Understanding the Role of Parent Engagement to Enhance Mentoring Outcomes: Final Evaluation Report Summary: This report provides an evaluation of the impact of a parent mentoring intervention on mentoring relationships and youth outcomes in a youth services agency. The program and research design and the evaluation resulted from a partnership between the Center for Human Services Research (CHSR) and Big Brothers' Big Sisters' Capital Region (BBBSCR). Background While mentoring is a widespread and successful intervention for youth-at-risk the impact of mentoring on youth outcomes appears to be modest (Dubois, Portillo, Rhodes, Silverthorn & Valentine, 2011). Ways to refine and strengthen mentoring are of great interest. One potential approach is parent engagement which has been shown to play a meaningful role in improving youth outcomes (Epstein, Joyce & Sanders, 2000; Higginbotham, MacArther, & Dart, 2010; St. Pierre & Kaltreider, 1997); as well minority low-income parents face a unique set of structural and psychological obstacles to being engaged (Chang, Park, Singh & Sung, 2009; Diamond & Gomez, 2004; Patel & Stevens, 2010; Payne, 2006; Van Velsor & Orozco, 2007). The Parent Engagement Model (PEM) was designed to engage parents in mentoring as well as to increase mentor's cultural understanding of families served by the program. The model consisted of six components: 1) parent orientation, 2) a parent handbook, 3) Energizing the Connection (ETC) mentor training, 4) match support on enhanced topics, 5) monthly post cards for each topic, and 6) biannual family events. It was evaluated using a quasi-experimental design with a waitlist control group. Recruitment took place from over a year resulting in 125 study matches made up of youth and mentors; parents were also include as study participants. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected including BBBS intake data and surveys, a standardized youth outcome instrument (the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)), and project-developed instruments. Details: Albany, NY: Center for Human Services Research, University at Albany, 2014. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2014 at: http://www.albany.edu/chsr/Publications/PEM%20Final%20Evaluation%20Report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.albany.edu/chsr/Publications/PEM%20Final%20Evaluation%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 133366 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Parenting Programs Youth Mentoring (U.S.)

Author: Kronberga, IIona Title: Child-friendly Justice in Latvia: Focusing on Crime Prevention Summary: Child delinquency prevention is an integral part of Juvenile Justice. Today, it can be considered as one of the most significant problems in creating and implementing legal rights in Latvia. Although juvenile delinquency prevention is set as an international priority in the field of protection of the rights of the child, the institutions in charge still invest inadmissibly little effort and resources in finding solutions for the particular problem. Due to the insufficient reaction, the risk increases that the child can face a situation where his or her rights get violated or where he or she violates the rights of another person by committing an offence. The child is unprotected in every nonstandard situation of his or her life - becoming a participant of legal relations in an administrative proceeding, criminal proceeding or civil proceeding when, for instance, solving problems of their mutual relations, defence of the interests of the child is the last the parents think about. It is important that in such situations the child has a reliable and knowing person by his or her side, a specialist who is interested in helping the child. The Protection of the Rights of the Child Law stipulates around twenty institutions for protection of the rights of the child, though the performance and mutual coordination often includes significant failures, non-professional efforts, even refusal to react to the cases of violation of the rights of the child. Specialists of protection of the rights of the child have to understand how important is an individual investment in child delinquency prevention - the need and importance of this investment, as well as its contribution to ensure safe community should be realised by every professional who could become the "reliable and knowing person" in a relevant situation for a particular child. The question of juvenile delinquency prevention, as well as conclusions and suggestions from the research "Child-friendly legal environment in Latvia: delinquency prevention" could be in particular useful for such specialists as teachers, psychologists, social case workers, lawyers, sworn advocates, prosecutors, judges, Orphan's courts and other representatives of relevant institutions in the field. Details: Riga, Latvia: PROVIDUS, Center for Public Policy, 2012. 146p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 27, 2014 at: http://www.providus.lv/upload_file/Projekti/Kriminalitesibas/Child-friendly%20Justice%20in%20Latvia.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Latvia URL: http://www.providus.lv/upload_file/Projekti/Kriminalitesibas/Child-friendly%20Justice%20in%20Latvia.pdf Shelf Number: 133453 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile Justice (Latvia) Juvenile Justice Systems

Author: Canada. Public Safety Canada Title: Public Safety Canada 2012-2013 Evaluation of the Crime Prevention Program: Final Report Summary: Evaluation supports accountability to Parliament and Canadians by helping the Government of Canada to credibly report on the results achieved with resources invested in programs. Evaluation supports deputy heads in managing for results by informing them about whether their programs are producing the outcomes that they were designed to achieve, at an affordable cost; and, supports policy and program improvements by helping to identify lessons learned and best practices. What we examined Public Safety Canada's Crime Prevention Program (CPP) includes all activities managed by the National Crime Prevention Centre (NCPC). The Centre provides national leadership on effective and cost-effective ways to prevent and reduce crime by intervening on the risk factors before crime happens with two core activities: providing contribution funding to support evidence-based targeted interventions; and developing and disseminating knowledge products, tools and resources related to effective crime prevention. The scope of the evaluation includes, starting April 1, 2008, the knowledge transfer activities of NCPC related to crime prevention and the administration of the following contribution funds: - Crime Prevention Action Fund (CPAF) - Northern and Aboriginal Crime Prevention Fund (NACPF) - Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF) - Communities at Risk: Security Infrastructure Program (SIP)2 Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2013. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 29, 2014 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2013-vltn-crm-prvntn-prgrm/2013-vltn-crm-prvntn-prgrm-eng.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2013-vltn-crm-prvntn-prgrm/2013-vltn-crm-prvntn-prgrm-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 133468 Keywords: Costs of Criminal Justice Crime Prevention (Canada) Delinquency Prevention Evidence-Based Practices

Author: Krafchik, Max Title: Evaluation of Young and Safe Project: London Borough of Lambeth Summary: Programme outline 1.4 The Young and Safe programme grew out of Lambeth's determination to reduce the level of serious youth violence in the borough. The programme was established in 2009, with its role and approach evolving since then as understanding of the issues and potential responses has developed. 1.5 The programme's action plan for 2010-2013, Help if you want It, consequences if you don't, sets out the approach currently adopted. As well as emphasising the message conveyed by the title, the plan has as its core strands: a focus on young people involved in gangs and violent offending along with a first point of contact role in prevention and early intervention; targeted use of Young and Safe resources, avoiding duplication with other agencies; and a recognition of the vulnerability of their target group. 1.6 The programme works with young people aged 8-19 who are at significant risk of involvement or are involved with criminal activity, gangs and violence. The various interventions it supports are intended to help individuals avoid future involvement or to withdraw if they are already engaged. 1.7 The programme has become increasingly sophisticated in identifying which young people it should prioritise for support and the role that the programme should take in working with them. The programme has devised a risk and vulnerability framework, reflecting its experience of work with young people, and directs its support to those at high or medium risk against these criteria. 1.8 The programme has also spelt out how its role fits in alongside other agencies, especially the Youth Offending Service, children's social care and anti-social behaviour teams. In summary, this is based on the following approach: i) Young and Safe takes responsibility for the assessment, supervision and provision of services to young people who have entered the criminal justice system but do not have a current community supervision order ii) Young and Safe provide access to its services for other young people who have entered the criminal justice system and are under the supervision of the Youth Offending Service, as well as to young people who are the responsibility of children's social care either as child looked after, child in need or having a child protection plan iii) Young and Safe also provides access to its services for young people who are identified as at significant risk of entering the youth justice system and are at medium / high risk on the vulnerability criteria. Inspira Consulting was commissioned by Lambeth's Young and Safe programme in August 2010 to undertake an external evaluation of the programme. This report provides an overview of the work that has been commissioned by Young and Safe, presents feedback from young people and project staff, and reports on interviews with professionals in key agencies who work alongside Young and Safe and refer young people to them. Details: Dudley, UK: Inspira Consulting, 2011. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 2, 2014 at: http://moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=31339 Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=31339 Shelf Number: 133547 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Interventions Juvenile Offenders (U.K.) Serious Juvenile Offenders Violence Prevention Youth Gangs Youth Violence

Author: Huizinga, David Title: Developmental Sequences of Girls' Delinquent Behavior Summary: According to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, from 1991 to 2000, arrests of girls increased more (or decreased less) than arrests of boys for most types of offenses. By 2004, girls accounted for 30 percent of all juvenile arrests. However, questions remain about whether these trends reflect an actual increase in girls' delinquency or changes in societal responses to girls' behavior. To find answers to these questions, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention convened the Girls Study Group to establish a theoretical and empirical foundation to guide the development, testing, and dissemination of strategies to reduce or prevent girls' involvement in delinquency and violence. The Girls Study Group series, of which this bulletin is a part, presents the Group's findings. The series examines issues such as patterns of offending among adolescents and how they differ for girls and boys; risk and protective factors associated with delinquency, including gender differences; and the causes and correlates of girls' delinquency. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2013. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Girls Study Group: Accessed October 6, 2014 at: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/238276.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/238276.pdf Shelf Number: 133571 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Female Juvenile Offenders Female Offenders Juvenile Offenders (U.S.)

Author: Florida TaxWatch Title: Florida Boys & Girls Clubs: An Analysis of Educational, Juvenile Justice, and Economic Outcomes Summary: The Florida Boys and Girls Clubs (FBGC) are local nonprofit organizations that offer a number of afterschool programs to help participants develop positive character traits, improve academic performance, and prevent delinquency. In order to evaluate the economic benefits of the FBGC, Florida TaxWatch compared club participants to demographically similar students. This study finds that: o The median achievement level in Reading FCAT attained by the FBGC group was 3, or "on grade level", as compared to a median achievement level of 2, or "limited success with grade-level content," attained by the comparison group; o When measuring both overall days absent and "chronic absenteeism," which is significantly correlated with grade retention and dropouts, the results were half as prevalent in the FBGC group; o FBGC had a higher percentage of grade promotion and a lower percentage of grade retention than their peers, and dropout rates were significantly lower for FBGC participants; - The total number of juvenile justice referrals for the FBGC group was 2.96 percent, as compared to 7.49 percent for the comparison group; and - More than half of referrals (58 percent) were first-time referrals for the FBGC group, compared to 40 percent for the comparison group. According to this analysis, the economic impact of participation in Boys and Girls Club programs ranges from a short-term taxpayer savings of more than $9,000 for each student that is not held back a grade, to an aggregate of nearly $29,080,000 in lifetime earnings for each 100 additional high school graduates. Taxpayers also realize a cost-avoidance of $5,000 per youth who is diverted from criminal activities, and about $45,012-$46,305 for each youth that is diverted from incarceration. Details: Tallahassee: Florida TaxWatch, 2013. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2014 at: http://floridataxwatch.org/resources/pdf/FBGCReportFINAL.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://floridataxwatch.org/resources/pdf/FBGCReportFINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 133743 Keywords: Afterschool Programs Cost-Benefit Analysis Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Justice Systems (Florida) Nonprofit Organizations

Author: Sommers, Marc Title: Dowry and Division: Youth and State Building in South Sudan Summary: - Most South Sudanese youth are undereducated and underemployed, and their priorities and perspectives are largely unknown. To address this critical knowledge gap, the authors conducted field research between April and May 2011 with youth, adults, and government and nongovernment officials in Juba and two South Sudanese states. - The increasing inability of male youth to meet rising dowry (bride price) demands was the main research finding. Unable to meet these demands, many male youth enlist in militias, join cattle raids, or seek wives from different ethnic groups or countries. - Skyrocketing dowry demands have negatively and alarmingly affected female youth. They are routinely viewed as property that can generate family wealth. - Potent new postwar identities involving youth returning from Khartoum, refugee asylum countries, and those who never left South Sudan, are stimulating hostility and conflict. - Excess demand on government jobs, widespread reports of nepotism in government hiring practices, cultural restrictions against many kinds of work, and a general lack of entrepreneurial vision are fueling an exceptionally challenging youth employment situation. - Gang activities continue to thrive in some urban centers in South Sudan. They are reportedly dominated by youth with connections to government officials and by orphans. - While most undereducated youth highlighted dowry and marriage as their primary concerns, members of the elite youth minority emphasized vocational training and scholarships for higher education. - While South Sudanese youth view their government as the primary source of education, jobs, and hope, the government of South Sudan does not appear poised to provide substantial support to vital youth priorities related to dowry, employment, education, and training. - The government of South Sudan and its international partners need to proactively address non-elite youth priorities. They must find ways to cap dowry demands, protect female youth, and support orphan youth, in addition to expanding quality education, job training, and English language training. Details: Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace, 2011. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Special Report 295: Accessed November 3, 2014 at: http://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/SR_295.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Sudan URL: http://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/SR_295.pdf Shelf Number: 133944 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Dowry (Sudan) Poverty Socioeconomic Conditions and Crime Youth Gangs Youth Unemployment

Author: International Alert Title: Youth, Peace and Security in Uganda Summary: This study provides an insight into the situation of young people in Uganda by highlighting the challenges they face and their impact on peace and security. At the same time, it assesses the social, political and economic environment of young people, with a special focus on development programmes, employment and wellbeing. The study also points to the potential of youth to contribute to peace and security and goes on to propose policy recommendations for different stakeholders. Previous studies on the youth - in particular, International Alert's recent publications - demonstrate the challenges experienced by Ugandan youth, and how these could provoke conflict and insecurity in the country. Against this background, this study analyses how the youth's position on identity, exclusion and marginalisation, unemployment and access to opportunities may be a source of instability if due attention is not given to these issues. On the other hand, the potential of youth could also be an opportunity worth tapping into, possibly leading to positive development. The study is based primarily on a systematic review and interpretation of Alert's previous reports, namely: Youth Perspectives on Identity and National Unity in Uganda; Youth Participation in Government Programmes in Uganda; Youth Perceptions on Economic Opportunity in Northern Uganda - Findings from Acholi and Lango; and a special issue of the Journal of Development Studies: Perspectives on Youth and Development. This literature was enriched by additional data on youth perspectives on the political economy collected from young people living in and around Kampala - mainly youths from institutions of higher learning, but also working youths. Details: London: International Alert, 2014. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 4, 2014 at: http://www.international-alert.org/sites/default/files/Uganda_YouthPeaceSecurity_EN_2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Uganda URL: http://www.international-alert.org/sites/default/files/Uganda_YouthPeaceSecurity_EN_2014.pdf Shelf Number: 133965 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Young Adults (Uganda) Youth Development

Author: Schultz, Dana Title: National Evaluation of Safe Start Promising Approaches: Assessing Program Implementation Summary: Children's exposure to violence (CEV) - including direct child maltreatment, witnessing domestic violence, and witnessing community and school violence - can have serious consequences, including a variety of psychiatric disorders and behavioral problems, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. Fortunately, research has shown that interventions for CEV can substantially improve children's chances of future social and psychological well-being. Safe Start Promising Approaches (SSPA) was the second phase of a planned four-phase initiative focusing on preventing and reducing the impact of CEV, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). OJJDP selected 15 program sites across the country that proposed a range of intervention approaches, focused on multiple types of violence, included variations in ages and age-appropriate practices, and would be implemented in different settings. Each site participated in a national evaluation, conducted by the RAND Corporation. The evaluation design involved three components: a process evaluation, an evaluation of training, and an outcomes evaluation. This report presents the results of the first two evaluations. It describes the program and community settings, interventions, and implementations of the 15 SSPA programs for the first two years of implementation (through March 2009), as well as the training evaluation results. Details: Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2010. 292p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2014 at: http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/technical_reports/2010/RAND_TR750.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/technical_reports/2010/RAND_TR750.pdf Shelf Number: 134021 Keywords: Children and Violence Community-Based Initiatives (U.S.) Community-Based Programs Delinquency Prevention Family Interventions Safe Start Promising Approaches

Author: Curtis, Richard Title: South Bronx Community Connections: A Pilot Project of Community Connections for Youth: A Grassroots Approach to Pro-social Adolescent Development in a Neighborhood of Chronic Disadvantage. Phase I: A Formative Evaluation Summary: South Bronx Community Connections (SBCC), a three-year pilot project, is guided by a theory-of change that relies on the development of nascent resident strengths within neighborhoods of chronic disadvantage. By extending this strength-based approach to the pro-social development of neighborhood juveniles, SBCC changes the lens from "risk-focused" interventions to indigenous resources that can be effectively bundled in favor of resiliency. The pilot, funded with a federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDPA) federal formula grant from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), was awarded to Community Connections for Youth (CCFY), the lead agency for implementation of its SBCC program for court-acquainted juveniles. The pilot was funded at $1.1 million, under the category "Breakthrough Research-based Strategies." Funding was awarded with the proviso that SBCC's potentially "game-changing strategies" be rigorously evaluated --- an altogether reasonable expectation given the growing political importance of the project's neighborhood context, concerns about the efficacy of out-of-home placements for court-involved juveniles, and the substantial size of the award. John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York (CUNY), was awarded a subcontract by CCFY to provide a comprehensive evaluation of its SBCC pilot project. The technical report that follows is different from the original evaluation design. It does not provide an evidentiary chain that links SBCC's theory-based program model to research-based strategies, to outcomes, nor is it a small "N" case study. Given an ever- evolving implementation context, it was not possible to determine an evidentiary chain linking SBCC's theory-based program model to research-based strategies and then on to outcomes; shifting priorities and unanticipated problems produced project modifications, which precluded the use of a rigorous methodology. A small "N" case study was jeopardized by changing policies, which challenged the consistency of the pool of juvenile eligibles. Accordingly, the technical report that follows is more formative than summative. It provides meaningful, useful information that present stakeholders, policymakers, and future implementers of innovative grassroots programs can use to increase the probability of success. Simply summarized, SBCC's grassroots model has several potential strengths deserving of continued experimentation and exploration. Conceptualizing, designing, and implementing a "game-changing" program is more demanding than SBCC providers recognized, or than many funders appreciate. In fact, a three-year time-frame --- given the innovative nature of the project model --- underscores both the legitimacy of many evaluators' concerns with "evaluation-readiness" factors, and their desire to balance the information needs of stakeholders and decision-makers with methodological rigor. After a planning year, and two years of implementation devoted to tweaking the pilot project model to increase effectiveness, the latest of four program logic models identifies several intertwined strategies --- Family Engagement, Comprehensive Grassroots Involvement, and A Strength-based Focus --- each accompanied by relevant research-base activities. The activities are presumed to build neighborhood social resources via the capacity building technical assistance of CCFY and SBCC. The outcomes at the conclusion of this first phase of what hopefully will become a stronger program model, buttressed by a series of increasingly rigorous evaluations, are summarized below. Some of the outcomes are already evidence-based and are identified by an asterisk (*). Others are suggestive and encouraging, but, in the absence of sufficient data, are not yet measurable. These are identified by the letters "ID" (ID). Still others, though intriguing, remain hypothetical, needing to be meaningfully crystalized and objectified. These are noted with the letter "H" (H). All are worthy of attention and continued development if progress with the pro-socialization of court-acquainted youth is to continue. Details: New York: John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 2013. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2014 at: http://cc-fy.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/SBCC_Technical_Report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://cc-fy.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/SBCC_Technical_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 134067 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Disadvantaged Youth (New York) Neighborhoods and Crime Urban Areas

Author: Mitchell, Michael Title: Changing Priorities: State Criminal Justice Reforms and Investments in Education Summary: Most states' prison populations are at historic highs after decades of extraordinary growth; in 36 states, the prison population has more than tripled as a share of the state population since 1978. This rapid growth, which continued even after crime rates fell substantially in the 1990s, has been costly. Corrections spending is now the third-largest category of spending in most states, behind education and health care. If states were still spending on corrections what they spent in the mid-1980s, adjusted for inflation, they would have about $28 billion more each year that they could choose to spend on more productive investments or a mix of investments and tax reductions. Even as states spend more on corrections, they are underinvesting in educating children and young adults, especially those in high-poverty neighborhoods. At least 30 states are providing less general funding per student this year for K-12 schools than before the recession, after adjusting for inflation; in 14 states the reduction exceeds 10 percent. Higher education cuts have been even deeper: the average state has cut higher education funding per student by 23 percent since the recession hit, after adjusting for inflation. Eleven states spent more of their general funds on corrections than on higher education in 2013. And some of the states with the biggest education cuts in recent years also have among the nation's highest incarceration rates. This is not sound policy. State economies would be much stronger over time if states invested more in education and other areas that can boost long-term economic growth and less in maintaining extremely high prison populations. The economic health of many low-income neighborhoods, which face disproportionately high incarceration rates, could particularly improve if states reordered their spending in such a way. States could use the freed-up funds in a number of ways, such as expanding access to high-quality preschool, reducing class sizes in high-poverty schools, and revising state funding formulas to invest more in high-poverty neighborhoods. Details: Washington, DC: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2014. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 13, 2014 at: http://www.cbpp.org/files/10-28-14sfp.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.cbpp.org/files/10-28-14sfp.pdf Shelf Number: 134083 Keywords: Costs of Criminal Justice Criminal Justice Policy Criminal Justice Reform (U.S.) Delinquency Prevention Education Poverty

Author: Annie E. Casey Foundation Title: Youth and Work: Restoring Teen and Young Adult Connections to Opportunity. KIDS COUNT Policy Report Summary: Youth employment is at its lowest level since World War II; only about half of young people ages 16 to 24 held jobs in 2011.1 Among the teens in that group, only 1 in 4 is now employed, compared to 46 percent in 2000. Overall, 6.5 million people ages 16 to 24 are both out of school and out of work, statistics that suggest dire consequences for financial stability and employment prospects in that population.2 More and more doors are closing for these young people. Entry-level jobs at fast-food restaurants and clothing stores that high school dropouts once could depend on to start their careers now go to older workers with better experience and credentials. It often takes a GED to get a job flipping hamburgers. Even some with college degrees are having trouble finding work. At this rate, a generation will grow up with little early work experience, missing the chance to build knowledge and the job-readiness skills that come from holding part-time and starter jobs. This waste of talent and earnings potential has profound consequences for these young people, and for our economy and our nation. When young people lack connections to jobs and school, government spends more to support them. Many already have children of their own, exacerbating the intergenerational cycle of poverty in some communities. Yet even as young people struggle to gain experience and find any type of job, businesses cannot find the skilled workers they need to compete in the ever-changing 21st-century economy. This policy report describes the scale of the challenges we face in connecting young people, ages 16 to 24, to jobs and opportunity. More importantly, we also set forth the steps needed to ensure that young people have the academic know-how, the technical skills and the essential "soft skills" to hold a job and launch a career. The best way to build these critical skills is to help young people find jobs or work-like activities. We must expand interventions that are putting youth to work and align them with public investment. Research demonstrates a positive return on investment for programs that advance academic, social and career skills. And, practical experience tells us that some young people show extraordinary motivation and responsibility when given the right opportunities. This report details the most recent research and data illustrating conditions for the 16- to 24-year-old population and focuses specifically on those youth who are neither in school nor working. It identifies barriers these young people must overcome and offers solutions to get them engaged and connected. The core argument is that business, government, philanthropy and communities must come together to create opportunities to put young people back on track in a dynamic, advancing economy to ensure their success and to build a stronger workforce for the future. Details: Baltimore, MD: Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2012. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 9, 2014 at: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED538825.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED538825.pdf Shelf Number: 134295 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.S.) Delinquency Prevention Employment

Author: Bradham, Douglas D. Title: Massachusetts Safe and Successful Youth Initiative: Benefit-to-Cost Analysis of Springfield and Boston Sites Summary: This Benefit to Cost Analysis was conducted as a preliminary investigation into the value of the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI) implemented in Massachusetts (MA) as an effort to curb violent crime in eleven cities across the State. The American Institutes for Research (AIR) and WestEd are conducting a series of studies on the effectiveness of the SSYI program on behalf of the MA Executive Office of Health and Human Services. In this study we use the results of an Interrupted Time Series (ITS) study examining SSYI's impact on community violence victimizations (Petrosino, et al., 2014), to derive an estimate of SSYI's prevention benefits over the 2012 to 2013 funding period. Boston and Springfield, as the state's two largest cities involved in SSYI, were chosen for the analysis, pending receipt of additional cost data from the other nine SSYI cites; as such, the findings in this report should be considered preliminary in terms of placing a total benefit to cost estimate on the entire SSYI initiative. Three descriptive objectives were investigated: (1) to estimate the site-specific costs to society of implementing the SSYI interventions in Boston and Springfield, from January 2012 through December 2013; (2) to estimate the potential economic benefits of the crime victimization reductions documented in the ITS study by applying reliable estimates of the economic losses incurred when violent crimes are committed; and (3) to estimate the average annual ratio of society's benefit-to-cost ratios (BCR), after all amounts have been adjusted to 2013 values. This study utilized methods consistent with recommendations for program evaluation in public health prevention, and conservative estimates from a 2010 study that estimated the costs of violent crimes in Boston, adjusted to dollar values for 2013 (Drummond, et al, 2005; Brownson, et al, 2010; Gold et al, 1996; Haddix, et al, 2003). We proportionally adjusted Springfield's costs-savings estimate based on SSYI wage rate comparison to Boston's SSYI wages. Boston's 2013 value of 99.7 million in potential cost savings per 10% reduction in crime rate was used as the "benefit of prevention" for each city. This annual cost savings ("benefit of prevention") of violent crimes for each city was then placed over the city's estimated, annual societal intervention costs, and Benefit-to-Cost Ratios (BCR) calculated. Details: Boston: Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, 2014. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 30, 2015 at: http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/Benefit%20to%20Cost%20Analysis%20of%20Boston%20and%20Springfield%20SSYI%20Programs.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/Benefit%20to%20Cost%20Analysis%20of%20Boston%20and%20Springfield%20SSYI%20Programs.pdf Shelf Number: 134503 Keywords: Cost-Benefit Analysis (Boston) Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Violent Crime

Author: Fives, Allyn Title: Evaluation of the Restorative Practice Programme of the Childhood Development Initiative Summary: This report presents the key findings of an independent evaluation, undertaken by the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at the National University of Ireland, Galway, of the Restorative Practice Programme, part of the Childhood Development Initiative's (CDI) Community Safety Initiative (CSI). The study comprises (i) a process study evaluation of programme implementation under the headings of programme utilisation, programme organisation and programme fidelity; and (ii) an outcomes study evaluation of programme impact on participants' work, lives, organisations and family, and also the wider impact on community building and collaborative action. Restorative Practice Restorative Practice (RP) is 'the science of restoring and developing social capital, social discipline, emotional wellbeing and civic participation through participatory learning and decision-making' (Wachtel, 2005, p. 86). Restorative programmes promote dialogue between wrongdoers and harmed persons. CDI initiated the RP training programme in Tallaght West, which constitutes the four communities of Brookfield, Fettercairn, Killinarden and Jobstown. Despite many positive developments in the past two decades, the area is highly vulnerable in terms of socio-economic disadvantage. It has a young population, a high rate of public housing, a relatively weak social class profile and a high rate of joblessness (CSO, 2011). The RP training programme as implemented by CDI had a number of overarching targets to be achieved by the end of 2011, in particular relating to participation of young people, residents and professionals working in Tallaght West in the three levels of RP training: Phase 1, awareness raising; Phase 2, facilitation skills training; and Phase 3, training for trainers. Details: Dublin: Childhood Development Initiative, 2013. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2015 at: http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/20224/1/cdi_restorative_practice_report_july_2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/20224/1/cdi_restorative_practice_report_july_2013.pdf Shelf Number: 134605 Keywords: Conflict Mediation Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Restorative Justice (U.K.)

Author: Sport England Title: Creating safer communities: Reducing anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime through sport Summary: This paper is one of a series of five papers aimed at policymakers and practitioners who are looking to use the 'power of sport' to help shape their local areas and to advocate the value of sport with partners to deliver local objectives. In focussing on the role sporting organisations and related projects can play in reducing anti-social behavior and the fear of crime the paper will be valuable to you because it: - highlights key national policy announcements, programmes and initiatives impacting on the environment within which community sport can be sustained, can grow and can contribute to the development of talented players; - presents the evidence to justify why community sport can contribute to a range of other shared priorities; and - shares case studies to bring to life the benefits to local communities and the enjoyment that people can get from being involved in sport. Details: London: Sport England, 2008. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2015 at: https://www.sportengland.org/media/91502/creating-safer-communities.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.sportengland.org/media/91502/creating-safer-communities.pdf Shelf Number: 135112 Keywords: Anti-social Behavior Delinquency Prevention Sports

Author: Gelber, Alexander Title: The Effects of Youth Employment: Evidence from New York City Summer Youth Employment Program Lotteries Summary: Programs to encourage labor market activity among youth, including public employment programs and wage subsidies like the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, can be supported by three broad rationales. They may: (1) provide contemporaneous income support to participants; (2) encourage work experience that improves future employment and/or educational outcomes of participants; and/or (3) keep participants "out of trouble." We study randomized lotteries for access to New York City's Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), the largest summer youth employment program in the U.S., by merging SYEP administrative data on 294,580 lottery participants to IRS data on the universe of U.S. tax records and to New York State administrative incarceration data. In assessing the three rationales, we find that: (1) SYEP participation causes average earnings and the probability of employment to increase in the year of program participation, with modest contemporaneous crowd-out of other earnings and employment; (2) SYEP participation causes a moderate decrease in average earnings for three years following the program and has no impact on college enrollment; and (3) SYEP participation decreases the probability of incarceration and decreases the probability of mortality, which has important and potentially pivotal implications for analyzing the net benefits of the program. Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2014. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working Paper 20810: Accessed April 2, 2015 at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w20810 Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: . http://www.nber.org/papers/w20810 Shelf Number: 135139 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Disadvantaged Youth Employment Programs Youth Employment

Author: Eddy, J. Mark Title: Twelve-Year Professional Youth Mentoring Program for High Risk Youth: Continuation of a Longitudinal Randomized Controlled Trial Summary: This study investigated impacts of a professional mentoring program, Friends of the Children (FOTC), during the first 5 years of a 12 year program. Participants (N = 278) were early elementary school aged boys and girls who were identified as "high risk" for adjustment problems during adolescence and emerging adulthood, including antisocial behavior and delinquency, through an intensive collaborative school-based process. Participants were randomly assigned to FOTC or a referral only control condition. Mentors were hired to work full time with small caseloads of children and were provided initial and ongoing training, supervision, and support. The program was delivered through established non-profit organizations operating in four major U.S. urban areas within neighborhoods dealing with various levels of challenges, including relatively high rates of unemployment and crime. Recruitment into the study took place across a three year period, and follow-up assessments have been conducted every six months. Data have been collected not only from children, but also from their primary caregivers, their mentors, their teachers, and their schools (i.e., official school records). Strong levels of participation in study assessments have been maintained over the past 8 years. Most children assigned to the FOTC Intervention condition received a mentor, and at the end of the study, over 70% still had mentors. While few differences were found between the FOTC and control conditions for the first several years of the study, two key differences, in child "externalizing" behaviors and child strengths, emerged at the most recent assessment point, which on average was after 5 years of consistent mentoring. To date, outcomes do not appear related to the amount of mentor-child contact time or the quality of the mentor-child relationship. Analyses are ongoing, and additional funding is being sought to continue the study forward. Details: Final report to the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2014. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 7, 2015 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/248595.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/248595.pdf Shelf Number: 135176 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Mentoring Programs (U.S.) Mentoring

Author: North Carolina Central University. Juvenile Justice Institute Title: Durham Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative: Project Bull's Eye. Evaluation Report Summary: The Durham Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative (CAGI), a 3-year gang prevention and reduction initiative, was developed to reduce gangs and the underlying causes that support them. The Durham Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative adopted the combined strategies of law enforcement, prevention-intervention, and reentry, outlined by the U.S. Department of Justice, to address gangs and gang-related violence within the Bull's Eye area of Durham, North Carolina. Component 1: Suppression by law enforcement: The goal of this component was to reduce the occurrence of violent gang-related incidents in the Bull's Eye area through the use of reactive and proactive strategies. Strategies of this component included: a. Utilizing new intelligence software, specifically i2 Analyst Notebook, and i2 iBridge to link the DPD's Report Management System (RMS) and Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) to Gang-Net, which is a statewide gang intelligence program. b. Utilizing SunGuard HTE Link Analysis software to allow investigators and officers to construct intelligence diagrams of RMS data in their investigations by structuring the information in an organized format. c. Continuing a partnership with the North Carolina Department of Community Corrections in conducting court approved searches of probationers, with a direct focus on gang members within the target area. d. Continuing the monthly Gun Review Meetings whereby all gun arrest cases from Durham County are reviewed by the Law Enforcement Task Force made up of members from the DPD, Durham County Sheriff's office, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, North Carolina Department of Community Corrections, Durham County District Attorney's office and the United States Attorney's Office (Middle District). e. Instituting the High Point Drug Market Initiative in the Bull's Eye area in order to address street level drug activity and violent crime. f. Providing training for law enforcement partners in the area of gang investigation in order to arm them with the necessary knowledge to conduct successful gang investigations. g. Increasing police visibility and proactive policing efforts in the Bull's Eye area by adding additional law enforcement personnel with the use of overtime funds. Component 2: Prevention and intervention services by public/non-profit community agencies - the goal of this component was to reduce the occurrence of youth gang-related incidents and increase positive outcomes for youth at high risk of gang involvement through targeted, evidenced-based gang prevention. Community-based agencies had the opportunity to seek funding for addressing prevention/ intervention activities within the Bull's Eye area. The strategies of this component included: a. Expanding the use of the North Carolina Child Response Initiative (NCCRI). This service uses a system of care approach with a focus on acute stabilization and assessment with evidence based treatments for victims. The aim of this mental health service approach is to stabilize children in crisis, assess trauma symptoms, increase service access and coordination and avert further victimization. These services are delivered on the scene. b. Expanding the role of faith-based organizations to increase services to youth victims and offenders. The Religious Coalition for Non-Violent Durham collaborates with other local faith-based organizations in the targeted area to increase services to youth victims and offenders. c. Increasing referrals of the most troubled youth to address quality of life issues within the community and to foster positive behavior among youth living within the targeted area. Component 3:Reentry services offered by local governmental entities -- the goal of this component was to increase public safety by reducing recidivism rates for high-impact gang-involved offenders returning to the community after incarceration, through the use of vouchers, mentors and community organizations for the delivery of services and treatment. Strategies of this component included: a. Targeting 15 to 20 offenders per year b. Developing a system to identify Security Threat Group (STG) inmates prior to release c. Hiring a case manager d. Identifying other potential CAGI participants who do not come through the North Carolina Department of Correction's channels e. Identifying service providers who would deliver services to offenders at no cost f. Identifying service providers who would offer services through vouchers and enter into contracts with the Durham County Criminal Justice Resource Center Details: Durham, NC: Juvenile Justice Institute, North Carolina Central University, 2012. 166p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 8, 2015 at: http://www.durhamnc.gov/agendas_new/2012/cws20120319/304732_8352_443097.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.durhamnc.gov/agendas_new/2012/cws20120319/304732_8352_443097.pdf Shelf Number: 135184 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Gangs (North Carolina) Intervention Law Enforcement Intelligence Partnerships Reentry Youth Gangs

Author: Clarke, Rebecca Title: London Probation Trust Peer Mentoring Evaluation Report Summary: London Probation Trust (LPT), in their aim to reduce reoffending, improve compliance with supervision and provide a more holistic service for offenders decided to work in partnership with voluntary and community sector organisations to provide mentoring services for offenders in London to improve their rehabilitation prospects. The two strands of projects that were evaluated were: - A peer mentoring service for 100 young offenders aged 18-25 who were subject to Intensive Alternative to Custody orders or licenses. Mentoring was offered to support offender management, encourage motivation and enable compliance. Catch22 and St Giles Trust jointly designed and delivered this service. - A mentoring service for women and testing the 'personalisation' agenda to reduce the risk of re-offending. This included an enabling fund to allow women and their mentors to address any unmet needs that supported their rehabilitation. Catch22 designed and delivered this service. The over-arching outcomes for the services were: - Reduced re‐offending rates - Improved attendance/compliance Additional outcomes were: - Improved offender manager and sentencer understanding of the support that can be provided to offenders through mentoring - Increased positive life outcomes through practical and motivational support. - Reduced social exclusion of offenders. - Increased access to community interventions for offenders. - In the case of peer mentoring, peer mentors develop personally and socially through supporting others to develop, keeping their own focus on rehabilitation and boosting their self-‐esteem and confidence. - Develop integrated partnership working with the third sector. Key Findings In the first year: 152 referrals were made to the peer mentoring project (against a target of 150) and 71 referrals were made to the women's project (against a target of 70). - For many young men on the peer project progress in relation to the area of ETE was prioritised. Mentors supported individuals to complete steps towards being ready for and accessing work both in practical terms (with a CV, completing applications) and in relation to their motivation and/or confidence. - The availability of and access to settled and suitable housing was unsurprisingly identified as a key goal for some mentees, with mentors acknowledging the challenge in supporting progress in other areas without resolving this. Both projects recorded some very positive outcomes for service users in relation to housing, inevitably though the mentor plays a specific role support and advocacy and is reliant on other providers prioritising their clients. - The profiling information for the peer project indicated that just over one fifth of the young men referred were assessed and flagged as 'gang involved' by probation staff within their case management system. Details: Manchester, UK: Manchester Metropolitan University, Policy Evaluation & Research Unit (PERU), 2014. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2015 at: http://www.mmuperu.co.uk/assets/uploads/files/LPT_PM_Interim_report_FINAL.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.mmuperu.co.uk/assets/uploads/files/LPT_PM_Interim_report_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 135274 Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Mentoring Programs (U.K.) Peers Young Adult Offenders

Author: Heilbrunn, Joanna Zorn Title: The Costs and Benefits of Three Intensive Interventions with Colorado Truants Summary: In recent years, truancy has become a focus of policy discussions across the country. School districts, juvenile court, and police departments across the map are trying new methods to keep children in school1. There are several good reasons for this. At a minimum, a truant child is likely to be ill-prepared for skilled work, an increasingly serious problem given the shrinking demand for unskilled labor in the United States. One undereducated individual has a personal problem, but when urban areas are home to large numbers of residents who lack a high school diploma, the problem becomes both social and economic. On one hand, the business community has been vocal about the difficulty of finding an adequately trained workforce. On the other hand, United States residents who are unable to earn an adequate living look to various welfare programs for help, such as income assistance (TANF), Medicaid, Food Stamps, and Women, Infants and Children (WIC). These programs are funded by taxpayers, many of whom are reluctant contributors. Furthermore, research has consistently shown problems with school to be a risk factor for drug and alcohol use and for involvement with the juvenile justice system. Although it would be inaccurate and unfair to characterize all, or even most, truants as delinquents, it is quite accurate to recognize that a majority of criminals begin their careers of social deviance with truancy. Truancy is a red flag that may signal any of a number of problems in a child's home, ranging from poverty, to mental health, to physical abuse. And it warns of a child who is undaunted by breaking the social convention of school attendance, and who has time on his or her hands. Such a youth may be ripe for induction into criminal or self-destructive activity. Despite the new trend toward truancy reduction, and the general belief that truancy is a precursor to other more serious problems, little research has been done regarding the effectiveness of truancy reduction approaches, or their relative costs and benefits. Most published information to date tends to be more descriptive than analytical. This paper begins to fill that gap by reporting the costs and the estimated benefits of three truancy reduction programs in Colorado: The Adams County Truancy Reduction Project, the Denver Truancy Reduction Demonstration Project, and Pueblo's Project Respect. These three programs are of interest both for the diversity and the similarity of their approaches. All three treat truancy as a family problem, and rely on intensive case management intervention with the family. All try to be advocates for the families, and build upon the families' strengths, rather than take a punitive approach. All make frequent use of referrals to outside agencies, such as health clinics or drug and alcohol rehabilitation providers, and they make communication with these service providers part of their regular process. Yet they differ markedly in terms of their budget, scope, and where they fall in the larger picture of school, district, and court policy. The Adams County project is court-initiated. It is available to all the school districts in the county as an alternative to the regular court system; some of the districts choose to use the program, and some do not. The Denver project is run by the Community Assessment Center, and is an add-on to a much larger district-run truancy reduction effort. Both these interventions follow several levels of school and district-sponsored efforts, and come as a last resort before initiating court proceedings. The Pueblo project is wide-scale, with a large budget, and is active in every Title One school in Pueblo's urban school district. This project is school-based, and constitutes the universe of intervention efforts made prior to a court appearance. The Denver program focuses on middle school students, while the other programs are available to children of all grade levels. A thorough description of each of these programs may be found in Appendices A through C at the end of this report. This paper shows that the costs of each of the three truancy reduction projects, and each of the three court systems, pale in comparison to the enormous costs of high school failure and of juvenile delinquency. In light of the benefits of high school graduation, all the approaches to truancy reduction reviewed here likely pay for themselves many times over. Neither the court approach nor the case management models are shown to be demonstrably better than the other. It is most likely that the best model includes a court system that works in conjunction with social workers and school districts to provide a coherent and consistent approach to truancy in which children are not allowed to slip through the cracks. Details: Denver, CO: National Center for School Engagement, 2003. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 26, 2015 at: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.509.453&rep=rep1&type=pdf Year: 2003 Country: United States URL: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.509.453&rep=rep1&type=pdf Shelf Number: 130048 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Family Interventions School Attendance Status Offenders Truancy Truants

Author: Moodie, Kristina Title: I can see them being kids: an evaluation of the 'Referral Process' of Youth Advantage Outreach Summary: Youth Advantage Outreach is a collaborative venture by the Army in Scotland and Police Scotland. The purpose is to provide an adventurous and challenging course using Army experience which is targeted at youth who have come to the attention of police as a result of offending or risk-taking behaviour. Several five-day residential courses are offered each year, in different locations in Scotland for mixed-sex groups of up to 40 young people aged 14 to 17. The Centre for Youth and Criminal Justice (CYCJ) was invited by the Scottish Government to undertake a study to examine perceptions of value of the experience among a sample of referrers. Interviews were conducted with 12 individuals and one group, who work either for YAO or with YAO. This evaluation, written by Kristina Moodie (Research Associate at CYCJ), reports on the findings. Details: Glasgow: Centre for Youth & Criminal Justice, 2014. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 2, 2015 at: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/YAO-final-report-040215.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/YAO-final-report-040215.pdf Shelf Number: 135849 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Disadvantaged Youth

Author: Simon, Thomas R. Title: Changing Course: Preventing Youth From Joining Gangs Summary: The consequences of gangs - and the burden they place on the law enforcement and public health systems in our communities - are significant. People who work in the fields of public health and public safety know that efforts to address the problem after kids have already joined gangs are not enough. To realize a significant and lasting reduction in youth gang activity, we must prevent young people from joining gangs in the first place. Here are some things we know from the research: -The large majority of kids who join a gang do so at a very early age - between 11 and 15 years old. -Joining a gang is part of a life course; therefore, it is important to understand the risk factors for children starting at birth. -Strong families are a major protective factor in preventing kids from joining gangs. -Very early prevention efforts - including programs focusing on low-income pregnant mothers and families with young children - show promising results. -Communities - not just classrooms - should be regarded as a valuable resource for reaching kids at risk of joining gangs. -Girls join gangs in large numbers; therefore, some prevention efforts should address gender-specific concerns. NIJ and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) formed a partnership to publish a book, Changing Course: Preventing Gang Membership. Written by some of the nation's top criminal justice and public health researchers, Changing Course offers evidence-based principles that can halt the cascading impact of gangs on youth, families, neighborhoods and society at large. The goal of the book (and a separate executive summary publication) is to help policymakers who make decisions about the best use of taxpayer dollars - and practitioners who work in the trenches, such as law enforcement officers, teachers and community services providers - understand what the research says about keeping kids out of gangs. Each chapter includes an In the Spotlight section, which highlights interviews with practitioners who describe their personal experiences. Each chapter also includes a discussion of policy implications. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice, 2013. 166p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 2, 2015 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/239234.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/239234.pdf Shelf Number: 130002 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Gangs Youth Gangs

Author: Swaner, Rachel Title: Protect, Heal, Thrive: Lessons Learned from the Defending Childhood Demonstration Program Summary: In order to address the high prevalence of children's exposure to violence, eight sites around the country were selected by the Department of Justice for the Defending Childhood Demonstration Program. This national initiative aims: 1) to prevent children's exposure to violence; 2) to mitigate the negative impact of such exposure when it does occur; and 3) to develop knowledge and spread awareness about children's exposure to violence, both within and beyond the chosen pilot sites. The eight demonstration sites were tasked with developing and implementing comprehensive strategies that could include both universal and targeted prevention programs; case management and treatment interventions for children who had been exposed to violence; community awareness and education; and professional training designed to increase the knowledge of children's exposure to violence, trauma-informed care, and the use of proven evidence-based or promising treatment practices. Part of the evaluation of the Defending Childhood Demonstration Program, this report is a cross-site synthesis of implementation strategies, lessons learned, and promising practices in six of the eight sites: Boston, MA; Chippewa Cree Tribe, Rocky Boy's Reservation, MT; Cuyahoga County, OH; Grand Forks, ND; Rosebud Sioux Tribe, SD; and Shelby County, TN. This mixed-method study included three primary data collection methods: 1) multiple site visits involving interviews with key stakeholders and observations of meetings or events at each site; 2) quarterly site implementation reports tracking quantitative program outputs; and 3) document review of important planning documents, program records, and other materials. The Defending Childhood sites made decisions about their strategies using their own needs assessments; discussions among their collaborative bodies; and informal evaluations of implementation feasibility. Program models vary greatly by site; however, general themes and lessons emerged as all of the sites worked to tackle children's exposure to violence. Based on the identified findings and lessons, this report provides 58 distinct recommendations, which sub-divide into recommendations for: (1) other jurisdictions, (2) tribal sites, (3) funders, (4) technical assistance providers, and (5) evaluators who may be studying similar initiatives. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, 2015. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 3, 2015 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/248882.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/248882.pdf Shelf Number: 135856 Keywords: Children and Violence Children Exposed to Violence Defending Childhood Initiative Delinquency Prevention

Author: KPMG Title: Research and Evaluation of Youth Intervention Schemes: Final Report Summary: KPMG was commissioned by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to research the effectiveness of youth intervention schemes in diverting young people away from becoming involved in sectarian activities, civil disorders or other crimes. The research aimed to:  Review existing research and evaluations of youth intervention schemes in Northern Ireland (NI) and elsewhere.  Evaluate intervention programmes in operation to determine "what works‟ in relation to deterring young people from becoming involved in disorder and crime. This could include intervention schemes currently in operation in NI and a desktop review of schemes elsewhere in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland.  Conduct field research to seek the views of young people who have recently been involved in summer youth intervention schemes here and also to obtain the views of young people who tend not to engage positively with voluntary, community or statutory organisations offering intervention programmes. This report provides a review of existing research and evaluations of seven youth intervention schemes in NI. Details: Belfast: Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, 2009. 198p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9, 2015 at: http://www.ofmdfmni.gov.uk/annex_a__research_and_evaluation_of_youth_intervention_schemes__final_version_march_2010_.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.ofmdfmni.gov.uk/annex_a__research_and_evaluation_of_youth_intervention_schemes__final_version_march_2010_.pdf Shelf Number: 135986 Keywords: Antisocial Behavior At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Interventions

Author: Gupte, Jaideep Title: Can Targeted Transition Services for Young Offenders Foster Pro-Social Attitudes and Behaviours in Urban Settings? Evidence from the Evaluation of the Kherwadi Social Welfare Association's Yuva Parivartan ProgrammeJaideep Summary: Can targeted preventive action and access to employment for school dropouts act as a preventive measure against delinquency and crime? Kherwadi Social Welfare Association's Yuva Parivartan (Youth Betterment) programme is evaluated through a mixed-methods approach on the following five programme-specific Sub-Questions (SQs): SQ1: Is the Yuva Parivartan (YP) programme effective at imparting on youth a set of prosocial values that are consistent with job-seeking and crime-avoidance behaviours? SQ2: Are the benefits of the YP programme reaching the population who self-report committing a crime? SQ3: Does the YP programme lead to pro-social behavioural changes? SQ4: Is there a relationship between attitudes towards aggressive and/or violent behaviour, entitlement, anti-social intent and employment outcomes? SQ5: Does the YP programme manage to instill a feeling of confidence among the trainees about their future prospects of finding a job? The evaluation design enables a critical comparison of employment outcomes and behavioural changes among cohorts of school dropouts varying by time since participating in the vocational training programme. Results are interpreted in conjunction with detailed indepth narratives describing the experiences of young offenders as well as key insights into the perceptions of programme effectiveness. The sample comprised 1,207 youth (average age of 20 years), who were either aspiring to enroll in the programme, were currently enrolled, or had graduated from the programme up to three years prior to the survey. Respondents within each group were randomly selected from a roster of all programme participants past, present and prospective across urban Maharashtra. Details: Brighton, UK: Institute of Development Studies, 2015. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Evidence Report no. 136: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/123456789/6167/ER136_CanTargetedTransitionServicesforYoungOffendersFosterPro-SocialAttitudesandBehavioursinUrbanSettings.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2015 Country: India URL: http://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/123456789/6167/ER136_CanTargetedTransitionServicesforYoungOffendersFosterPro-SocialAttitudesandBehavioursinUrbanSettings.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 136010 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Employment Programs Jobs Juvenile Offenders School Dropouts Youthful Offenders

Author: Jensen, Elise Title: Building a Safer Tomorrow: A Process Evaluation of Grand Forks County Defending Childhood Initiative Summary: Safer Tomorrows, the Grand Forks Defending Childhood Initiative, was unique in its implementation of universal prevention programming in Grand Forks County schools, extending to all students (pre-kindergarten through high school) in public, private, and rural schools. The programs addressed multiple forms of violence (e.g., bullying, dating violence); strategies for preventing violence; fostering healthy positive relationships with others; and improving personal social-emotional health. Other components of Safer Tomorrows included trauma-informed treatment for children exposed to violence; community awareness strategies tailored to the local sports culture; and training of professionals on topics related to children's exposure to violence and trauma. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, 2015. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/Grand_Forks_0.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/Grand_Forks_0.pdf Shelf Number: 136023 Keywords: Children and Violence Children Exposed to Violence Defending Childhood Initiative Delinquency Prevention

Author: Swaner, Rachel Title: "We Have the Power to Stop the Violence": A Process Evaluation of Cuyahoga County's Defending Childhood Initiative Summary: As part of the U.S. Attorney General's Defending Childhood Demonstration Program, eight sites around the country were funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the Office of Violence Against Women to use a collaborative process to develop and implement programming to address children's exposure to violence in their communities. Cuyahoga County, Ohio was chosen as one of these sites, and, since 2010, has received over $3 million in federal funding for this initiative. Led by the Witness/Victim Service Center at Cuyahoga County's Department of Public Safety & Justice Services, the Cuyahoga County Defending Childhood Initiative (CCDCI) created a streamlined screening, assessment, and service system implemented county-wide for children ages 0-18 who have been exposed to violence and are experiencing trauma symptoms. Smaller initiative components included two targeted evidence-based/promising prevention programs (Adults and Children Together; Families and Schools Together) in high-risk neighborhoods; community awareness and education campaigns; and professional training activities. The county-wide system for treating children who have been exposed to violence represented a system-level reform that was unique to the Cuyahoga County Defending Childhood Initiative. The first step in the system focuses on identification and screening. A short, one-page screener was created for children seven years of age and younger (completed by the caregiver) and for children eight years of age and older (completed by the child). The Juvenile Court and the Department of Children and Family Services are the primary screening agencies. If a child screens as having been exposed to violence or trauma, it leads to a referral to a newly created Central Intake and Assessment office for a full assessment, the second step in the system. If the child screens positive on the full assessment, the child is then referred to the final step in the system: appropriate evidence-based treatment services such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Parent Child Interaction Therapy, administered by a CCDCI contracted agency. Although there were barriers and challenges to implementation for each program component, the CCDCI can be potentially viewed as a model for a countywide streamlined screening, assessment, and service system to systematically address children's exposure to violence. The high level of detail and sophistication in many of the strategies in Cuyahoga County could provide other cities with a clear roadmap and guidance for replication. However, it is unknown whether or not Cuyahoga County's strong preexisting service infrastructure, interdisciplinary collaboration, and local research capacity may be found in comparable cities. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, 2015. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/Cuyahoga.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/Cuyahoga.pdf Shelf Number: 136024 Keywords: Children and Violence Children Exposed to Violence Defending Childhood Initiative Delinquency Prevention

Author: Ayoub, Lama Hassoun Title: Tackling Urban Inequalities: A Process Evaluation of the Boston Defending Childhood Initiative Summary: The Boston Defending Childhood Initiative centralized the importance of racial/social justice and health equity during planning and implementation in nearly every approach for addressing children's exposure to violence. Specific strategies included funding community health centers to provide treatment for children exposed to violence; funding local community organizations to implement family nurturing programs; creating a youth-led and produced web series to raise awareness about violence; and engaging professionals (e.g., through "learning communities") in long-term training on topics related to trauma-informed care and evidence-based therapeutic interventions. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, 2015. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/Boston_0.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/Boston_0.pdf Shelf Number: 136025 Keywords: Children and Violence Children Exposured to Violence Defending Childhood Initiative Delinquency Prevention

Author: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales Title: Youth offending teams: making the difference for children and young people, victims and communities: final report Summary: Introduction 1.1 The YJB is a non-departmental public body created by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to oversee, monitor and lead the youth justice system in England and Wales. The statutory aim of the youth justice system is to prevent offending by children and young people. 1.2 Youth offending teams (YOTs) are multi-agency partnerships that deliver youth justice services locally. The YJB sets standards in youth justice services and monitors YOTs' performance. YOTs are funded by their statutory partners and receive an annual grant from central government administered and overseen by the YJB. 1.3 Over February and March 2015 YJB Board members undertook a series of visits to a representative sample of 20 YOTs in parallel with and to complement the Ministry of Justice's 'stocktake' through providing a more qualitative contextual analysis. The purpose of the visits was to deepen our understanding of how YOTs have evolved, and to explore examples of good practice and innovation. This report outlines our key findings. Details: London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 15, 2015 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/445271/Board_Visits_Final_Report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/445271/Board_Visits_Final_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 136067 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Justice Juvenile Justice System Juvenile Offenders

Author: Mitchell, Mary Title: Keeping Youth Away from Crime: Searching for Best European Practices Summary: Scotland is a small country with a commitment to social justice and inclusion, and public policy aims to respect the rights of children and young people. Current policy trends in Scotland include: emphasising early intervention rather than provision at the point of crisis; investing in early years services; integrated working across services for children; and holding services accountable by outcomes, rather than focusing on processes. There is much in Scottish children's services to celebrate, but equally much that is in need of improvement. Scotland is around the OECD average in terms of inequality in PISA outcomes. There is a wide gap in pupil attainment linked to social deprivation. Pupils with additional support needs and from deprived neighbourhoods are significantly more likely than others to be excluded from school. The Scottish Children's Hearings systems emphasises welfare rather than punitive approaches, and secure accommodation is used only rarely. However, the rate of imprisonment of 18-25 year olds in Scotland is one of the highest in Europe. The Getting it Right for Every Child programme emphasises inter-agency and preventative approaches, but there has as yet been no national evaluation of its effectiveness. Overall, levels of economic inequality in Scotland are high, and whilst children's services can ameliorate some of the difficulties that inevitably arise, major social change will require a fairer distribution of national economic and social resources. Details: Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh, Centre for Research in Education Inclusion and Diversity, 2015. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 16, 2015 at: http://www.docs.hss.ed.ac.uk/education/creid/Reports/33i_Providus_report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.docs.hss.ed.ac.uk/education/creid/Reports/33i_Providus_report.pdf Shelf Number: 136085 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders

Author: Van Vleet, Russell K. Title: Analysis of West Valley City Comprehensive Gang Model Survey Results Summary: The West Valley City Comprehensive Gang Model Steering Committee (WVC Steering Committee) is currently in the process of implementing the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's (OJJDP) Comprehensive Gang Model. The Criminal and Juvenile Justice Consortium (CJJC) at the College of Social Work at the University of Utah was asked by the Utah Board of Juvenile Justice (UBJJ) to assist the WVC Steering Committee in the analysis and summary of surveys obtained during the assessment phase. Through ongoing collaboration with UBJJ and the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ), CJJC conducts scientifically based research and evaluations on existing and potential criminal and juvenile justice policies and programs to move research and evaluation in Utah to a new level. Partnership with the WVC Steering Committee during the assessment phase of the Comprehensive Gang Model exemplifies CJJC's purpose and mission. OJJDP's Comprehensive Gang Model is based on research conducted by Dr. Irving Spergel at the University of Chicago in the early 1990's (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention [OJJDP], 2002). Five core strategies have emerged from this empirically tested research. They are: 1) community mobilization, 2) social intervention, including street outreach, 3) provision of opportunities, 4) suppression, and 5) organizational change. The implementation of these strategies must be based on "a thorough assessment of the current gang problem in the community, its potential causes, and contributing factors." The initial step in a community's implementation of the Gang Model includes the formation of a steering committee that includes members from law enforcement, youth corrections and courts, schools, youth and family agencies, business leaders, the faith community, grass-roots representatives and residents. Next, the steering committee needs to conduct a thorough assessment to "identify the most serious and prevalent gang-related problems" and "target group(s) for prevention, intervention, and suppression efforts." The Gang Model includes the following tools for communities to utilize in their assessment phase: Student Surveys, School Staff Perceptions Interviews (can also be conducted as surveys), Community Leader Interviews (can also be conducted as surveys), and Community Resident Surveys (OJJDP, 2002). This report presents the results obtained from those four surveys conducted by the WVC Steering Committee. Details: Salt Lake City, UT: Criminal and Juvenile Justice Consortium, College of Social Work, University of Utah, 2005. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 20, 2015 at: http://ucjc.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/591.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United States URL: http://ucjc.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/591.pdf Shelf Number: 136116 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Gangs Youth Gangs

Author: United States. Executive Office of the President Title: Economic Costs of Youth Disadvantage and High-Return opportunities for Change Summary: The President believes that, in America, everyone should be empowered to make of their lives what they will - not limited by the circumstances of their birth. But today, millions of American youth face persistent gaps in opportunity that prevent them from reaching their potential and contributing fully to their communities and the economy. These disparities affect not only individuals, but our economy as a whole, through lost productivity and economic potential. In order for the United States to successfully compete in a 21st-century global economy, all of America's youth must have the opportunity to be safe, healthy, educated, and prepared to succeed in their careers. It's simple: to win in our new economy, America needs to field a full team. This report examines the barriers that disadvantaged youth, particularly young men of color, face and quantifies the enormous costs this poses to the U.S. economy. In particular, this report focuses on the significant disparities in education, exposure to the criminal justice system, and employment that persist between young men of color and other Americans. In addition to their vast human cost, the opportunity gaps facing youth of color hold back the U.S. economy, lowering aggregate earnings, shrinking the labor market, and slowing economic growth. This report outlines why it is important for our Nation - from business, faith and civic leaders to local law enforcement - to invest in the lives of our Nation's young people. In launching the My Brother's Keeper initiative, the President and his entire Administration are doing just that. By tackling a range of issues, from ensuring children are able to read at grade level to preparing young people for college and career readiness and to finding ways to decrease the number of young people involved with the criminal justice system, President Obama is ensuring that his Administration is meeting the needs of all youth. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Executive Office of the President, 2015. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2015 at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/mbkreport_final.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/mbkreport_final.pdf Shelf Number: 136128 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Disadvantaged Youth

Author: University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School, Center for Studies in Criminology and Criminal Law Title: Understanding the "Whys" Behind Juvenile Crime Trends Summary: By examining national trends in serious violence, one gains a better understanding of why juvenile crime dropped so dramatically during the 1990s and remained relatively low for at least a decade. While most would agree that the decrease actually occurred, there still are those who contend that the drop (or its continuation) is largely an artifact of manipulation of crime statistics by some police departments and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (Karmen, 2000). Measuring the decrease through multiple lenses should put this speculation to rest. Disaggregating overall trends in serious juvenile crime informs the use of more rigorous analytical methods for identifying and isolating factors that preceded or accompanied the drop in crime. To the extent that the decrease was greater for some types of crime than others, greater among some populations, or greater in some specific places, that helps narrow the range of possible explanations. If the crime drop occurred disproportionately in large central cities, for example, then the search for explanations could focus on those places and determine what it is about them that could have precipitated their more pronounced decreases. Finally, the crime trends can be used to check on the adequacy of the explanations emerging from more sophisticated analysis. Factors identified from theory and more fine-grained analysis as the likely causes of crime drop must be shown to fit the national crime trends during that period. That is, these factors must be shown to (1) have a likely effect on crime; (2) be of sufficient magnitude or prevalence that changes in them could account for a substantial portion of the drop; and (3) be distributed in the population, over time, and across places in a manner that would account for the observed trends. The description of crime trends presented here, then, will not only suggest where to look for explanations but also test whether the factors identified in other analyses could have produced the decreases observed. The intent of this project is to meet a specific need in juvenile justice policy analysis rather than provide a comprehensive review of all scientific literature on causes of juvenile crime. This book has five chapters, Chapters 2-5, which will be summarized in the remainder of this chapter: - Chapter 2 establishes the groundwork for the subsequent three, using data from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) and the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) to describe Nation-level trends in serious juvenile crime. - Chapter 3 accounts for trends in measurable conditions and processes in communities which, combined, contribute to national trends in serious and violent juvenile delinquency. - Chapter 4 focuses primarily on the cultural processes that influence families and, in turn, children's involvement in delinquency. It examines both risk and protective cultural factors related to family, school, religiosity, the legitimacy of the criminal justice system, violence in the media, use of firearms, and gang membership. - Chapter 5 includes evaluations of the impact of various public policies and practices on juvenile crime trends. Details: Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 2012. 170p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2015 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/248954.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/248954.pdf Shelf Number: 136133 Keywords: Crime Statistics Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Crime Trends Juvenile Justice Policy Juvenile Offenders

Author: Burdick, Katherine Title: Building Brighter Futures: Tools for Improving Academic and Career/Technical Education in the Juvenile Justice System Summary: Youth typically enter juvenile justice placements with significant educational deficits. Nationally, as many as two-thirds of youth drop out of school after release from juvenile facilities. This publication examines one particular initiative that has shown great success in combating this problem - the Pennsylvania Academic and Career/Technical Training Alliance (PACTT). PACTT's model suggests that, despite the inevitable stress and disruption of juvenile placement, thoughtful interventions can help youth to get back on track. Details: Philadelphia: Juvenile Law Center, 2015. 155p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 24, 2015 at: http://www.jlc.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdfs/Building-Better-Future-PACTT-ToolKit-4.2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.jlc.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdfs/Building-Better-Future-PACTT-ToolKit-4.2015.pdf Shelf Number: 136158 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Education Juvenile Offenders Vocational Education and Training

Author: Laliberte, D. Title: Results of Crime Prevention Programs for 12 to 17 Year Olds Summary: One of the fundamental objectives of Public Safety (PS) Canada's crime prevention activities is to assist those responsible for the implementation and delivery of crime prevention in making the best informed decisions. In order to achieve this objective, Public Safety Canada develops and disseminates practice-oriented knowledge on effective and cost-effective preventative interventions. In turn, this is done through rigorous impact evaluation studies of selected community-based prevention projects funded by PS to determine what works, how it works and at what cost (Smith-Moncrieffe, Lauzon and Jobin, 2008). Through the program funding made available under the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS), Public Safety Canada supports the implementation of community-based projects that respond to specific priorities such as youth gangs, youth violence and bullying. Most of these community-based projects aim to implement interventions that address criminogenic (risk) factors that are known to be related to an increased likelihood of offending, and protective factors that decrease this probability.Footnote 1 These projects aim to test programs that have been evaluated in other countries, but their effectiveness is not known in Canada. The NCPS also evaluates projects that are innovative or promising to better understand what elements of the interventions are evidence-based.Footnote 2 Since 2008, PS has focused most of its efforts on developing knowledge of effective practices in the following domains: early risk factors among at-risk children and youth; youth gangs; recidivism among high risk groups; and prevention in Aboriginal communities. The particular focus on children and youth is explained by well-established knowledge that discernible risk factors can be identified when children enter school, that the earlier the intervention the larger the benefits, and that if nothing is done, a proportion of these children will be at risk of entering into chronic delinquency patterns. Furthermore, delinquency peaks at age 18, and so it is very appropriate that preventative interventions would largely focus on this group.Footnote 3 Using the knowledge base of effective practices developed in other countries, especially in the USA, PS funded crime prevention projects aimed to replicate and evaluate promising and model programs in Canada, focusing on this group of the population. Wherever possible, similar interventions were implemented and evaluated in multiple sites. Overall, since 2010, PS has been conducting 11 evaluation studies of 10 different models implemented for 12 to 17 year olds in 16 different sites across Canada (see names of programs, locations and dates in Table 1). The following programs have been tested: Alternative Suspension; Intervention Rethink Refocus Reintegrate; Prevention Intervention Toronto; Multisystemic Therapy; Programme de suivi intensif de Montreal / Gangs de rue; Youth Inclusion Program; Leadership and Resiliency; Velocity; Life Skills Training; and Towards No Drugs. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, National Crime Prevention Centre, 2015. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report: 2015-R006: Accessed August 8, 2015 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/rslts-crm-prvntn-12-17/rslts-crm-prvntn-12-17-eng.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/rslts-crm-prvntn-12-17/rslts-crm-prvntn-12-17-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 136370 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile Offenders

Author: Vaswani, Nina Title: Systemic Practice and Family Interventions: Two-Year Course Evaluation: 2013 to 2015 Summary: This report, written by CYCJ's Research Fellow Nina Vaswani, presents the findings from a two-year evaluation of the Systemic Practice in Family Interventions Course delivered by the Family Therapy Training Network. The course was, in part, funded by the Scottish Government to increase capacity and skills in family therapy among the youth justice workforce, with the aim of supporting young people and families to reduce offending and improve outcomes. Mapping on to Kirkpatrick's model of training, the evaluation explores participants' experiences, learning, impact on practice and begins to briefly consider any impact on outcomes. Details: Glasgow: Centre for Youth and Criminal Justice, 2015. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2015 at: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/SPFI-Course-Evaluation-2013-15.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/SPFI-Course-Evaluation-2013-15.pdf Shelf Number: 136637 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Family Interventions

Author: Werblow, Jacob Title: Continuing the Dream: The Effect of Kingian Nonviolence on Youth Affected by Incarceration Summary: The ThinKING program was presented as a three-week course in Kingian Nonviolence to self-selected high school students enrolled in the City of Hartford's Summer Youth Employment and Learning Program (SYELP). Thirty-two students, nearly half of which were children of incarcerated parents (CIP) and many of whom had an incarcerated family member, enrolled during the summer of 2012. The Connecticut Center for Nonviolence (CTCN) developed the ThinKING curriculum based off the Kingian nonviolence Leaders Manual (LaFayette & Jehnsen, 1995). Youth participating in the program received over 80 hours of instruction, involving Kingian Nonviolence Conflict Reconciliation curriculum (level-I), daily arts enrichment, and weekly structured group therapy conversations about incarceration and violence. Twenty-six students successfully completed the program and received certification in Thinking Level-I Kingian Nonviolence Conflict Reconciliation. Pre-and post-test results strongly indicate that the three-week program significantly increased intentions to use nonviolent strategies for the youth and also increased youth's self-efficacy, including confidence in their ability to stay out of fights. After completing the three-week training, youth were 92% less likely to define violence as only a physical act and 81% more likely to describe violence as something that is both physical and nonphysical (both). When asked, "The last time you were in a serious conflict situation, what was the conflict about? How did you respond?" There was no change in the number of students who responded with physical violence; however, there was a 325% increase in the number of participants reporting that they had deescalated the conflict, and a 75% reduction in the number of participants who said they had escalated the situation. These findings suggest that the ThinKING program is a promising strategy for violence prevention for youth with incarcerated parents or family members. Details: New Haven, CT: Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy and the Connecticut Center for Nonviolence, 2013. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 18, 2015 at: http://www.ctcip.org/publications/imrp/ Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.ctcip.org/publications/imrp/ Shelf Number: 136828 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Children of Prisoners Delinquency Prevention Violence Violence Crime Violence Prevention

Author: McNeil, Clare Title: Breaking Boundaries: Towards a 'Troubled Lives' programme for people facing multiple and complex needs Summary: Reviewing previous reforms to public services for socially excluded groups, this report makes the case for a locally-led and coordinated programme to support people with multiple and complex needs. While successive governments have promised to tackle the 'root causes' of social and economic disadvantage, public spending on individuals experiencing problems such as addiction, homelessness, offending and poor mental health is still largely reactive - funding expensive crisis care services rather than coordinated and preventative support. At a time when rising numbers of people are becoming socially excluded, the government is committed to finding ways to reduce the estimated $4.3 billion spent on 'troubled individuals' struggling with homelessness, addiction and mental health problem. The taxpayer is indeed meeting unnecessary costs as the result of spending that is focussed on expensive crisis care services, rather than on coordinated and preventative support that would deliver better results as well as value for money. Savings cannot be made, and outcomes cannot be improved, unless action is taken to reform the services that vulnerable and disadvantaged people rely on. Because services are set up to deal with single issues such as drug or alcohol misuse, homelessness or mental health, rather than addressing the various needs of the individual, multiple professionals are often working with the same person. The successful Troubled Families programme was developed precisely to address this problem. However, there is no framework for disadvantaged adults who do not meet the programme's criteria. In this report we examine what lessons can be learned from the successes and failures of previous attempts to reform public services for disadvantaged individuals. We review several decades' worth of reform to provide a range of insights to learn from and build on in formulating new policy approaches. Based on these lessons, we recommend that at the next spending review, the government chooses multiple and complex needs as one of a small number of priority issues for investment in local integration and service transformation. A new 'Troubled Lives' programme, based on the Troubled Families model of centrally driven but locally led reform for vulnerable groups, should be established, focussed on approximately a quarter of a million individuals who experience two or more of the following problems: homelessness, substance misuse and offending. Details: London: Institute for Public policy Research, 2015. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2015 at: http://www.ippr.org/files/publications/pdf/breaking-boundaries_Sep2015.pdf?noredirect=1 Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.ippr.org/files/publications/pdf/breaking-boundaries_Sep2015.pdf?noredirect=1 Shelf Number: 136895 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Community Based Programs Delinquency Prevention Disadvantaged Youth

Author: World Bank Title: Brazil: Youth at Risk in Brazil Summary: Brazilian young people are well on their way to becoming productive and contributing members of society. Three-quarters of young Brazilians surveyed responded that they are happy with themselves and with their lives. And they have the numbers to make substantial contributions to the present and future of their society -- 19 percent of the Brazilian population is aged 15 to 24 and Brazilian young people comprise one-third of the youth population of Latin America. This report is the first volume of a two-volume series. The second volume is a technical report that presents the statistical results in detail. This first volume summarizes the 100-page second volume. It gives a brief review of the report's empirical findings and of the correspondence to youth development policy and programming in Brazil. Details: Washington, DC: World Bank, 2007. 2 vols. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 2, 2015 at: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/7772 Year: 2007 Country: Brazil URL: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/7772 Shelf Number: 136938 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention

Author: National Center for School Engagement Title: Innovations in Truancy Prevention Practice: An Inventory of Selected Collaborations from around the United States Summary: In June 2004, The National Center for School Engagement (NCSE) was commissioned by the National Truancy Prevention Association (NTPA) to examine truancy programs nationwide1. The purpose of doing this research was to inform NTPA about best practices in court-based truancy reduction programs, identify truancy efforts that are currently in existence nationwide, and determine training needs for truancy programs. To do this, NCSE completed three phases of work which included creating and marketing an online database of truancy programs, completing in-depth programmatic exploration of court involved truancy efforts, and dissemination of results. The first phase of the NTPA project began with the development of an online database to capture information about truancy programs across the country and to aid in the identification of court involved truancy programs. NCSE actively marketed the online registration system, which appeared on the NCSE website at www.truancyprevention.org (currently named www.schoolengagement.org). As of March 20, 2005, 65 programs/projects were registered. Fifty-four percent (35) of the programs in the registry provide direct services to truants. Sixty-two of the 65 programs reported taking a family-wide approach to serving their clients. The three most common barriers these programs reported are poor parental involvement and communication, difficulties collaborating with schools and school staff, and funding and budget concerns. One-third of the programs in the registry receive funding through a combination of sources and 22% receive federal grants. The second phase was to gain an in-depth look into court-based truancy programs. To do this NCSE conducted 12 interviews with judges and staff of selected promising programs that were specifically court involved. The goals of these interviews were to obtain more detailed information of court-based programs, identify challenges they face, ascertain effective practices, and find out whom the programs serve. These programs serve truant youth in a variety of ways. However, seven of the 12 programs included in this study are similar in that the main practice is to identify truant youth who are typically not delinquent and hold weekly truancy courts with Judges at the students' schools. These programs are similar in many ways and are discussed as a group called "Truancy Court Programs". Each program addresses truancy in a unique way, but all attempt to identify and help meet the needs of the family as a whole, rather than just the student. The judges and program staff often perform similar roles. For instance, the judges and other court personnel in NE, GA, and both programs in WI primarily provide referrals to the program, participate in collaboration and are seen as partners, but do not necessarily lead the program. The judges in the "Truancy Court Programs" are more often seen as leaders of the program, are active weekly participants, act as catalysts for change, and coordinate the program. In all programs, collaboration with entities outside of the courts exists. Partners vary widely, but often include the schools, superintendents, law enforcement, and social and community services. Identifying best practices is difficult because most court-based truancy reduction efforts have neither time nor staff to engage in formal external evaluation. In fact, funding and evaluation needs, in addition to program development and stakeholder buy in, were the most common challenges identified by these programs. Regardless of the lack of formal evaluation, many programs do have access to attendance and court records, and some track these as indicators of success. The majority report improved attendance since the programs' inceptions, and all have anecdotal data about individual students' successes. Best practices were identified mainly through what the interviewees have experienced to have worked. Details: National Center for School Engagement, 2005. 107p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2015 at: http://schoolengagement.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/InnovationsinTruancyPreventionPracticeAnInventoryofSelectedCollaborationsfromaroundtheUnitedStates.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United States URL: http://schoolengagement.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/InnovationsinTruancyPreventionPracticeAnInventoryofSelectedCollaborationsfromaroundtheUnitedStates.pdf Shelf Number: 136973 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Problem-Solving Courts School Attendance Status Offenders Truancy

Author: Kronberga, IIona Title: Keeping Youth Away from Crime: Searching for Best European Practices. Summary Summary: Research "Keeping youth Away from Crime: Searching for Best European Practices" was one of the main results of a project with the same title. This research provides readers with a possibility to learn about legal framework of juvenile justice systems in 10 European countries, it gives an insight on how the tools and approaches foreseen in law work in practice. Most importantly, research addresses the issue of early prevention - what can be done to keep children away from entering the formal justice system and how it is done in Austria, Belgium, England and Wales, Italy, Scotland, Sweden, in the Netherlands and in all three Baltic states - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. From the very beginning of carrying out research, three main objectives were kept in mind: exploring of best European practices on how to work with and for children at risk and children in risk situations; promoting a unified understanding and practice among European countries while applying EU and other international recommendations on children wellbeing; and transforming the policy objectives into unified action. All these objectives were reached in the preparation process of research "Keeping youth Away from Crime: Searching for Best European Practices". In total, material consists of two volumes. First volume is dedicated to comparative report, ensuring an overview of different systems and identifying the common principles that are in place across the Europe. Second volume includes full-length national reports from each country. Research summary, as an additional reading material, is focused on practical part of the study with regards to what exactly is considered a good approach when working with children from risk groups and in risk situations. It enables the specialists working with and for children to look differently at the in risk situations. It enables the specialists working with and for children to look differently at the methods that are available for them and facilitating the change of attitude in a concentrated, targeted way. Details: Riga, Latvia: PROVIDUS, Centre for Public Policy, 2015. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2015 at: http://providus.lv/article_files/2947/original/keeping_eng.pdf?1431605555 Year: 2015 Country: Europe URL: http://providus.lv/article_files/2947/original/keeping_eng.pdf?1431605555 Shelf Number: 137033 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile Justice Systems

Author: International Juvenile Justice Observatory (IJJO) Title: Keeping Youth Away from Crime: Searching for the Best European Practices. Volume 2: Compendium of Ten Best European Practices Summary: The project has identified good practices working with children from risk groups and risk situations in 10 European countries. The output of this research consists of 10 national reports on these territories, as well as a comparative analysis, which as a whole provides a comprehensive study of best practices in the EU. Details: Brussels: IJJO, 2014. 512p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2015 at: http://providus.lv/article_files/2913/original/Volume_2_-_Compendium_of_Ten_Best_European_Practices.pdf?1428501072 Year: 2014 Country: Europe URL: http://providus.lv/article_files/2913/original/Volume_2_-_Compendium_of_Ten_Best_European_Practices.pdf?1428501072 Shelf Number: 137141 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency prevention Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile Delinquents

Author: Swaner, Rachel Title: An Outcome Evaluation of the Defending Childhood Demonstration Program Summary: The National Institute of Justice funded the Center for Court Innovation to evaluate the Defending Childhood Demonstration Program. The evaluation produced a series of reports on six of the program demonstration sites, as well as a cross-site report that synthesizes implementation strategies, lessons learned, and recommendations. This outcome evaluation presents the results of three distinct research strategies to assess the impact of local sites' community awareness campaigns, trainings offered to professionals, and treatment and prevention strategies related to children's exposure to violence. Results of the community survey point to potential positive impacts, including increased community understanding of what actions are considered violence at the non-tribal sites, and increased community awareness of the Defending Childhood Initiative and available services at the tribal sites. Results of the professional practices survey indicate that after attending a Defending Childhood-sponsored training, professionals' knowledge about children's exposure to violence, evidence-based practices, and vicarious trauma and self-care increased. Additionally, agencies reported incorporating more trauma-informed practices to treat children who have been exposed to violence. There were no changes in indicators for exposure to violence at school, home, and in the community before and after the implementation of the Defending Childhood Initiative. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, 2015. 136p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 5, 2015 at: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/Defending%20Childhood%20Outcome%20Evaluation.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/Defending%20Childhood%20Outcome%20Evaluation.pdf Shelf Number: 137200 Keywords: Children and Violence Children Exposed to Violence Defending Childhood Initiative Delinquency Prevention

Author: Manno, Michelle Title: Engaging Disconnected Young People in Education and Work. Findings from the Project Rise Implementation Evaluation Summary: Educational attainment and early work experience provide a crucial foundation for future success. However, many young adults are disconnected from both school and the job market. Neglecting these young people can exact a heavy toll on not only the individuals but also society as a whole, for example, through lost productivity and tax contributions, increased dependence on public assistance, and higher rates of criminal activity. Project Rise served 18- to 24-year-olds who lacked a high school diploma or the equivalent and had been out of school, out of work, and not in any type of education or training program for at least six months. After enrolling as part of a group (or cohort) of 25 to 30 young people, Project Rise participants were to engage in a 12-month sequence of activities centered on case management, classroom education focused mostly on preparation for a high school equivalency certificate, and a paid part-time internship that was conditional on adequate attendance in the educational component. After the internship, participants were expected to enter unsubsidized employment, postsecondary education, or both. The program was operated by three organizations in New York City; one in Newark, New Jersey; and one in Kansas City, Missouri. The Project Rise program operations and evaluation were funded through the federal Social Innovation Fund (SIF), a public-private partnership administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Mayor�s Fund to Advance New York City and the New York City Center for Economic Opportunity led this SIF project in collaboration with MDRC. Key Findings This report describes how the Project Rise program operated at each local provider, including the extent to which the participants were engaged and achieved desired outcomes. � Participants were attracted to Project Rise more by the education component than by the internship opportunity. � More than 91 percent of program enrollees attended at least some high school equivalency preparation or, less commonly, high school classes. On average, those who attended class received almost 160 hours of instruction. About 72 percent of enrollees began internships; over half of the internship participants worked more than 120 hours. � Although participants received considerable case management and educational and internship programming, the instability in participants� lives made it difficult to engage them continuously in the planned sequence of activities. Enrolling young people in cohorts with their peers, as well as support from case managers and other adult staff, seemed to help promote participant engagement. The education-conditioned internships appeared to have had a modest influence on encouraging engagement for some participants. � Within 12 months of enrolling in Project Rise, more than 25 percent of participants earned a high school equivalency credential or (much less commonly) a high school diploma; 45 percent of participants who entered with at least a ninth-grade reading level earned a credential or diploma. Further, about 25 percent entered unsubsidized employment in this timeframe. � It may be important to consider intermediate (or perhaps nontraditional) outcome measures in programs for disconnected young people, since such measures may reflect progress that is not apparent when relying exclusively on more traditional ones. Details: New York: MDRC, 2015. 190p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 6, 2015 at: http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/2015_Project_Rise_FR.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/2015_Project_Rise_FR.pdf Shelf Number: 137212 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Education Job Training

Author: Cannon, Ashley Title: Responding to Social Media Norms: Development a Comprehensive Strategy to Promote Digital Citizenship Summary: Social media has become a part of everyday life. All types of real-world behavior are now showcased online-including criminal behavior, bullying, threats and the glorification of violence. Increasingly, youth associated with antisocial peer groups-such as neighborhood-based "crews" engaging in violent rivalries-use social media as a tool to create criminal opportunities and amplify conflicts. Unfortunately, in many cases, this type of social media usage can lead to real-life violence or other serious ramifications, such as arrest. The Crime Commission is engaged in several initiatives that seek to provide social media users with tools and information to help them stay safe both on- and off-line, including the development of an innovative new program that trains antiviolence professionals as "E-Responders" to intervene and deescalate violence provoked on social media. As part of this work, this series, "Social Media & Real-World Consequences", provides readers with an overview of the ways youth are communicating on social media, the associated risks of these communications turning into real-world violence, and the range of legal, educational and professional consequences youth may face in the real-world. High-risk youth engage in numerous types of dangerous communication on social media, including threatening and taunting others (often those from rival crews), promoting their self-image and crew, mobilizing others for disorderly or criminal activity, and recruiting other youth to join their crew. These types of communication are highly visible and exist beyond private messages and chats. Status updates, comments, photos, and videos often contain content prohibited by platform providers; however, they remain on the sites, fueling conflict. Moreover, youth often use social media to acquire weapons for attacks and protection. These dangerous communications have an extremely high risk of going from virtual to violent, and often result in very serious consequences in the real-world. When these consequences include violence, such as fights and shootings, they are often immediately documented and discussed online, increasing the likelihood of retaliation and further perpetuating the cycle of street violence. Taunts, threats, and intimidation on social media often lead to in-person fights, which can have deadly consequences. Youth often post continuous information about their ongoing conflicts, including violent intentions prior to carrying out shootings. This was the case in the Bryant Park skating rink shooting in November 2013, as well as in a shooting that occurred at a house party in Brownsville in January 2014, in which a 16-year-old was killed. The Bedford-Stuyvesant bus shooting in March 2014, which led to the death of a straphanger, was instigated by months of taunting on social media between two rival crews. Beyond violence and victimization, these harmful behaviors can lead to a wide range of legal, educational and professional consequences in the real-world. For example, police use social media to help identify, track, and build cases against individuals, culminating in indictments, such as the June 2014 takedown of 103 youth in West Harlem. Schools, financial aid providers, and employers also use social media profiles as a form of background check when considering an individual for admission, scholarship, or employment, and to inform disciplinary actions-something many people are not aware of when they post recklessly on social media. Details: New York: Citizens Crime Commission on New York City, 2015. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Social Media & Real World Consequences, Volume II: Accessed January 25, 2016 at: http://www.nycrimecommission.org/pdfs/CCC-Social-Media-Vol2-Responding-To-Norms.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.nycrimecommission.org/pdfs/CCC-Social-Media-Vol2-Responding-To-Norms.pdf Shelf Number: 137653 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Online Communications Online Victimization Social Media Violence Violence-Prevention Violent Crime Youth Violence

Author: Millenky, Megan Title: Preventing Juvenile Justice Involvement for Young Women. An Introduction to an Evaluation of the PACE Center for Girls Summary: Involvement in the juvenile justice system has tremendous costs for the individuals within it, as well as for society. Such involvement may damage a child's relationships with friends and family, negatively affect mental health, and interrupt the academic progress and work experience that should accumulate during adolescence. On the societal level, the United States spends up to $88,000 per year on each individual placed in a juvenile corrections facility. Therefore, prevention or early intervention programs that help young people avoid involvement in the juvenile system in the first place offer a significant return on investment, and professionals in the field have focused on identifying and evaluating such promising approaches. Increasingly, girls are making up a larger proportion of those involved with the juvenile justice system. Although the juvenile confinement rate is declining, and juvenile arrest rates are slowing overall, girls are seeing less of an improvement than boys. Specifically, from 2001 to 2010 boys' arrest rates decreased by 26.5 percent, while girls' arrest rates decreased by only 15.5 percent. Yet the current juvenile justice system is not well positioned to meet the particular needs of girls, as most services are rooted in research based on the needs of boys. Girls at risk of juvenile delinquency have a specific profile that differs from that of their male counterparts: They are more often detained for non-serious offenses, such as truancy or violating probation, and more often enter the juvenile justice system with a history of physical or sexual abuse.6 According to a recent report by the Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality, "the juvenile justice system only exacerbates [the girls'] problems by failing to provide girls with services at the time when they need them most." One program that directly addresses this challenge is PACE Center for Girls. This "gender-responsive" program serving communities in Florida - perhaps the largest and most well-established of its kind - aims to prevent girls' involvement in the juvenile justice system. This brief describes an ongoing evaluation of PACE that will help policymakers and practitioners understand and strengthen the program's effects for at-risk girls on a range of outcomes, including education, delinquency, risky behavior, social support, and mental health. More broadly, the study will inform the national dialogue about how to better serve such girls. Details: New York: MDRC, 2016. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Brief: Accessed January 28, 2016 at: http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/Preventing_Juvenile_Justice_Involvement_2016.pdf?utm_source=MDRC+Updates&utm_campaign=af3e0f7338-January_28_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_504d5ac165-af3e0f7338-42214305 Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/Preventing_Juvenile_Justice_Involvement_2016.pdf?utm_source=MDRC+Updates&utm_campaign=af3e0f7338-January_28_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_504d5ac165-af3e0f7338-42214305 Shelf Number: 137698 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Female Delinquents Gender Specific Responses

Author: de Hoyos, Rafael Title: Out of School and Out of Work : Risk and Opportunities for Latin America's Ninis Summary: One in five youth aged 15 to 24 in Latin America is out of school and not working (ninis). Nearly 60 percent of ninis in the region are from poor or vulnerable households in the bottom 40 percent of the income distribution, and 66 percent are women. At the same time, it is men who account for the growth in 2 million ninis during the last 20 years. The study undertakes a comprehensive diagnosis quantifying the problem, develops a conceptual framework identifying the determinants of youths' choices, uses all the available data to test the theoretical implications, and reviews the evidence regarding interventions that have proven effective in keeping youth in school and helping them become employed. The findings of the study offer policy makers in the region with options to provide opportunities to the region's 20 million ninis. Details: Washington, DC: The World Bank, 2015. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2016 at: One in five youth aged 15 to 24 in Latin America is out of school and not working (ninis). Nearly 60 percent of ninis in the region are from poor or vulnerable households in the bottom 40 percent of the income distribution, and 66 percent are women. At the same time, it is men who account for the growth in 2 million ninis during the last 20 years. The study undertakes a comprehensive diagnosis quantifying the problem, develops a conceptual framework identifying the determinants of youths' choices, uses all the available data to test the theoretical implications, and reviews the evidence regarding interventions that have proven effective in keeping youth in school and helping them become employed. The findings of the study offer policy makers in the region with options to provide opportunities to the region's 20 million ninis. Year: 2015 Country: Latin America URL: One in five youth aged 15 to 24 in Latin America is out of school and not working (ninis). Nearly 60 percent of ninis in the region are from poor or vulnerable households in the bottom 40 percent of the income distribution, a Shelf Number: 137715 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Education Employment St-Risk Youth

Author: O'Connor, Robyn M. Title: What Works to Prevent Gang Involvement, Youth Violence and Crime: A Rapid Review of Interventions Delivered in the UK and Abroad Summary: This report was commissioned by the Home Office to further our understanding of what works to prevent gang involvement and youth violence. Since the Government's Ending Gang and Youth Violence programme began in 2011, it has had a strong emphasis on the importance of intervening at the earliest opportunity to prevent children and young people from getting involved in gangs and youth violence, and helping them to find ways out if they do become involved (HM Government, 2011). Our goal was to provide a brief overview of the international literature on effective and ineffective approaches aiming to prevent gang involvement and youth violence, and to identify specific preventative programmes with a good evidence base through a rapid assessment of previous programme evaluations conducted by other "what works" clearinghouses. From this, we sought to summarise some common features - or "key principles" - associated with what does and doesn't work. We leave to the next stage the task of assessing the specific costs and impacts of those programmes available in the UK, and assessing and recommending specific programmes. Overall, we identified 67 well-evidenced programmes, all implemented in the USA and nearly half in the UK, which aimed to prevent gang involvement, youth violence or associated problems such as youth offending, conduct disorder and delinquency. 54 of these programmes had been assessed as effective by the clearinghouses searched, whilst 13 were classified as ineffective. The features and activities associated with these programmes were largely consistent with the findings of the key systematic reviews and evidence assessments identified through our literature review. To maximise transparency, a list of the 67 programmes identified through our search is available in Appendix 3. At the time of publication, 18 programmes are also included in EIF's online Guidebook. Some of these are discussed in more detail in Section 3 as case studies, illustrating how the key principles we have identified are implemented in practice. A rating and detailed description are not provided for every programme, because we have not yet done our own assessment of their effectiveness and input costs. Whilst the clearinghouses searched provide very useful information about specific programmes, each presents different types of information that are not always strictly comparable, and not always fully up to date. Evidence and programmes change, so until we have tested the evidence in more detail we cannot provide an explicit assessment of all the programmes in this review. In the second phase of this work, the relevant programmes identified through this report will undergo detailed scrutiny and provider consultation to enable us to confirm an EIF rating and include information about these programmes in our online Guidebook. Details: London: Home Office, 2015. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2016 at: http://www.eif.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Final-R2-WW-Prevent-Gang-Youth-Violence-final.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.eif.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Final-R2-WW-Prevent-Gang-Youth-Violence-final.pdf Shelf Number: 137723 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Gangs Interventions Youth Gangs Youth Violence

Author: McLeod, Keith Title: Using Integrated Administrative Data to Identify Youth Who Are at Risk of Poor Outcomes as Adults Summary: This paper summarises findings from an analysis of integrated administrative data seeking to identify the characteristics of young people aged 15 to 24 who are most at risk of poor long-term outcomes. The research is part of a broader 'social investment approach' by government agencies seeking to target services more effectively towards those most at need and reflects the recognition that such an approach requires better evidence about who these at-risk groups are. The analysis identifies those characteristics in the administrative data that are most predictive of a range of future poor outcomes and how this changes over the course of a young person's entry into adulthood and identifies groups of young people at particular risk at different ages. Details: Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Treasury, 2015. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Analytical Paper 15/02: Accessed February 5, 2016 at: http://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/research-policy/ap/2015/15-02/ap15-02.pdf Year: 2015 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/research-policy/ap/2015/15-02/ap15-02.pdf Shelf Number: 137776 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Young Adults

Author: Kronberga, IIona Title: Social Inclusion: Preventive Measures of Childrens Anti-Social Behavior Summary: The results of our recent studies1 show that the reasons for juvenile delinquency appear much earlier than their obvious consequences which are already the subject for the intervention of law enforcement agencies. If we assume that adults have to take care of the child's development starting from his/her birth and ensure the environment that would be appropriate for such development, we have to admit that deformed or antisocial behaviour is the consequence of the lack of such care. Adults in particular are responsible for the fulfilment of the youngster's special development needs. It is significant to recognise that the juvenile delinquency as an act of socially deformed behaviour shows that the rights of the particular child have been previously violated and his/her interests have been disregarded or neglected. The lack of care and treatment, indifference, parents and other adults' unwillingness to understand and fulfil the child's needs lead to the commitment of a criminal act. Therefore it is important to develop such systems of prevention and justice within which it is possible already in the early years of the child's development to discover, recognise and prevent future situations where the child becomes an offender or a victim or even only starts behaving in a way that could be called antisocial - opposite to the ethical and normative requirements of the social life in the community. Details: Riga, Latvia: Providus, 2014. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 9, 2016 at: http://providus.foo.lv/upload_file/Publikacijas/Kriminalt/2014/Visi_raksti_ENG.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Europe URL: http://providus.foo.lv/upload_file/Publikacijas/Kriminalt/2014/Visi_raksti_ENG.pdf Shelf Number: 137814 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile Justice Systems

Author: Larkins, Cath Title: 'Just Putting Me on the Right Track': Young people's perspectives on what helps them stop offending Summary: HMI Probation (2011) found that that not enough attention has been given to the planning, delivery, and evaluation of interventions that tackle offending behaviour, suggesting that Youth Offending Teams need to access and make more use of information about what works in making interventions more effective and that better case planning is needed, together with training and development for practitioners. There is very little evidence of why particular interventions work and also a need for high quality research on "offenders" views on what helped or hindered them in giving up crime' (Sapouna 2011: 43). This research therefore aimed to: - build on existing understanding of what works in reducing reoffending - conduct participatory research to explore the relevance of these studies in the context of the lived experiences of young people in contact with YOT; - understand from young people's perspectives why particular interventions may work; - make recommendations regarding YOT practice as appropriate. The research was carried out by Cath Larkins and John Wainwright at The Centre for Children and Young People's Participation at the University of Central Lancashire School of Social Work. A literature review was presented to a core group of four young people in custody. They reflected on the themes in existing research and their own experience. They then developed participatory research activities. The researchers conducted these activities with a further 46 young people in contact with YOT. The research will be followed by an action planning process to consider how any strategic developments emerging from report might be implemented. Details: Preston, UK: University of Central Lancashire, 2014. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 10, 2016 at: http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/9483/1/Larkins%20and%20Wainwright%202014%20-%20right%20track%20PUBLISHED.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/9483/1/Larkins%20and%20Wainwright%202014%20-%20right%20track%20PUBLISHED.pdf Shelf Number: 137826 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Desistance Interventions Juvenile Offenders Rehabilitation

Author: Treskon, Louisa Title: What Works for Disconnected Young People: A Scan of the Evidence Summary: This paper was commissioned by the Youth Transition Funders Group in 2015. The purpose was to conduct a scan of the current state of the evidence regarding what works in helping disconnected young people, defined as the population of young people ages 16 to 24 who are not connected to work or school. To prepare the paper, MDRC conducted a literature review of relevant policies and programs. The literature reviewed included writing on impact, quasi-experimental, and implementation studies. MDRC also conducted reviews of numerous websites to learn about current policy trends and evaluations in process. To supplement what was learned from written materials, MDRC interviewed a number of practitioners in the field, including representatives from foundations, coalitions, and research organizations. The main findings of this scan are: -Policies affecting disconnected young people span a range of systems, including public schools; adult basic and secondary education; and the juvenile justice, foster care, and mental health systems. As a result services, funding, and research are often uncoordinated and fragmented, though collective impact or system-level approaches are attempting to combat these challenges. -Though program impacts may be modest or short-lived, successful programs share some common features. These include: opportunities for paid work and the use of financial incentives; strong links among education, training, and the job market; the use of youth development approaches; comprehensive support services; and support after programs end. -Programs share some common implementation challenges, including: outreach and enrollment practices that may limit the populations they serve; difficulties keeping young people engaged in a program long enough to benefit from it; staff turnover; and difficulties addressing young people's barriers to participation, particularly their lack of transportation and child care. -The field's understanding of what works in serving disconnected young people could advance significantly in the coming years, as more than a dozen evaluations of programs are currently under way, including evaluations of collective impact approaches. There are gaps in the existing services available: There are not enough programs for young people who are not motivated to reconnect to education or the job market on their own, nor for young people who have weak basic skills, especially those who have aged out of the public school system. The areas where there are gaps in services also tend to be areas where there is little evidence regarding what works. Details: New York: MDRC, 2016. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: MDRC Working Paper: Accessed February 25, 2016 at: http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/What_works_for-disconnected_young_people_WP.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/What_works_for-disconnected_young_people_WP.pdf Shelf Number: 137973 Keywords: At-Risk Juveniles At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Disadvantaged Youth

Author: Kotze, Kevin Title: More Care Less Court: Keeping Youth out of the Criminal Justice System Summary: New Brunswick's rate of youth charged for criminal offences has been decreasing since the enactment of Canada's youth crime legislation, the Youth Criminal Justice Act, in 2002. Yet still nearly a decade passed in our Province without corresponding progress being made in regard to the number of youths being sent to pre-trial detention and secure custody. Far too often it is the most vulnerable youths who are caught in the system - youths with mental health disorders, youths with addictions issues, youths with backgrounds as victims of abuse and neglect; homeless youth; youth with intellectual disabilities; youths from marginalized or minority identity groups. The good news is that New Brunswick has in the past few years begun to make real progress in youth criminal justice issues. The RCMP and their Community Program Officers, as well as municipal police forces, began to lead the way by increasingly diverting youth away from court and toward supports that can reduce their risk of further involvement in crime. However, it takes the work of many different stakeholders to address youth crime effectively, and it takes a system that is built to be responsive to the developmental needs of youth. Very recently, government's Provincial Crime Prevention and Reduction Strategy has worked with police and civil society to produce a Youth Diversion Model that addresses some of the root causes of youth crime. The model is in line with a shift toward an evidence-based child-rights focus that reflects not just what is easiest but what works best. This work deserves praise and holds much promise, but we must bear in mind it is only the beginning of the necessary shift. Much work is still to be done to keep youth from crime. Pre-trial detention rates and secure custody rates remain unduly high. Youth admissions to correction services as a whole in New Brunswick remain higher per capita than other provinces. Reaction must be in proportion to the gravity of the offence. Sentencing should be for the shortest time possible. Community-based sentences should be the usual route. Incarceration should be a last resort, normally reserved for serious violent offences. Only in the most serious cases should youth have to await trial while detained at the detention and secure custody facility. If New Brunswick can take a child-rights approach in all areas involving children and youth, we can lead the way in providing the means to allow children to develop positive senses of how they feel, think and act. This is what will keep youth out of the criminal justice system. The More Care Less Court report seeks to provide an overview of the youth criminal justice system in New Brunswick generally, and shed some light on some of the most apparent problems with the system. The report's recommendations intend to support the work of the Provincial Crime Prevention and Reduction Strategy, and suggest necessary improvements to the youth criminal justice system. Details: Fredericton, NB: Office of the Child and Youth Advocate, 2015. 173p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 16, 2016 at: https://www.gnb.ca/0073/Child-YouthAdvocate/MCLC-PAMP/MoreCareLessCourt.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: https://www.gnb.ca/0073/Child-YouthAdvocate/MCLC-PAMP/MoreCareLessCourt.pdf Shelf Number: 138251 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile Diversion Juvenile Justice Reform Juvenile Justice Systems Juvenile Offenders

Author: Semczuk, Megan Title: An analysis of the relationship between a community-based prevention program for young people with multiple and complex needs and the prevalence of crime Summary: Background There is an absence of high-quality evidence about which programs are most effective in reducing juvenile offending and crime recidivism. Aims This study identifies the most common types of police incidents involving high-risk young people, describes the demographic characteristics of the persons of interest, examines the extent to which a community prevention program (BackTrack) is associated with reductions in police incidents, and identifies the perceptions of key stakeholders about the impact of BackTrack. Methods Routinely collected crime data were obtained from 1999-2013 for Armidale (the BackTrack community). Descriptive analyses identified the most common incidents and their characteristics. Segmented regression analysis of an interrupted time series estimated BackTrack's impact, with segments specified for pre (1999-2005) and post (2006-2013) the commencement of BackTrack. A thematic analysis was applied the perceptions of police officers and the magistrate in Armidale. Results The most common types of police incidents were: break and enter dwelling; malicious damage to property; assault (non-domestic violence); and trespass. Most persons of interest were male, aged 14-17 years. A statistically significant reduction from pre- to post-commencement of BackTrack was identified for three outcomes (p≤0.05), while the fourth (break and enter) approached significance (p=0.055). A key perception was that outcomes are optimised when key stakeholders in community programs and the criminal justice system work together. Conclusions BackTrack appropriately targets high-risk young people and is effective in reducing the most common types of criminal incidents Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2012. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: NDARC Monograph Report Number 65: Accessed March 17, 2016 at: https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/NDARC%20Monograph%2065.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/NDARC%20Monograph%2065.pdf Shelf Number: 138310 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders

Author: Yahner, Jennifer Title: Arts Infusion Initiative, 2010-15: Evaluation Report Summary: In 2010, an ambitious model for social change emerged in Chicago that aimed to connect detained youth and those at risk for incarceration ("at-risk youth") to rigorous and engaging arts instruction, infused with social and emotional learning goals. Dubbed the Arts Infusion Initiative, the Chicago Community Trust ("the Trust") spearheaded and funded this five year, $2.5 million demonstration while earning cooperation from the local detention facility, public school system, community policing office, and community arts program leaders to integrate arts programming into youths' school and after school environments. Since its launch, the Arts Infusion Initiative2 has served more than 2,000 youth at an average annual cost of $700 per teen, linking them to high performing arts instruction associated with significant increases in social and emotional learning. This report marks the first large-scale evaluation of the Arts Infusion Initiative which was designed to: (1) assess the degree to which the project, as an emergent model for social change, was achieving its intended purposes and (2) generate actionable information for promoting effective Arts Infusion practices while redirecting those that have been less effective. To accomplish these objectives, from April to August 2015, the Urban Institute ("Urban"), in consultation with the National Guild for Community Arts Education ("the National Guild"), conducted a multi-method evaluation that drew on the following sources: 1. Five years of Arts Infusion documentation, including arts programs' teaching unit plans for infusing social and emotional skills instruction, proposals and final reports, assessments of youths' social and emotional progress, and knowledge sharing activities, attendance, and participant feedback; 2. Quantitative analysis of the initiative's 2014-15 social and emotional youth assessment data (n=320); 3. More than six dozen (n=73) interviews and focus groups with Arts Infusion instructors, program directors, youth participants, and community stakeholders; 4. An online survey assessing stakeholders' (n=45) perceptions of the initiative, conducted by Urban during the evaluation period; and 5. Observations of more than a dozen Arts Infusion classes, events, and performances, as well as artwork (music, poetry, dance, theatre, and visual art) produced by teen and young adult participants. Together, these data enabled Urban's researchers to investigate key questions about the initiative's evolution and impact. This report presents the evaluation's key findings and recommendations. It consists of six chapters. Following the first chapter's introduction, chapter 2 describes the importance of efforts such as the Arts Infusion Initiative as (1) an emergent model3 for social change, based on the principles of restorative justice and creative youth development and (2) as a means to help improve outcomes for detained youth and youth nationwide who live in at-risk, socioeconomically deprived environments affected by gangs, drugs, and violence. Chapter 3 defines the core components of the Arts Infusion Initiative as they evolved, including the arts activities and objectives of the 14 most recent participating programs and efforts by the Trust to link Arts Infusion practitioners to research guidance by convening knowledge sharing sessions and by funding consultations with an arts assessment expert. Chapter4 details the evaluation methods, research questions, and limitations, while chapter 5 explains the seven key evaluation findings (summarized following this paragraph), along with supportive evidence and examples. Finally, chapter 6 identifies several promising practice recommendations for the next phase of the Arts Infusion Initiative. Seven key findings that emerged from the Arts Infusion Initiative evaluation: 1. Arts Infusion youth participants showed statistically significant and substantial improvements in social and emotional learning skills, as measured by conflict resolution, future orientation, critical response, and career readiness. 2. Arts Infusion teaching artists with strong artistic knowledge and classroom management skills were 3. The Arts Infusion Initiative helped foster co-creations and collaborations between program directors, public schools, community policing, and the detention facility. 4. Arts Infusion knowledge sharing sessions and assessment consultations evolved to effectively provide professional development opportunities and increase the assessment capabilities of program directors and teaching artists. 5. Arts Infusion programs succeeded in exposing at-risk youth to new skills and technologies, providing confidence building experiences that opened their minds to a positive future. 6. Arts Infusion programs experienced challenges connecting to and engaging youth after their release from detention. 7. Arts Infusion programs served nearly 750 at-risk youth in 2014-15 at an average cost of $700 per teen; JTDC based programs cost $600 per teen, and community based programs cost $750 per teen. effective at engaging and inspiring youth. Details: Washington, DC: The Urban Institute; Chicago: Chicago Community Trust; New York: National Guild for Community Arts Education, 2015. 139p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2016 at: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/alfresco/publication-pdfs/2000392-Arts-Infusion-Initiative-2010-15-Evaluation-Report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/alfresco/publication-pdfs/2000392-Arts-Infusion-Initiative-2010-15-Evaluation-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 138331 Keywords: Arts in Prisons Arts Programs At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Disadvantaged Youth Educational Programs

Author: Smith-Moncrieffe, Donna Title: Evaluation Summary: Final Results - Stop Now and Plan (SNAP) Summary: Stop Now And Plan (SNAP) is a community-based program for children ages 6 to 12 who have come into contact, or are at risk of coming into contact, with the criminal justice system, and/or who display early signs of anti-social or aggressive behaviour. The program uses a cognitive-behavioural, multi-component approach to decrease the risks of children engaging in future delinquent behaviour. The SNAP model is based on a comprehensive framework for effctively teaching children with serious behavioural problems, emotional regulation, self-control and problem-solving skills. The core program components include the children's and parent's groups. The SNAP Boys and SNAP Girls offer 12-week gender-specific groups that teach emotion regulation, self-control and problem-solving skills. The concurrent SNAP Parent Group teaches parents effective child management strategies. Other program components include individual counselling/mentoring, family counselling, academic tutoring, youth leadership and a gender-specific component called "Girls Growing Up Healthy". These are recommended based on a continuing assessment of the child's risk and need levels. Although there is evidence regarding the effectiveness of SNAP in Canadian and United States contexts (within accredited mental health centres and community based settings), a further evaluation was conducted to assess the impact the program in a variety of other community-based organizations across Canada (i.e., youth justice, mentoring, and Aboriginal reserves). This summary provides an overview of the multi-site impact evaluation of SNAP that was funded by the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS). The multisite impact evaluation assessed the efficacy of this program in three unique communities (Toronto, Edmonton and Cree Nation - Quebec), contributing to the collective body of knowledge of what works in crime prevention. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2015. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report: 2015-R017: Accessed March 22, 2016 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2015-r017/2015-r017-en.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2015-r017/2015-r017-en.pdf Shelf Number: 138380 Keywords: Anti-Social Behavior At-Risk Youth Cognitive-Behavioral Program Community-Based Programs Cost-Benefit Analysis Delinquency Prevention Problem-Solving Skills

Author: O'Malley, Lisa Title: Prevention practice : Learning from youth crime prevention activity teams in eight youth offending teams during 2008/09 and 2009/10 Summary: Youth crime prevention policy is based on the assumption that it is possible to change the life-course trajectories of young people by reducing risk factors that may lead to offending behaviour and building on protective factors that might help prevent offending. The purpose of the current study was to examine the characteristics and needs of a cohort of young people who completed youth crime prevention programmes, and to look at how these programmes were delivered in some localities. The study consisted of two components: 1. a small number of interviews - these were conducted with a key member of staff within seven of the eight case study youth offending teams (YOTs) 2. collection and analysis of YOT cohort administrative data from prevention programmes. These data included Onset1 risk of future offending assessment scores, key demographic characteristics and records of offences committed during the year before and the year after involvement in a prevention programme. A case study approach was taken, involving a purposively selected sample of eight YOTs operating in areas within England and Wales that had been providing youth crime prevention programmes, and which had received some funding from the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB). Overall, data were obtained for a cohort of 934 young people engaged in prevention programmes in 2008/09 and 2009/10. Data were aggregated across the eight YOTs to create a single cohort of young people. As the largest study to date looking specifically at Onset scores of young people involved in prevention programmes, this report offers practitioners in the youth justice field a useful insight into the characteristics and needs of young people completing prevention interventions, and how these programmes were delivered. Details: London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 2014. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2016 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/396062/prevention-practice-learning.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/396062/prevention-practice-learning.pdf Shelf Number: 138479 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Life-Course Trajectories

Author: Wilson, David B. Title: Juvenile Curfew Effects on Criminal Behavior and Victimization: A Systematic Review Summary: The evidence suggests that juvenile curfews do not reduce crime or victimization. What is this review about? Curfews restrict youth below a certain - usually 17 or 18 - from public places during nighttime. For example, the Prince George's County, Maryland, curfew ordinance restricts youth younger than 17 from public places between 10 P.M. and 5 A.M. on weekdays and between midnight and 5 A.M. on weekends. Sanctions range from a fine that increases with each offense, community service, and restrictions on a youth's driver's license. Close to three quarters of US cities have curfews, which are also used in Iceland. A juvenile curfew has common sense appeal: keep youth at home during the late night and early morning hours and you will prevent them from committing a crime or being a victim of a crime. In addition, the potential for fines or other sanctions deter youth from being out in a public place during curfew hours. Juvenile curfews have received numerous legal challenges. The constitutional basis for infringing the rights of youth rests on the assumption that they reduce juvenile crime and victimization. This review synthesizes the evidence on the effectiveness of juvenile curfews in reducing criminal behavior and victimization among youth. What are the main findings of this review? What studies are included? Included studies test the effect of an official state or local policy intended to restrict or otherwise penalize a juvenile's presence outside the home during certain times of day. This must have been a general preventive measure directed at all youth within a certain age range and not a sanction imposed on a specific youth. Twelve quantitative evaluations of the effects of curfews on youth criminal behavior or victimization are included in the review. Do curfews reduce crime and victimization? The pattern of evidence suggests that juvenile curfews are ineffective at reducing crime and victimization. The average effect on juvenile crime during curfew hours was slightly positive - that is a slight increase in crime - and close to zero for crime during all hours. Both effects were not significant. Similarly, juvenile victimization also appeared unaffected by the imposition of a curfew ordinance. However, all the studies in the review suffer from some limitations that make it difficult to draw firm conclusions. Nonetheless, the lack of any credible evidence in their favour suggests that any effect is likely to be small at best and that curfews are unlikely to be a meaningful solution to juvenile crime and disorder. Other studies have suggested curfews may be ineffective as juvenile crime is concentrated in hours before and after school, and that under-resourced police forces focus on more urgent demands than enforcing curfews. What do the results mean? Contrary to popular belief, the evidence suggests that juvenile curfews do not produce the expected benefits. The study designs used in this research make it difficult to draw clear conclusions, so more research is needed to replicate the findings. However, many of the biases likely to occur in existing studies would make it more, rather than less, likely that we would conclude curfews are effective. For example, most of these studies were conducted during a time when crime was dropping throughout the United States. Therefore, our findings suggest that either curfews don't have any effect on crime, or the effect is too small to be identified in the research available. Details: Oslo: Campbell Collaboration, 2016. 101p. Source: Internet Resource: Campbell Systematic Review 2016:03: Accessed April 7, 2016 at: http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/?go=browse_issues&year=2016 Year: 2016 Country: International URL: http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/?go=browse_issues&year=2016 Shelf Number: 138595 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Curfews Juvenile Delinquency Victimization

Author: Duda, Janelle Title: Rochester Youth Violence Partnership Final Report Summary: The Rochester Youth Violence Partnership (RYVP) is a hospital-based violence intervention program that was implemented in 2005. In order to consider the appropriateness of program replication, The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services funded an evaluation of the program. The evaluation sought to answer questions about who received the intervention, what intervention components were utilized more than others, and what impact did the intervention have on behavior change, amongst other questions. While the evaluation consisted of interviews, surveys, document review and observations, the core of the evaluation was to be the quantitative data analysis. The data analysis would look at victims treated for penetrating injuries at University of Rochester Medical Center. A variety of information would be captured, including criminal history, school data, family court data, gang membership, and mental health services accessed. We would also examine the extent of repeat victimization among program participants. Although the research design had been agreed upon by program staff, numerous and substantial limitations with data sharing were encountered. Without access to case-specific data we were unable to effectively answer the original, agreed upon questions about the impact of this intervention. Instead, the evaluation was limited to examining the history of the program, program development, and the partnership role, all of which are included in this report. This report also discusses the challenges to evaluation incurred and a preliminary analysis of the limited aggregate data shared by URMC. RYVP is a theoretically sound, and promising hospital based anti-violence program. It is our hope that this evaluation report will shed light on the work that has been done to develop this program and to institutionalize it, and that this will also make clear the importance of collecting and analyzing data for the purpose of evaluation. In this case, it is unfortunate that data were not collected in order to assess for program effectiveness and replication. Details: Rochester, NY: Center for Public Safety Initiatives, Rochester Institute of Technology, 2013. 115p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2016 at: https://www.rit.edu/cla/criminaljustice/sites/rit.edu.cla.criminaljustice/files/docs/WorkingPapers/2013/Rochester%20Youth%20Violence%20Partnership.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: https://www.rit.edu/cla/criminaljustice/sites/rit.edu.cla.criminaljustice/files/docs/WorkingPapers/2013/Rochester%20Youth%20Violence%20Partnership.pdf Shelf Number: 138630 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Hospitals Partnerships Violence Prevention Youth Violence

Author: Snider, Carolyn Title: Community Assessment of a Gang Exit Strategy for Winnipeg, Manitoba Summary: In an effort to address the issue of gangs in Winnipeg, the Gang Action Interagency Network (GAIN) in collaboration with the University of Manitoba, with funding provided by the Department of Justice Canada (Youth Justice Fund - Guns, Gangs, and Drugs) conducted research for the purpose of informing future gang-exit initiatives in Winnipeg. The following report is the result of this research. With the goal of developing tangible and actionable steps towards addressing the gang issue in Winnipeg, GAIN's research was focused on learning from three specific areas: Stakeholder Consultation, Youth Consultation and Existing Evidence. Interviews with key community stakeholders included experts from youth service agencies, corrections, law enforcement, social workers, parole officers and former gang members. Youth consultations included youth who participate in violence prevention programs offered by various community agencies. Youth are often overlooked as keepers of knowledge, and these consultations were valuable in hearing key insights from the very youth who are affected by gangs on a daily basis. A review of existing gang strategies and programs from throughout North America was then conducted to identify successful components, which might be useful when adapted to a Winnipeg context, and to identify measurable indicators. The results of the research indicate a need to address young people's ability to fulfill their own basic needs whether physical or social. Within the research, 3 specific areas of focus were identified. The theme of Identity and Belonging was prevalent in the research as participants identified a need for mentorship, cultural reclamation, and community efficacy. Healing was another focal area which emerged within the research as participants shared about the need for greater access to addictions and mental health care. Participants also spoke about the need for restorative justice and greater support for families in crisis. Finally, participants spoke about the need for Expanded Programming. Although many great programs already exist in Winnipeg, many participants identified the long waiting lists to get into programs and lack of 24hr programming that could provide safe spaces when many young people are at their most vulnerable point and need it most. Participants also spoke about the need for more opportunities with regards to employment and skills/job training. Evidence of components of existing programs and strategies clearly mirrored the needs that were identified in our consultations. This report highlights the need for further action by our governments to work with the member agencies of GAIN to help our youth avoid gang involvement through the development of initiatives that will help fulfill our youths needs of Identity and Belonging, Healing and Expanded Programming. Details: Gang Action Interagency Network (Gain), 2014. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2016 at: https://gainmb.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/gain-report1.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Canada URL: https://gainmb.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/gain-report1.pdf Shelf Number: 138886 Keywords: Community Participation Delinquency Prevention Gangs Youth Gang

Author: KPMG Title: Final Report for the Evaluation of Queensland's Youth Boot Camps Summary: In early 2013, we began a trial of 2 types of boot camps that aimed to keep young people out of trouble and detention. They were: - early intervention youth boot camps, for teenagers at risk of long-term offending - sentenced youth boot camp, for teenagers who ◦had a history of offending and were facing detention ◦were from Townsville and had 3 or more motor vehicle offences. In August 2015, we received an evaluation of the youth boot camp trial. We decided we would end the trial because of the report's findings. Our youth boot camp trial ended in October 2015 Details: Brisbane: Department of Justice and Attorney-General, 2015. 251p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2016 at: https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/ac40e5a2-e3e6-4a2a-a7bd-c616116c3a5e/resource/a654be83-cd7f-43b3-b6cd-cdf2c9c8b48d/download/finalreportfortheevaluationofqueenslandsyouthbootcamps.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/ac40e5a2-e3e6-4a2a-a7bd-c616116c3a5e/resource/a654be83-cd7f-43b3-b6cd-cdf2c9c8b48d/download/finalreportfortheevaluationofqueenslandsyouthbootcamps.pdf Shelf Number: 138901 Keywords: Alternatives to Detention At-Risk Youth Boot Camps Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Recidivism

Author: McMurtry, Roy Title: Review of the Roots of Youth Violence. Volume 5: Literature Reviews Summary: Includes the following reviews: The Root Causes of Youth Violence: A Review of Major Theoretical Perspectives T he purpose of this report is to briefly outline major theories that have examined the root causes of crime and violence. A full discussion of the many studies and research results associated with each of these theoretical perspectives is well beyond the scope of this document. Indeed, a quick examination of the reference section will reveal that volumes have already been devoted to each of the theories reviewed below. Thus, the purpose of this report is to review the major principles or concepts associated with each theory, examine major research findings that either support or refute these principles, and briefly discuss major policy implications. and: Preventing Youth Crime and Violence: A Review of the Literature The purpose of this report is to briefly outline major theories that have examined the root causes of crime and violence. A full discussion of the many studies and research results associated with each of these theoretical perspectives is well beyond the scope of this document. Indeed, a quick examination of the reference section will reveal that volumes have already been devoted to each of the theories reviewed below. Thus, the purpose of this report is to review the major principles or concepts associated with each theory, examine major research findings that either support or refute these principles, and briefly discuss major policy implications. The Reeport was to review major theories that attempt to identify the root causes of violent crime. The identification of proven or promising crime prevention strategies, unfortunately, was not a priority of this document. However, the next report in this volume, "Youth Crime Prevention: A Review of the Evaluation Literature" (Wortley et al., 2008), provides a much more extensive discussion of crime prevention programs and strategies. In that companion report, a thorough effort is made to identify both proven and promising policy developments, as well as crime prevention strategies that have been shown to be ineffective. Details: Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2008. 570p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2006 at: http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/english/documents/topics/youthandthelaw/rootsofyouthviolence-vol5.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Canada URL: http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/english/documents/topics/youthandthelaw/rootsofyouthviolence-vol5.pdf Shelf Number: 138929 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquents Juvenile Offenders Neighborhoods and Crime Violent Crime Youth Violence

Author: Prison Reform Trust Title: In Care, Out of Trouble. How the life chances of children in care can be transformed by protecting them from unnecessary involvement in the criminal justice system Summary: This review was established to examine the reasons for, and how best to tackle, the over representation of children in care, or with experience of care, in the criminal justice system in England and Wales. Aiming to reduce the disproportionate number of young people who are, or have been, in public care progressing into custody is laudable. The over representation of looked after children in the youth justice system has to be challenged and changed. But it soon becomes distressingly clear that starting at the point of evidence of criminal behaviour is for many young people simply too late in the day. Remedial work and rehabilitation are essential but prevention is so much more rewarding and fruitful for the young person and wider society. It is against that background that it would be good to pause and reflect again on the importance of childhood in the social and emotional development of every young person. Good parenting entails a lifetime commitment. It creates the solid foundation on which is built the evolving unique personality that, hopefully, will in due course become the fulfilled adult. The essential ingredients are security, stability, unselfish love and an unyielding commitment to give the child the best start and hope for the future. It is in this context that young children develop self confidence, trust, personal and social values and optimism. Loss, neglect or trauma at this early stage in life often result in profound and enduring consequences. Great emphasis should be placed on early life experiences. Guidance and support through pregnancy and during the early months of parenthood should be available to all who need it. There are clear long term benefits in identifying problems at an early stage rather than delaying until a crisis. It is in all of our interests that as many children as possible are enabled to grow up to become successful, law abiding and fulfilled citizens well able to be good role models for the next generation. We all have a part to play in this, but especially the wider family. At times of difficulty steps should be taken to involve other family members and encourage their different contributions and support. Handled in the right way a crisis might be short-lived and stability restored. After all, this is a well trodden path in many families without the assistance of the state. This can be hugely satisfying work for frontline staff. Working in this way in some local authorities has already resulted in fewer children coming into care. Investing in childhood is more than a nice thing to do. It has a real value that goes beyond the child as it facilitates the future wellbeing of society. Failure to help the child and, where possible, to support the family at this stage is both costly to the child and very expensive to the state. In every way the price is high for everyone involved. In financial terms it costs over L200,000 each year to keep a young person in a secure children's home and the yearly cost of a place in a young offender institution is about L60,000. Meeting many young people in custodial institutions demonstrates all too clearly the gaps in their social development and in their basic education. It is impossible not to be moved by their experiences and the serious constraints on their life chances. For some, their anger, frustrations, inability to express themselves except through challenging behaviour and possibly violence all point to failure, for whatever reason, in their earlier years. Yet with the right help at the right time, the capacity of many children to change and their resilience in difficult circumstances is admirable. The staff in these establishments need to be equipped to demonstrate a mixture of sound professional skills and impressive personal qualities. They deserve good training, proper supervision and support. We should honour what they do on behalf of us all not least because few of us, including me, would choose to take on such challenging and at times distressing work. Remedial work can be tough, demanding and at times dispiriting. But this review has heard how good practice can achieve inspiring results. What is abundantly clear is that no one service operating alone can hope to meet the needs of these young people or their families. Each one of the key public services has a distinct and clear responsibility in law to fulfil the duties placed upon them by the United Kingdom Parliament and the Welsh Assembly. One of those duties is to work in partnership with each of the other services. Over the years there have been far too many well publicised examples of services failing to work across organisational boundaries both in the exchange of information and in day by day practice in the protection and support of vulnerable children. We have seen and heard of excellent joint working and co-located teams in places such as Leeds and Surrey to divert looked after children from unnecessary criminalisation. Good practice is achieving splendid results in other areas too. Now is the time to make it standard practice everywhere. Details: London: PRT, 2016. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 24, 2016 at: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/In%20care%20out%20of%20trouble%20summary.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/In%20care%20out%20of%20trouble%20summary.pdf Shelf Number: 139145 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Detention Juvenile Justice Reform Juvenile Justice Systems

Author: Nakhid, Camille Title: Pacific families now and in the future: Pasifika youth in South Auckland: family, gangs, community, culture, Summary: Pasifika1 youth make a significant impact on the demographic profile of South Auckland and are a major focus of the many projections regarding population, employment and education in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The place of family and community is regarded as an important influence on the future of Pasifika youth yet how these youth view the place of Pasifika families in the future is not adequately covered in the research literature. As more Pasifika youth are thought to be joining gangs, there are also concerns as to whether the gangs have replaced the family for Pasifika youth and whether the street has become home to these youth. The aim of this study was to interview Pasifika youth from the suburbs of Mangere and Otara - including those who were involved in gangs and those who had never been involved in gangs or had transitioned out of gang life - in an effort to obtain information on: > how Pasifika youth understood family and how they perceived family in relation to the future > the perspectives of young Pasifika people on gangs, community, culture and leadership > why some Pasifika youth did not join gangs; why some Pasifika youth were joining gangs; and the support systems Pasifika youth had, and used, to remain out of gangs > the views and experiences of exiting gang life for Pasifika ex-gang members and the mechanisms that had assisted them to transition out of gang life > whether the family and the home were being replaced by the gang and the street for Pasifika youth involved in gangs. Details: Wellington, NZ: Families Commission, 2009. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 27, 2016 at: http://www.superu.govt.nz/sites/default/files/pasifika-youth.pdf Year: 2009 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.superu.govt.nz/sites/default/files/pasifika-youth.pdf Shelf Number: 139236 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Families Gangs Juvenile Delinquents Youth Gangs

Author: Mercy Corps Title: Youth and Consequences: unemployment, Injustice and Violence Summary: Every year, Western donors deploy vast sums of development assistance to dampen the appeal, among the world's youth, of militias, pirates and terrorists. But guided by little in the way of empirical evidence, it is an enterprise plagued by unclear payoffs and unintended consequences. At the heart of these efforts are economic development programs. Vocational training for youth, for instance, is a favorite of donors and NGOs alike. Such efforts are informed by a widely held assumption: that idle young people, lacking licit opportunities to make a living, are a ready pool of recruits for armed movements. There is just one problem with this narrative. It does not appear to be true. Mercy Corps' research contributes to a growing body of evidence that finds no relationship between joblessness and a young person's willingness to engage in, or support, political violence. Drawing on interviews and surveys with youth in Afghanistan, Colombia and Somalia, we find the principal drivers of political violence are rooted not in poverty, but in experiences of injustice: discrimination, corruption and abuse by security forces. For many youth, narratives of grievance are animated by the shortcomings of the state itself, which is weak, venal or violent. Or all three. Young people take up the gun not because they are poor, but because they are angry. In light of this, many prevailing development approaches are unlikely, in isolation, to make youth more peaceful. Indeed, they may make matters worse. Supply-side vocational training projects, not linked to meaningful employment in the marketplace, risk raising expectations that cannot be satisfied. And where programs fail to target the most marginalized - as many do - or have been manipulated by local elites, they may aggravate perceptions of unfairness. Empowering disenfranchised young people would seem to be the remedy. Yet, from a peace-building perspective, civic engagement programs yield unpredictable dividends. When not paired with meaningful governance reforms, such programs may simply stoke youth frustrations with exclusive, elder-dominated formal institutions. This may explain why we found civically engaged youth to be more supportive of armed opposition groups, not less. Confident, outspoken and politically conscious young people, it turns out, are not the types to sit quietly by when the society around them disappoints. Details: Portland, OR: MercyCorps,2015. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 9, 2016 at: https://www.mercycorps.org/sites/default/files/MercyCorps_YouthConsequencesReport_2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: https://www.mercycorps.org/sites/default/files/MercyCorps_YouthConsequencesReport_2015.pdf Shelf Number: 139348 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Disadvantaged Youth Youth Unemployment

Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) Title: A Profile of Youth in the Los Angeles County Delinquency Prevention Pilot Summary: Children involved in the child welfare system are more likely than other children to be arrested or referred for delinquent offenses. Their risk of involvement in the juvenile justice system also increases as exposure to violence increases. Although the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) had a program in place for children who were dually involved with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, they sought to develop a mechanism for identifying youth served by DCFS who were at greatest risk of juvenile justice system involvement. This would allow provision of targeted services to those youth in an effort to prevent such involvement. Since 1999, DCFS has used the Structured Decision Making (SDM) decision-support system, developed by the NCCD Children's Research Center. The SDM system for child welfare includes an actuarial risk assessment to identify families investigated for child maltreatment who were at greatest risk of subsequent maltreatment. In 2010, DCFS staff involved in the Crossover Youth Practice Model (CYPM) asked NCCD to examine the possibility of creating a similar assessment for assessing the risk of delinquency among children receiving child welfare services in the county. NCCD conducted a study in 2011 and was able to develop an actuarial assessment, the SDM delinquency prevention screening assessment (DPSA),2 to help the county identify children at higher risk of subsequent delinquency than other children. The assessment was initially piloted by four Los Angeles County offices (Compton, Glendora, Palmdale, and South County) in the fall of 2012 as part of the Delinquency Prevention Pilot (DPP). Children identified as high risk of subsequent delinquency in the pilot offices were to receive resources targeted to their needs and risk factors related to delinquency (e.g., substance abuse, education, mental health, and delinquency) during the subsequent six months. In order to assess implementation, NCCD sought and received funding for a process evaluation from the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform (CJJR) at Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy. CJJR received funding for the evaluation of DPP and its work with CYPM from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. In 2013, the evaluation plan was modified to include short-term monitoring of process and outcome measures including service provision and entry into the juvenile justice system. The following literature review provides an empirical and theoretical basis for the project. The evaluation provides background for the development and implementation of DPP, describes successes and challenges related to implementation, serves as a first step in evaluating the effectiveness of the program to reduce delinquency over time, and offers recommendations for improving implementation of a delinquency prevention model in Los Angeles County and other sites. Details: Oakland, CA: NCCD, 2015. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: http://www.nccdglobal.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdf/la_dpp_evaluation_report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.nccdglobal.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdf/la_dpp_evaluation_report.pdf Shelf Number: 139835 Keywords: Child Welfare Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile Delinquents Juvenile Offenders

Author: Dunbar, Laura Title: Evaluation Summary: Community Cadets Corps (CCC) Program Summary: The Community Cadets Corps (CCC) program evaluation was undertaken to examine the effectiveness of Cadets as a crime prevention measure for Aboriginal youth. The CCC program was designed to increase the protective factors of Aboriginal youth ages 10 to 18 years old that are at risk of police contact, and/or engaging in criminal offences, anti-social activities, having conduct problems or truancy at school. Through the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS), Public Safety Canada contributed $2.8 million in funding to implement 4 CCC crime prevention pilot projects in Aboriginal communities: Cross Lake, Manitoba; Kahkewistahaw First Nation, Saskatchewan; Touchwood Agency Tribal Council, Saskatchewan; and Hobbema, Alberta. Funding from the NCPS began in 2010 and ended in 2013. Program Description The CCC program aims to enhance youths' ability to make positive decisions, and lead to a productive and crime-free lifestyle. The program's structure was influenced by the core principles underlying the theory of the Circle of Courage. This model provides a framework for healthy, holistic culturally authentic alternatives that will build a sense of identity and community (belonging) as well as provide opportunities to enhance skills (mastery), develop a sense of independence, and support youth to practice generosity. These are the foundations for positive youth development - empowering Aboriginal youth to develop pro-social competencies, attitudes and behaviours, thereby reducing the risk of delinquent activity and criminal involvement. The CCC program is composed of the following five main program components: - Drill and Deportment: This component provides youth with a structured activity that takes place for approximately 30 minutes each week for 40 weeks. It comprises a series of techniques that must be executed in a specific way, requiring practice and focused attention from participants. Drills/marching are modeled after RCMP or military activities. - Group and Individual Mentoring: This component takes place through drill and deportment, life skills training, community leadership, and cultural and recreational activities. Community Elders, community workers and others provide youth with positive role models, inspire youth toward future career directions, and provide support in the areas of personal, academic and career development, social and athletic growth. Youth should meet with mentors at least 1 to 4 hours or more each week. - Life Skills Training: In this component, youth take part in various workshops/activities focused on improving their social and self-management skills. It is recommended that youth meet on a weekly basis, 9 months per year (36 weeks in total) in school settings. - Community Leadership/Involvement: Activities under this component aim to engage youth in the community, to enhance a sense of purpose and belonging as well as to develop leadership, planning, and implementation skills. During 1 week night per month and daily sessions during the summer months, Cadets will work towards benefitting the community through various activities. - Cultural and Recreational Activities: This component incorporates cultural adaptations and activities associated with the tradition, values, practices, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours of Aboriginal youth involved in the program. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2015. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report: 2015-R007: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/ccc-prgrm/ccc-prgrm-en.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/ccc-prgrm/ccc-prgrm-en.pdf Shelf Number: 139846 Keywords: Aboriginal Youth At-Risk Youth Community Cadets Corps Delinquency Prevention Mentoring

Author: McIntosh, Cameron Title: Final Evaluation Summary of the Multisystemic Therapy Program Summary: Multisystemic Therapy (MST) is a widely-used, evidence-based prevention program aimed at reducing anti-social behaviour and recidivism among at-risk youth. The NCPC contributed approximately $2.1 million to fund the Agincourt Community Services Association (ACSA) MST program, from 2009 to 2014. The ACSA MST program targeted at-risk youth aged 12 to 17 who were living with a primary caregiver within the boundaries of Scarborough, Ontario. The outcome evaluation examined the extent to which the intended short-term outcomes were achieved. Over 80% of the 48 program completers experienced a drop of 20 points or more on the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS) between baseline and their time of discharge, which is considered to be a clinically significant improvement. As for the 9 non-completers, approximately 33% showed a similar drop in CAFAS points. Three months after intake, more youth who graduated from the program than non-completers were: living at home, attending school, vocational training or employed 20+ hrs/wk, and not arrested for an offence committed during MST. At discharge, 75% of youth who graduated from the program were involved with prosocial peers and activities, compared to 29% of those who did not complete the program. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2015. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/fnl-mltsystmc-thrpy-prgrm/fnl-mltsystmc-thrpy-prgrm-eng.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/fnl-mltsystmc-thrpy-prgrm/fnl-mltsystmc-thrpy-prgrm-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 139847 Keywords: Anti-Social Behavior At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Multisystemic Therapy Recidivism

Author: Simon, Thomas R. Title: Changing Course: Preventing Gang Membership Summary: Youth gang membership is a serious and persistent problem in the United States. One in three local law enforcement agencies report youth gang problems in their jurisdictions. One in four high school freshmen report gangs in their schools. Limited resources at the national, state, tribal and local levels make it more important than ever that we make full use of the best available evidence and clearly demonstrate the benefit of strategies to prevent gang-joining. In acknowledgment of these realities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) formed a partnership to publish this book. It is critical that those who make decisions about resources - as well as those who work directly with youth, like teachers and police officers, community services providers and emergency department physicians - understand what the research evidence shows about how to prevent kids from joining gangs. The NIJ-CDC partnership drew on each agency's distinctive strengths: NIJ's commitment to enhancing justice and increasing public safety is matched by CDC's dedication to health promotion and prevention of violence, injury and disability. By combining perspectives, lessons and evidence from public safety and public health, NIJ and CDC provide new insights into the complex problems of gangs and gang membership. Public health and public safety workers who respond to gang problems know that after-the-fact efforts are not enough. An emergency department doctor who treats gang-related gunshot wounds or a police officer who must tell a mother that her son has been killed in a drive-by shooting are likely to stress the need for prevention - and the complementary roles that public health and law enforcement must play - in stopping violence before it starts. Given our shared commitment to informing policy and practice with the best available evidence of what works, CDC and NIJ brought together some of the nation's top public health and criminal justice researchers to present core principles for gang-membership prevention. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, 2013. 166p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 30, 2016 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/239234.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/239234.pdf Shelf Number: 130002 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Female Gang Members Gangs Youth Gangs

Author: University of Manchester. Centre for Applied Theatre Research Title: The impact of Blagg on challenging and reducing offending by young people: An evaluation of a drama based offending behaviour workshop Summary: This independent evaluation highlights the potentially positive contribution drama based projects can make to the development of group work provision for young people at risk of offending. Blagg had most significant impact on young people's awareness of the effect of offending on victims, their awareness of thoughts, feelings and decision making relating to offending and their confidence and self esteem. Increased confidence and self esteem is a frequently reported outcome of taking part in drama - drama provides supervised opportunities to interact with peers and gain recognition and praise. Project description Blagg is a drama workshop developed by TiPP that employs drama tools and techniques to challenge offending behaviour. Six implementations of Blagg within two YOTS in the North West region were evaluated - data from qualitative interviews and questionnaires with participants and staff, observation of the programme and YOT records were collected and analysed. Details: Manchester, UK: Centre for Applied Theatre Research, 2003. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 30, 2016 at: http://www.artsevidence.org.uk/evaluations/impact-blagg-challenging-and-reducing-offending-yo/ Year: 2003 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.artsevidence.org.uk/evaluations/impact-blagg-challenging-and-reducing-offending-yo/ Shelf Number: 139903 Keywords: Arts in Prisons Arts Programs At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Rehabilitation Programs Theater Arts

Author: Civic Enterprises Title: The Mentoring Effect: Young People's Perspectives on the Outcomes and Availability of Mentoring Summary: This report provides insights on young people's perspectives on mentoring in three areas: (1) Mentoring's Connection to Aspirations and Outcomes; (2) The Value of Mentors; and (3) The Availability of Mentors. The report then offers recommendations to guide community, state, and national partners in their work to close the mentoring gap and increase the powerful effects of mentoring. By connecting young people to caring, consistent, and supportive adults, the nation can help young people achieve their dreams, and also strengthen communities, the economy, and our country. In addition to the nationally representative survey of 18- to 21-year-olds, this report reflects discussions with key leaders in business, philanthropy, government, and education, and a literature and landscape review of the mentoring field. While the field of mentoring has reported service gaps in the past, the estimates in this report are not meant to provide a direct comparison. Instead, they are meant to form the most accurate picture possible of how the mentoring needs of young people are currently being met through their perspective, highlight gaps that remain, and chart paths forward to create more caring adult relationships in the lives of children. Details: Washington, DC.; MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership, 2014. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 8, 2016 at: http://www.mentoring.org/images/uploads/Report_TheMentoringEffect.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.mentoring.org/images/uploads/Report_TheMentoringEffect.pdf Shelf Number: 147903 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Mentoring Youth Mentoring

Author: Calero, Carla Title: The Effects of Youth Training on Risk Behavior: The Role of Non-Cognitive Skills Summary: This paper uses unique experimental data from a youth training program in the Favelas, Brazil, to examine whether youth training programs can prevent treatment recipients from engaging in risk behavior -- i.e., cigarettes, alcohol, and hard drug utilization, as well as witnessing or being a victim of violent crime. Although the program was successful in increasing income, we find that, it only improved risk behavior of the treated individuals with higher levels of non-cognitive skills. Details: Unpublished Paper, 2016. 33p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2016 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2746579 Year: 2016 Country: Brazil URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2746579 Shelf Number: 147917 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Favelas Training Programs

Author: Murray, Kath Title: Understanding and Preventing Youth Crime Survey (UPYC) Early Findings: Stop and Search in Glasgow and Edinburgh Summary: This report presents data and analysis on children's experiences of stop and search in Glasgow and Edinburgh. The analysis in the report is based on data from the Understanding and Preventing Youth Crime (UPYC) survey, a UK wide project that examines children's experiences of crime, victimisation and policing. The report was commissioned by the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) in order to meet Recommendation 11 of the SPA Scrutiny Review on Stop and Search: The SPA should commission research, in conjunction with others, to establish the short and long term impact of stop and search on different groups and communities. In particular, this should cover the short and long term impact of stop and search activity on young people. (SPA, 2014; 26) The UPYC questionnaire was administered to 2,186 secondary school children in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Sheffield and Birmingham between September 2014 and December 2015. In Glasgow and Edinburgh, 1,286 pupils aged between twelve and sixteen years old took part in the survey, while in Sheffield and Birmingham, 900 children took part. This report focuses on children's experiences in Glasgow and Edinburgh (some comparisons are drawn with Sheffield and Birmingham). The report examines the overall and varying prevalence of stop and search, police effectiveness, and how children feel about being stopped and searched. The key findings are shown below. The overall and varying prevalence of stop and search - Overall, nearly a quarter of children in Glasgow and Edinburgh (23%) said that they had been stopped and searched at least once in their lifetime. - The overall prevalence of stop and search in Glasgow and Edinburgh (23%) was around three times higher than Sheffield and Birmingham (8%). - Across the four cities, prevalence ranged from 5% in Birmingham, to 26% in Glasgow. - Children in Glasgow were more likely to have been searched on multiple occasions, compared to children in Edinburgh. Amongst those children who were searched in the last 12 months, over a fifth (21%) in Glasgow had been searched on six or more occasions, compared to 2% in Edinburgh. School year/age (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - One of the strongest predictors of being stopped and searched was school year. In Glasgow and Edinburgh, 37% of children in S4 (15 and 16 year olds) had been stopped and searched on at least one occasion, compared to 11% in Birmingham and Sheffield. Gender (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - The prevalence of stop and search was slightly higher among boys than girls, at 26% and 21% respectively. - However, boys were more likely to be searched on multiple occasions. Amongst those who had been searched in the last twelve months, 20% of boys had been stopped and searched six times or more, compared to 11% of girls. - When controlling for other factors, multivariate analysis showed that boys were around 1.6 times more likely to be stopped and searched than girls. Ethnicity (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Asian children were less likely to be stopped and searched, compared to White children. Otherwise, there were no statistically significant differences across the ethnic groups in the survey. Education and social class (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Children who said that they did badly at school were more likely to have been searched, compared to those who said that they performed well at school. Over half (53%) of those who said that their achievement was poor or well below average had been stopped and searched, compared to 13% who said that their achievement was well above average or excellent. - When controlling for other factors, children who attended state schools were 2.6 times more likely to have been searched, compared to children who attended independent schools. However, self-reported offending rates between these two groups did not vary. Family support and involvement (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - The prevalence of stop and search was lower amongst children with higher levels of family support and involvement. Children whose parents rarely knew their whereabouts, what they were doing, or whom they were with were more likely to have been stopped and searched by the police. For example, 73% of children who said that their parents/carers seldom or never knew where they were had been searched, compared to 18% who said that their parents/carers often or almost always knew where they were. Offending behaviour (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Half of the children (50%) in the survey said they had never taken part in a crime, rising to three quarters (75%) when excluding illegally downloading music or films from the internet. Excluding illegal downloads, 9% of children said they had committed an offence on two or more occasions in the last year. - When controlling for other factors, children who had been involved in a group fight in the last twelve months were 4.6 times more likely to have been stopped and searched, compared to children who had not. - However, other types of offending, including weapon carrying and drug misuse, were not significantly associated with being stopped and searched. - The likelihood of being searched was higher amongst children who said that they had committed an offence in the last 12 months, compared to those who had not. - However, in absolute terms, the number of children who were searched and said they had not committed a crime was higher than the number who had been searched and had committed a crime. Alcohol (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Children who had drunk alcohol in the last month were 2.5 times more likely to have been stopped and searched, compared to those who had not. - The demographics of stop and search appeared to be out of kilter with the demographics of stop and search. In general, the prevalence of underage drinking (in the last month) was higher in Edinburgh (compared to Glasgow), amongst girls (compared to boys) and amongst children who attended independent schools (compared to mainstream state schools). Note however, that we do not know whether alcohol was consumed at home, or in public, or how the alcohol was accessed. Victimisation (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Children who said that someone had taken, or tried to take something from them either by force or the threat of force (i.e. robbery) were 2.8 times more likely to have been searched, compared to those who had not. - Children who said that either they or a friend had been physically attacked on the way home from school on more than one occasion were 6 times more likely to have been searched, compared to those who had not. The effectiveness of stop and search (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Overall, 13% of stop and search encounters in the last twelve months resulted in detection. This finding is consistent with Police Scotland data, which shows that between June and December 2015, 14% of stop searches involving 12 to 16 year olds resulted in detection. By contrast, Police Scotland data show that 24% of all stop searches carried out on persons of all ages in the same period were positive. - The prevalence of stop and search was higher in neighbourhoods with higher perceived levels of crime and disorder, suggesting that officers generally targeted the 'right places'. - However, at the individual level, involvement in criminal behaviour was a poor indicator for stop and search. Of those children who had been stopped and searched, 61% said that they had not been involved in offending behaviour in the last 12 months (excluding illegal downloading). How children feel about being stopped and searched (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Children who had been stopped and searched tended to be equivocal or negative about their experiences. A third (34%) said that the officers were 'not at all' fair, compared to 14% who said that the officers were 'very fair.' - A third (35%) said the officers were 'a bit' professional, compared to around a fifth (18%) who said that the officers were 'very' polite and respectful. - Nearly a third of children in Glasgow (32%) said that the police were 'not at all' polite and respectful, compared to 18% in Edinburgh. - Half of those respondents who were searched said that the officers had explained the reason. Of these children, three quarters (75%) said that they understood the reason. - Four in ten (39%) said the officers had asked if they were happy for the search to go ahead. Most of these children (79%) gave their agreement to be searched. - Children mostly felt annoyed at being searched, rather than scared or embarrassed. A third of children (35%) said that they felt 'very' annoyed, and a quarter (25%) said they felt 'quite' annoyed. - Very few children (7%) said that being stopped and searched made them feel 'very' safe on the streets, while 70% said it did not make them feel at all safer. - The views of children who had been stopped and searched at least once tended to be more negative towards the police, compared to those who had not been searched. For example, more than a third (37%) of children who had been searched said they thought the police 'almost never' treated young people with respect, compared to 15% who had not been searched. - A third (34%) of children who had been stopped and searched thought that the police 'almost never' made fair decisions when dealing with young people, compared to 14% who had not been searched. - Over half (53%) of children who had been stopped and searched thought that the police appreciate what young people think, compared to 32% who had not been searched. Details: Glasgow: Scottish Police Authority, 2016. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 20, 2016 at: http://www.spa.police.uk/assets/128635/352708/uypcstopandsearch Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.spa.police.uk/assets/128635/352708/uypcstopandsearch Shelf Number: 140368 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Police Behavior Police Discretion Police Practice Stop and Search

Author: Lunghofer, Lisa Title: Evaluation of Friendly PEERsuasion Summary: Study Overview ANILA Consulting Group, Inc. partnered with Girls Inc. to test the effectiveness of their Friendly PEERsuasion program, a prevention program designed to help girls ages 11 to 14 acquire knowledge, skills, and support systems to avoid substance use. A previous evaluation showed promising short-term outcomes but did not address long-term effectiveness. Given that Friendly PEERsuasion is one of the most popular programs among Girls Inc.'s 93 affiliates, the evaluation represented a critical opportunity to determine the effectiveness of the program, which annually reaches approximately 10,000 girls. Description of Friendly PEERsuasion Girls Inc.'s Friendly PEERsuasion is focused on individual and peer-related risk and protective factors related to substance use. The program is designed to help girls ages 11 to 14 acquire knowledge, skills, and support systems to avoid substance use, and consists of 15 hour-long sessions with a trained adult leader. Friendly PEERsuasion uses a combination of adult leadership and peer reinforcement to teach girls to respond critically to messages and social pressures that encourage substance use. Girls learn the short-term and long-term effects of substance abuse, how to recognize media and peer pressures, and skills for making responsible decisions about substance use. Research Questions The goal of work conducted under this grant was to test the effectiveness of existing delinquency prevention, intervention, and intervention programs for girls. As such, this study addressed four key research questions related to the effectiveness of Friendly PEERsuasion: (1) Is Friendly PEERsuasion effective in delaying or reducing girls' use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD)? (2) Is Friendly PEERsuasion effective in changing girls' attitudes toward ATOD use and their associations with peers who use substances? (3) Are demonstrated effects sustained for one year after program completion? and (4) What factors are critical to successful implementation of the program (and its evaluation)? Research Settings and Participants A total of eight Girls Inc. affiliates participated in the study. Two of the original six affiliates and one of the affiliates that served as a replacement dropped out of the study due to challenges recruiting girls to participate. Three additional affiliates subsequently joined the study in order to increase the likelihood of attaining our target sample of 300 girls. Consent and assent forms were collected from a total of 610 girls from these eight affiliates, and these girls were randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. Fifty-five percent of these girls (N=343) completed a baseline and at least one follow-up survey and were included in the final data set. Research Design and Methods The first three research questions comprise the outcome evaluation. To answer these questions, an experimental design was implemented in which girls were randomly assigned to either an intervention or a delayed-entry control group. In order to examine use of ATOD, attitudes toward use of ATOD, and association with peers who use substances over time, girls in the intervention and delayed-entry control groups were surveyed at three time points: (1) prior to the intervention group's participation in Friendly PEERsuasion, (2) immediately following the intervention group's participation in the program, and (3) one year following the intervention group's completion of the program. The survey collected information on three outcomes that are tied directly to the Friendly PEERsuasion program: (1) age at first use and past 30 day use of ATOD, (2) attitudes and beliefs about ATOD, and (3) association with peers who use substances. Data collection instruments included two Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) measures to assess the first two outcomes. The CSAP GPRA measure of ATOD use asks youth to report on lifetime and past 30 day use of ATOD, and the measure of attitudes asks youth to report on their perceptions of harm from using substances and their intentions regarding substance use. Questions from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) were used to assess the third outcome, association with peers who use substances. Demographic data and information on the number of program sessions girls attend was also collected. Data were analyzed using a multivariate generalized estimating equation (GEE) in order to account for the correlation of outcomes within individuals (repeated measures over time) and any potential correlation within affiliate site. Logistic models were used to assess dichotomous outcomes, and multinomial (ordinal) models were used for categorical outcomes. A process evaluation was conducted in order to answer the fourth research question. Process data was gathered from Session Assessment Forms, monthly conference calls with Girls Inc. staff, and ongoing conversations with program providers at each of the participating Girls Inc. affiliates. Content analysis was used to analyze these data. Details: McLean, VA: Manila Consulting Group, Inc., 2016. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2016 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/250126.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/250126.pdf Shelf Number: 145105 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Drug Prevention Programs Female Juvenile Delinquents

Author: Seattle. Human Services Department Title: Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Needs Assessment Summary: The Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative (SYVPI) constitutes the City's core programming in youth violence prevention with an annual budget of approximately $5.8 million per year. SYVPI is intended to be a coordinated violence prevention and intervention program providing wrap-around services for youth between 12- 17 years who are involved in or thought to be at risk of becoming involved in violence. However, while SYVPI has been operating since 2009, it has been unable to clearly articulate how its program works to reduce youth violence. In 2013, the City Council asked the City Auditor to conduct an "Evaluability Assessment" of SYVPI with the goal of developing a rigorous evaluation of the program. In October 2014, the City Auditor issued a report by MEF Associates that concluded SYVPI could not be evaluated due to several operational and program design issues. MEF identified several issues that would need to be addressed before SYVPI could be evaluated (while MEF was asked to focus on an evaluation design for SYVPI, the problems it identified have broader implications for SYVPI's efficacy). MEF also recommended the City conduct a youth violence needs assessment. This report is in response to this recommendation. Findings A. City's current approach to youth violence lacks an overarching strategic vision The City's current approach to youth violence prevention lacks an overarching strategic vision that recognizes the complexity and multi-faceted nature of youth violence. A substantial body of research recommends viewing youth violence through a public health lens, which posits youth violence can be prevented before it occurs. Adopting a public health approach means viewing the problem from a systems perspective and recognizing the environments in which youth grow and develop have the ability to influence norms and behaviors. A public health perspective also acknowledges that no stand-alone program or entity can effectively address youth violence. Thus, an effective strategy will seek to identify the relative strengths and respective roles and responsibilities of different institutions and systems that play a role in youth violence prevention. Ideally, this will lead to more effective partnerships, the identification of shared goals, and improved service alignment and coordination across systems. B. SYVPI's programming is limited in scope SYVPI is largely focused on the provision of pro-social activities for individual youth between 12- 17 years. As noted in a recent City Auditor report on SYVPI, While these services are important for youth who might otherwise have barriers to these opportunities, this strategy does not address issues with the criminal justice system or schools. In addition, research has identified several risk factors. Details: Seattle: City of Seattle Human Services Department, 2015. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2016 at: http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/HumanServices/Reports/Final_SYPVI_NeedsAssessment.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/HumanServices/Reports/Final_SYPVI_NeedsAssessment.pdf Shelf Number: 145416 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Needs Assessment Violence Prevention Youth Homicides Youth Violence

Author: Burton, Patrick Title: Protecting the flame : overcoming violence as a barrier to education in Namibia Summary: The right of children to education is arguably one of the most significant of all human rights as it allows individuals access to a wealth of opportunities that might otherwise not be within their reach. For many children, however, their right to education is not threatened primarily by a lack of access to schools or by discrimination, but by violence occurring in and around their schools. Violence is one of the major contributing factors to non-enrollment and non-completion of schooling. While a global phenomenon, this is particularly the case in a number of sub-Saharan African countries where primary school enrolment rates are among the lowest in the world. Namibiajs history is marked by colonialism and apartheid. This resulted in an unequal education system characterised by vast discrepancies between the population groups in terms of access to education, quality of education, curricula and facilities. Since Namibiajs independence in 1990, the government has embarked on a comprehensive reform of the education system. Education in Namibia is now a right of all citizens. However, despite a 95% primary school enrollment rate in recent years, many children in Namibia are still not afforded an education or, more importantly, a quality education. Experiences in South Africa have drawn attention to the importance of an informed, locally specific and evidence-based approach to formulating interventions that address violence in and around schools, thereby enhancing access to education. Very little nationally representative data on the experiences of violence against children as a barrier to education and as an infringement on human rights exist in the region. In order to close the gap in the literature, the Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention embarked on a three-country study that explores the impact of violence on access to education. The three participating countries k Namibia, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo k can be considered post-conflict, although each is at a different stage of development and reconstruction. Both quantitative (household survey) and qualitative (focus group activities with learners and key stakeholder interviews) research methods were used to collect the study data. A total of 381 youths between the ages of 12 and 19 years were surveyed in four predominantly rural regions in the north of Namibia, namely, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana and Oshikoto. Of those interviewed, 11 had never attended school before and 59 were not attending school at the time of being interviewed for the study. The primary reasons for not attending school were failing a grade (30.2%), teenage pregnancy (11.6%) and the inability to afford school fees (10.5%). Violence in and near schools was also found to have impacted on learnersj access to education. The study found that children and youths experience various forms of violence, both as victims and as witnesses, across a range of settings, including the school, their home and the broader community in which they live. Experiences of victimisation at school ranged from being verbally teased, insulted or intimidated (22.6%), to having been physically hit, kicked or punched (18.8%), scared or threatened with harm (17.3%), forced to do something they felt was wrong (11.6%) and forced to do things with their body against their will (5.7%). Most of this violence was perpetrated by classmates or other learners at the school. However, learners and classmates were not the only perpetrators of violence against youths within the school environment; corporal punishment was reported by an alarming 72.6% of the sample. Furthermore, respondents expressed an acute awareness of transactional sexual relationships between educators and learners k a scenario exacerbated by the poverty-stricken conditions that characterise communities in northern Namibia. The socio-economic levels of the households represented in the study were very low. On average, only one household member had a permanent job or a stable source of income, while the average household comprised eight members. Violence within the school setting seems to reflect the violence reported in the homes and communities in which the respondents live. A total of 12.4% had witnessed family members intentionally hurting one another, with more than a tenth (10.4%) of these assaults being serious enough to warrant medical treatment for the victimsj injuries. Arguments were common in these households (13.1%) and parents often used physical punishment in response to their childrenjs wrongdoing (67.8%). In addition, violence often resulted if the respondents failed to complete their household chores. The severe levels of poverty experienced in northern Namibia often mean that household responsibilities take precedence over education. Domestic chores are divided according to gender and are based on the traditional stereotypes of male and female roles. Household duties therefore have a far greater negative impact on the schooling of young girls than is the case for boys. The communities in which the respondents live were also a common site of violence, indicating that many children and youth have few places where they are safe and free from violence. Just over half (51.7%) of the respondents had witnessed someone in their community being hit, kicked or punched on one or more occasion, 38.6% had seen someone being pushed, grabbed or shoved, 14.2% had seen someone being threatened with a weapon on one or more occasion and 16.4% had seen someone being assaulted with a weapon in their community. Mainstream literature identifies the link between violence exposure and subsequent emotional and behavioural problems such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, suicidal ideation and antisocial behaviour k all factors that make it nearly impossible for quality learning to take place. The effects of violence can only be exacerbated by the presence of other risk factors embedded in these young peoplejs proximal social environments, namely, poverty, unemployment, large family size, absent parents, etc. Despite the disruption in their normal developmental pathways, children and young people are expected to cope in an environment that lacks the necessary support services to facilitate healing. Parents (40.8%) and other relatives (13.2%) were the most common sources of support following traumatic experiences. The quality of support provided, however, is questionable given that many of these family members are themselves caught up in cycles of violence. Namibia has one of the most progressive legislative frameworks pertaining to education in Africa. The issue is clear: according to the countryjs Constitution, all children should have access to and should remain in school until the age of 16 years. Furthermore, Namibia has developed specific policies to ensure that educationally marginalised children are provided with an education. Namibia is also a signatory to many international and regional instruments that emphasise education as a right of all citizens. This study highlights the lack of policy implementation and enforcement in Namibia, and outlines steps to remedy the situation. Details: Cape Town, South Africa : Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention, 2011. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 8: Accessed October 19, 2016 at: http://www.cjcp.org.za/uploads/2/7/8/4/27845461/monograph_8_-_protecting_the_flame_namibia.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Namibia URL: http://www.cjcp.org.za/uploads/2/7/8/4/27845461/monograph_8_-_protecting_the_flame_namibia.pdf Shelf Number: 139925 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Education and Crime Educational Institutions School Crime School Safety School Security School Violence

Author: Nepal, Som Raj Title: From Margins to Mainstream: Through supplementary education and protection to the vulnerable children in slums of Kolkata, India Summary: he study specifically aims to explicate the processes of mainstreaming of life and education of vulnerable children in the marginalized slum community of Kolkata, India through the integrated approach of supplementary education and protection by a local NGO, IPER (Institute of Psychological and Educational Research). It also equally elucidates the methods and network used by IPER for integrated intervention in primary education and protection of vulnerable children, its holistic impact on the respective community and parents, and challenges of mainstreaming at local context. The research followed a qualitative approach with data triangulation methods to ensure validity and veracity. Participant observation, case studies and semi structured interviews were undertaken as primary data collection from the beneficiaries and sub-beneficiaries of IPER projects of education and protection. Relevant secondary data were obtained from internet, published and unpublished official records of the concerned organization, I/NGOs and journals related to the study-subject. The main findings suggest that universalization of education focusing on compulsory elementary education to those who were not benefitted by public schools have had substantially shaped in Kolkata due to NGOs driving initiatives and government-civil society partnership. The protection cum education intervention to those destitute children of slum and street by arranging individual sponsors or own resources under the aegis of IPER has not only helped to mainstream life and education but also brought the gross happiness in parents motivating them for further education of children. However the problems are in millions but the beneficiaries are in hundreds due to limited means and resources of NGOs and government. Moreover the weaknesses in governance in mapping the problem has resulted many difficulties for poor people to have easy access of education in own areas and negligence of public school's management and teachers towards education of children resulted high drop-out-of school children or discontinuity even at primary level. In addition, case studies of three educated and empowered youths of slums included in the report assure that it would be the best intervention in community if it was from the people of same community for which they were ready to take up community awareness and development tasks. Similarly another case study of a rescued domestic child labour shows the practical problems of social workers in the cases when social tradition dominates the existing laws. Details: Helsinki, Finland: Diaconia University of Applied Sciences, 2013. 103p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed October 20, 2016 at: https://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/57167 Year: 2013 Country: India URL: https://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/57167 Shelf Number: 140816 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Educational Programs Poverty Slums

Author: Lindquist, Christine Title: Cross-site evaluation of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Tribal Green Reentry Program. Final technical report Summary: From 2009 through 2014, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) funded demonstration grants to incorporate green technologies and environmentally sustainable activities in programs designed to help detained and reentering tribal youth successfully reintegrate into their communities and to prevent future juvenile justice system involvement among at-risk youth. Three American Indian tribes received Tribal Juvenile Detention and Reentry Green Demonstration ("Green Reentry") grants: the Hualapai Indian Tribe (Arizona), the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI; Mississippi), and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe (RST; South Dakota). Throughout their grant periods, the three sites received training and technical assistance from the Tribal Juvenile Detention and Reentry Resource and Technical Assistance Center, managed by the Education Development Center. The cross-site evaluation was led by RTI International and American Indian Development Associates, LLC (AIDA), from 2011 through 2014. The goals of the cross-site evaluation were to document the implementation of the Green Reentry programs and to determine the extent of the initiative's impact on the tribal youth and communities served. The evaluation included a comprehensive process evaluation and a mixed-methods outcome evaluation. Details: Research Triangle Park, NC: RTI International, 2014. 89p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 24, 2016 at: https://www.rti.org/sites/default/files/resources/final_technical_report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://www.rti.org/sites/default/files/resources/final_technical_report.pdf Shelf Number: 134422 Keywords: American Indians At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Native Americans

Author: Mattila, Meri-Tuuli Title: The Boys of Icehearts and the 'Hood: A perspective on the everyday realities of growing up in a disadvantaged neighbourhood in Finland Summary: The Boys of Icehearts and the 'Hood: A perspective on the everyday realities of growing up in a disadvantaged neighborhood in Finland. The premise of this thesis is to present the case of young boys growing up in a relatively disadvantaged neighborhood fairly typical of its kind in contemporary suburban Finland. It aims to give a voice to the everyday realities and lived experience of its target group through ethno-methodological descriptions of young boys growing up in the suburb of Mikkola in northeastern Vantaa in the capital city region, and the exposure method created in the context of diaconal community development work in mainland Europe. Moreover, the Icehearts method is explored in as much depth as is feasible within the scope of a Bachelor's Thesis in Social Services from a University of Applied Science. The key concepts of validation and acceptance, and disadvantaged childhood with its everyday realities are explored from the perspective of the integral theory in social work and critical theory in social science research. The Icehearts method, simultaneously applied in school work, free time activities and hobbies, can act as a mediator bridging communication and cooperation between schools and homes, acting as a local force for change and a channel of communication between a given neighbourhood, the district social services and school boards, municipal government as well as national politics. It is a cross-functional multi-professional approach for bringing together the needs of local children and families, and the objectives of schools as well as national social policies implemented on the municipal level, whose common goal is often underscored by voluminous legislation and massive bureaucracy coupled with the scarcity of available resources. The findings suggest that in countries with a highly developed welfare infrastructure, such as Finland, team sports have consistently been gaining ground as a social work method for children that brings social work to the neighbourhood level, close to the families, schools and communities. Sports can be therapeutic, sports can be used as a tool for democracy, and sports can be, and are used as a method in social work worldwide. Details: Helsinki, Finland: Diaconia University of Applied Sciences, 2014. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed November 8, 2016 at: https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/82368/Thesis.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2014 Country: Finland URL: https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/82368/Thesis.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 146290 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Disadvantaged Neighborhoods Neighborhoods and Crime

Author: National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges Title: Report on the Evaluation of Judicially Led Responses to Eliminate School Pathways to the Juvenile Justice System Summary: Many schools across the United States have enacted zero tolerance philosophy in response to perceived increases in violence and drugs in schools. It is believed that aggressive and unwavering punishment of many school infractions, including relatively minor infractions, will create safer schools. However, zero tolerance policy is said to have contributed to increased number of disciplinary actions and increased number of students who come in contact with the court system. Effects of the policy include the removal of students from the educational system, through disciplinary actions such as expulsions and suspensions. These disciplinary actions have negative unintended consequences for families and society. The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) received grant funding from the Atlantic Philanthropies, Public Welfare Foundation, and the Open Society Foundation to provide training and technical assistance to jurisdictions preparing to start or continue initiatives with judicially-led collaboratives to reduce stringent school discipline and referrals of youth to juvenile courts for school-based behaviors. Additional funding was provided by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to conduct a process and outcome evaluation. This research report discusses the findings from the process and outcome evaluation, including some lessons learned about the challenges of collecting data on this complex issue. Details: Reno, NV: The Council, 2016. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2016 at: http://www.ncjfcj.org/sites/default/files/NCJFCJ%20Evaluation%20Report%20School%20Pathways%20Final.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjfcj.org/sites/default/files/NCJFCJ%20Evaluation%20Report%20School%20Pathways%20Final.pdf Shelf Number: 147918 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention School Crime School Discipline School-to-Prison Pipeline Zero Tolerance Policy

Author: Sabia, Margaret Frances Title: Predictability of Delinquency through Psychosocial and Environmental Variables across Three Generational Status Groups Summary: Issues such as the rapid growth of the immigrant youth population and delinquency among adolescents generate public safety concerns among the U.S. population. However, delinquency intervention strategies for immigrant youth in the United States remain scant, which is problematic because these youth face acculturative challenges that increase their risk for maladaptive outcomes. This quantitative, cross-sectional study addressed a research gap regarding the differential influence of risk factors in predicting delinquency across 3 generational statuses. The theoretical framework guiding the study consisted of acculturation theory, the immigrant paradox, and differential association theory. Two research questions were evaluated using a stratified random sample of 255 U.S. adolescents from the Second International Self-Reported Delinquency Study Dataset. The bivariate correlation analyses show that delinquency was significantly related to self-control, neighborhood disorganization, and delinquent peers for the total adolescent sample, and family bonding and school climate at the generational status level. The multiple regression analyses show that delinquency was best predicted by self-control for first-generation immigrants, by neighborhood disorganization, school climate, and delinquent peers for second-generation immigrants, and by self-control, family bonding, and delinquent peers for native-born youth. The results demonstrate that immigrant and native-born youth have unique adaptive and developmental processes that impact their delinquency. By increasing knowledge of delinquency risk factors, the study findings may help advocates address public safety concerns, enhance the cultural responsiveness of interventions, and, ultimately, improve youths' behavioral outcomes. Details: Minneapolis, MN: Walden University, 2016. 356p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: http://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3333&context=dissertations Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3333&context=dissertations Shelf Number: 140375 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile Offenders

Author: National Collaboration for Youth Title: Beyond Bars: Keeping Young People Safe at Home and Out of Youth Prisons Summary: The National Collaboration for Youth (NCY), a 40-year old affinity group, is a coalition of the National Human Services Assembly member organizations that have a significant interest in youth development. Members of NCY include more than 50 national, non-profit, youth development organizations. The NCY mission is to provide a united voice as advocates for youth to improve the conditions of young people in America, and to help young people reach their full potential. Collectively, the member organizations of the National Collaboration for Youth: ● Serve more than 40 million young people and their families ● Employ over 100,000 paid staff ● Utilize more than six million volunteers ● Have a physical presence in virtually every community in America The organizations that comprise the NCY work across generations, with young people, families, neighbors and community institutions. The impact of our organizations indicates that building strong communities and families provides young people with a greater opportunity to achieve well-being and reach their full potential far better than a system that relies on youth incarceration. These next few pages should serve as a handbook for juvenile justice administrators, legislators, judges, the non-profit community and youth advocates for how to end the practice of youth incarceration, promote public safety and restore a sense of belonging for our young people in their homes and neighborhoods. Our collective experiences tell us that communities that are often characterized by intense needs also have extraordinary assets that can be easily overlooked. We advocate for leveraging those assets as one means to meet those intense needs, and providing greater resources for neighborhood-based services and programs. Details: Washington, DC: National Collaboration for Youth, 2016. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 16, 2016 at: http://www.nationalassembly.org/uploads/documents/BeyondBars.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.nationalassembly.org/uploads/documents/BeyondBars.pdf Shelf Number: 146133 Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Aftercare Juvenile Justice Administration Juvenile Justice Systems

Author: Drapeau, Sylvie Title: PréCrimAdo Program Summary: In recent years, three youth centres (Québec, Chaudière–Appalaches and Montérégie) and a team of researchers from Laval University collaborated to examine the results of the PréCrimAdo Program (preventing the criminalization of high-risk adolescents). The program strives to prevent the criminalization of high-risk adolescents by implementing an intervention based on the mediation approach with a category of youth particularly at risk of engaging in a criminal trajectory, namely, youth aged 12 to 15 who have been reported under Section 38(f) (serious behavioural disturbance) of the Quebec Youth Protection Act. The tested approach relies on a negotiation process that is based on the interests of the participants. It focuses on identifying the participants' needs and choice of options, and leads to the proposal of a fair agreement that is satisfactory to all parties. This interest-based negotiation process is one in a range of approaches to alternative dispute resolution, and more specifically, mediation-based approaches. Evaluative research seeks to better understand the processes and effects of the intervention program by looking at the program's implementation from a youth-protection context specifically, and by gauging the extent to which the effects of the program are achieved. This research also includes a cost-benefit evaluation of the program. Details: Ottawa: National Crime Prevention Centre, Public Safety Canada, 2014. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Evaluation Summaries ES-2014-39: Accessed February 13, 2017 at: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2014-ES-39/2014-es-39-eng.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Canada URL: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2014-ES-39/2014-es-39-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 147291 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Cost-Benefit Analysis Delinquency Prevention Interventions Mediation

Author: Butts, Jeffrey A. Title: Local Measures: The Need for Neighborhood-Level Data n Youth Violence Prevention Initiatives Summary: The data infrastructures available for tracking youth violence in the United States do not provide a clear view of neighborhood-level change. Effective strategies for dealing with youth violence inevitably focus on small areas like neighborhoods, and they involve partnerships with community organizations, local schools, hospitals, housing agencies, and organizations in the cultural and recreational sectors. This small-area focus makes it essential to measure the effects of violence prevention efforts at the neighborhood level. At best, however, national data systems track violence at the level of entire cities. Violent crime in the U.S. fell sharply after the mid-1990s and it remains at historically low levels. Some cities and specific neighborhoods within cities, however, are still beset with violence. In an attempt to assist local jurisdictions with violence prevention, the U.S. Department of Justice and a number of other federal agencies launched the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention in 2010. More than a dozen cities participated in the National Forum, collaborating to increase the effectiveness of their local strategies for reducing youth violence. The Department of Justice asked John Jay College of Criminal Justice to monitor and assess the outcomes of the National Forum beginning in 2011. The assessment was not designed to attribute cause-and-effect relationships to activities undertaken by participating cities. The study mainly investigated the accomplishments and perceptions of the leadership networks in each city. Conducting a more rigorous evaluation of the National Forum was not feasible because a multi-city network of neighborhood-level data about youth violence and its correlates does not exist in the United States. Steps are being taken, however, that may eventually lead to better data resources. This report describes some of the most promising resources and suggests the type of work needed to provide communities with accurate, localized crime trend data with which to judge the effects of multi-jurisdictional violence prevention initiatives. Details: New York: John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Research and Evaluation Center, 2017. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2017 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/250534.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/250534.pdf Shelf Number: 146681 Keywords: Crime Statistics Delinquency Prevention Neighborhoods and Crime Violence Prevention Youth Violence Youthful Offenders

Author: Brezina, Timothy Title: Future Selves, Motivational Capital, and Mentoring Toward College: Assessing the Impact of an Enhanced Mentoring Program for At-Risk Youth Summary: This report presents the results of a 4-year evaluation of an enhanced mentoring program developed by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta (BBBSMA). The evaluation project was sponsored by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). Prior research indicates that mentoring programs are typically effective and yield positive effects across multiple developmental domains, including socio-emotional development (e.g., selfworth, relationships with parents and peers), academic functioning, and behavior (DuBois, Portillo, Rhodes, Silverthorn, & Valentine, 2011). The traditional community-based mentoring program delivered by BBBSMA is one of the best examples. The Big Brothers Big Sisters model is nationally-recognized, evidence-based, and seeks to match at-risk youth in the community with positive adult role models who can provide support and guidance. This model has demonstrated the ability to help at-risk youth and reduce problem behavior in controlled evaluations (e.g., Grossman & Tierney, 1998; DuBois et al., 2011). At the same time, despite some maturation of the mentoring field, the observed effects of mentoring programs on key youth outcomes are typically modest in size (DuBois et al., 2011; Tolan, Henry, Schoeny, & Bass, 2008) and have not increased appreciably in size over time (see DuBois, Holloway, Valentine, & Cooper, 2002). Although the temptation to expand existing programs is understandable, there exists a pressing need to identify specific programs and program characteristics that are associated with higher levels of effectiveness. Previous studies indicate that mentoring programs with the highest levels of effectiveness tend to enroll youth from higher-risk backgrounds, enroll a high proportion of male youth, and provide structured and purposeful roles for mentors as advocates for youth (DuBois et al., 2011; Kuperminc, Emshoff, Reiner, Secrest, Niolon, & Foster, 2005). As DuBois et al. (2011) observe, these findings "provide youth mentoring programs—many of which have gone to scale with models that lack specificity and nuance—with a useful point of departure in pursuing stronger and more consistent levels of effectiveness" (p. 79). Details: Final report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2016. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 29, 2017 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/250499.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/250499.pdf Shelf Number: 144616 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Mentoring

Author: Chowdry, Haroon Title: Disadvantage, Behaviour and Cognitive Outcomes: Longitudinal Analysis from Age 5 to 16 Summary: The importance of children's social and emotional skills for life outcomes is well established, as is the link between these skills and family income. The combination of both of these can serve to entrench the cycle of inter-generational disadvantage. Previous work has shown that poorer children exhibit more behavioural and emotional problems on average than their wealthier peers, and that this gap appears early in childhood; less is known about the reasons why this might be and how long it persists for. There is also limited evidence on what might drive the interplay between early behaviour and later cognitive skills such as literacy and numeracy. In this report we present findings from new research on the following questions: (1) What is the relationship between economic disadvantage and child behavioural and emotional problems? Our analysis shows that there is a higher prevalence of behavioural and emotional problems among disadvantaged children. We also find that this discrepancy can be fully accounted for by differences in maternal psychological well-being and parental education. This does not mean that economic disadvantage does not matter. However, it does suggest that it is factors associated with disadvantage, rather than economic disadvantage itself, that lead to the social gradient in child behavioural and emotional problems. Poor maternal psychological well-being explains around half of the socioeconomic disparity in behavioural and emotional problems. However, its association with these problems is only present in low- medium-income families, and the effect is strongest for children in poverty. This suggests that higher family income (or factors associated with it) may act as a protective factor against the risks from poor maternal psychological well-being, or that factors associated with poverty may amplify those risks. There is a lower incidence of behavioural and emotional problems in children with highly educated parents. It is likely that parental education is capturing a range of influences, such as the quality of parenting, of the home learning environment and of parent-child interactions. All of these factors may contribute to children's socio‐ emotional development and behaviour throughout childhood. (2) How do child behavioural and emotional problems influence later cognitive skills and attainment? Children with higher levels of behavioural and emotional problems at age 5 do less well, on average, in cognitive assessments - specifically, literacy and numeracy scores - at age 10 and age 16. This correlation remains, but to a lesser extent, after taking into account other individual and family factors that may contribute to this relationship. For example, parental education and maternal psychological well-being together explain half of the correlation between age 5 behavioural and emotional problems and age 10 cognitive skills. There is a statistically significant link between behavioural and emotional problems at age 5 and cognitive scores at age 16. However, this is fully explained when we control for cognitive scores and behavioural and emotional problems at age 10. In other words, after this is taken into account, there is no independent link between behavioural and emotional problems at age 5 and cognitive skills at age 16. One potential way to interpret this is that early childhood behavioural and emotional problems need not present a risk for future educational attainment if they can be turned around by age 10. Higher parental education is associated with higher cognitive scores, even after taking into account earlier cognitive scores and behaviours. This may reflect ongoing features of the home environment or parenting style that continue to influence children's learning and ability even into adolescence. Our findings highlight the interplay between cognitive and non‐cognitive outcomes, and the family-level factors that may contribute to these outcomes. Parental education and poor maternal well-being contribute to higher behavioural and emotional problems and lower cognitive scores, especially in early childhood. Behavioural and emotional problems at age 5 then contribute to behavioural and emotional problems and lower cognitive scores at age 10, which in turn contribute to lower cognitive scores at 16. As a result these factors can cast 'long shadows' into adolescence and early adulthood, if unaddressed through interventions or additional support. Details: London: Early Prevention Foundation, 2017. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 29, 2017 at: http://www.eif.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/disadvantage-behaviour-cognitive_Mar2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.eif.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/disadvantage-behaviour-cognitive_Mar2017.pdf Shelf Number: 145200 Keywords: Anti-Social Behavior At-Risk Youth Cognitive Skills Delinquency Prevention Disadvantaged Youth Emotional Development Socioeconomic Conditions

Author: O'Dwyer, Kieran Title: Reducing Youth Crime in Ireland: An Evaluation of Le Cheile Mentoring Summary: oung people who have fallen into crime reduce re-offending by 28% on average over the period of mentoring, a major evaluation report into the Le Cheile programme 'Reducing Youth Crime in Ireland' has shown. The report is based on a detailed evaluation of the Le Cheile volunteer mentoring programme and its activities over the period 2013-2015. The report has also shown also that for every euro spent on the programme, L4.35 is returned in social and economic benefits. Benefits include avoiding detention, better health and engagement in education. Of the 28% reduction in re-offending during the period of being mentored, 49% of this can be directly attributed to mentoring. It found that mentoring has significant positive impacts for young people over a range of areas, with the biggest gains made in self-confidence, hopefulness, communications, engagement in activities and, crucially, offending behaviour. Le Cheile Mentoring is a one-to-one relationship-based support service in which volunteers from local communities provide a positive role model to a young person by acting as an advisor and a friendly support. It also now delivers parent mentoring to offer parents support and help in managing their child's offending behaviour. In 2015 it mentored 152 young people aged 12 to 21 as well as 49 parent mentees, with volunteers giving 3,678 hours of their personal time to the young people and their parents. One of the key recommendations in the report was that, given the high social return from mentoring, Le Cheile should continue to be resourced and expanded to regions in Ireland where there is unmet or latent demand. Benefits include: Reductions in offending behaviour (an average of 28%, with attribution of nearly half of this to mentoring); Reductions in alcohol use (12%) and drug use (16%); Improved self-confidence (25%), hopefulness (25%), and happiness (23%); Greater involvement in activities outside the home (28%); Greater involvement or re-engagement in education, work and training (25%); Improved communication skills (24%); Moving away from negative peers (9% improvement in relationship with peers), and Improved relationships with parents (11%), other family (8%), & persons in authority (23%). Le Cheile is funded by the Irish Youth Justice Service through the Probation Service, as part of Ireland's European Structural and Investment Funds Programme 2014-2020 - co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Union. Founded in 2005 in Coolock, Le Cheile, which partners with the Probation Services to reduce youth offending behaviour in the community, is the first mentoring programme for young offenders in the country and today operates in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Clare, South Tipperary, Midlands, Waterford, Meath, with the objective now to expand it to other locations. Details: Coolock, Le Cheile, Ireland: Le cheile Mentoring & Youth Justice Support Services, 2017. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2017 at: http://www.lecheile.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Reducing-Youth-Crime-In-Ireland-Executive-Summary.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Ireland URL: http://www.lecheile.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Reducing-Youth-Crime-In-Ireland-Executive-Summary.pdf Shelf Number: 145314 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Offenders Mentoring Programs Volunteers Youth Mentoring Youth Rehabilitation

Author: Crumpton, C. David Title: Assessing School Attendance Problem and Truancy Intervention in Maryland: A Synthesis of Evidence from Baltimore City and the Lower Eastern Shore Summary: The Maryland Judiciary shares responsibility with Maryland's Executive Branch and local school systems in enforcing the state's mandatory school attendance and truancy laws. An innovation to address the truancy issue was introduced in 2004 when the General Assembly authorized the establishment of the Truancy Reduction Pilot Program (TRPP) in the First Judicial Circuit comprised of four counties located on Maryland's Lower Eastern Shore. The authorizing legislation also required the Judiciary to perform an evaluation of the program. This initiative stimulated an intensive process of policy and program analysis by the Judiciary concerning the most appropriate, efficient and effective roles of courts and judges in responding to truancy. This effort was given additional impetus as the result of the State Justice Institute's (SJI) award of a grant to the Judiciary in 2008. Under the SJI grant, the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) evaluated three alternative approaches to truancy intervention in Baltimore City and the First Judicial Circuit (including TRPP), assessed the context of truancy in Baltimore City and the First Judicial Circuit and synthesized the findings from this research to support an assessment of the school attendance and truancy intervention policy and program framework from the perspective of the Judiciary. The current report represents this synthesis. The Maryland programs discussed in this report represent a continuum of court involvement, with no judicial presence in BSMART, participation of judges in an unofficial capacity in TCP, and judges exercising their full authority in TRPP. Process and outcome evaluations provide some level of support for continuing the BSMART, TCP, and TRPP interventions. Research has shown that truancy is related to a number of negative social and behavioral outcomes, including poor school performance, high dropout rates, and increased involvement in juvenile and adult criminal behavior. Truancy is typically caused by factors from four levels: the individual, the family, the school, and the neighborhood and community. Recommended approaches to reducing truancy emphasize family involvement, interagency collaboration, provision of services that address the needs of students and their families, and incentives and sanctions. The contextual analysis provided documentation of the levels of truancy in school districts across Maryland and the relationship of truancy levels to other variables. Qualitative information provided by respondents involved in school attendance issues in the study jurisdictions mirrored the national perspective that truancy is related to a complex, multi-level set of factors and requires holistic solutions. Statewide in Maryland, 2.25% of students (or roughly 20,000 students) were identified as habitually truant during the 2009-2010 school year because they were absent without a valid excuse for more than 20% of school days. The rate of habitual truancy varies by jurisdiction. Among the jurisdictions that are the focus of this report, the counties on the Lower Eastern Shore (Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester) have habitual truancy rates ranging from 0.29% to 1.49%, whereas Baltimore City has a habitual truancy rate of 8.00%. Although the overall rates for the counties on the Lower Eastern Shore are relatively low, in three of the four counties, truancy rates in individual schools exceeded the state average. Analysis of data across Maryland school systems revealed the following relationships between truancy and other variables: strong positive correlations between rates of habitual truancy and dropout rates, African American students as a percentage of school enrollment, special education students as a percentage of school enrollment, and teen birth rates strong negative correlations between rates of habitual truancy and white students as a percentage of school enrollment and percentages of adults in the community who are high school graduates moderate positive correlation between rates of habitual truancy and poverty rates weak positive correlation between rates of habitual truancy and percent of children living in poverty weak negative correlation between rates of habitual truancy and median household incomes no significant correlation between rates of habitual truancy and unemployment rates or rates of referrals for juvenile delinquency With a few exceptions, Baltimore City and the counties on the Lower Eastern Shore rank among the highest in the state in those variables for which positive correlations with truancy were found (e.g., dropout rates, poverty levels, and teen birth rates) and among the lowest in the state in those variables that have negative correlations with truancy (e.g., median household income and high school completion rates). Knowledgeable informants, including parents, school officials, legal officials, and service providers, identified the following factors as contributing to truancy problems in the five study jurisdictions: impact of poverty, value placed on education, individual needs of children, inadequate monitoring, transportation challenges, safety, and family difficulties, While acknowledging the need to hold parents accountable, respondents generally favored non-punitive solutions to truancy that address the needs of families. The Dropout Prevention Resource Guide published by the Maryland State Department of Education identifies 265 initiatives in Maryland schools that address many of the issues that can impact school attendance. These initiatives include alternative programs, alternative school schedules, alternative schools, attendance accountability, clinical interventions, community service, enhanced counseling, graduation preparation, holistic intervention, justice system coordination, life skill development, mentoring, student parenting, specialized staff, tutoring. The Dropout Prevention Resource Guide does not present school attendance as a central issue to be addressed in reducing dropouts, however, and MSDE does not appear to have a policy or operating focus on truancy and school attendance problems. The three Maryland programs that were evaluated are Baltimore Students: Mediating About Reducing Truancy (BSMART), Truancy Court Program (TCP) and Truancy Reduction Pilot Program (TRPP). BSMART is operated by the University of Maryland School of Law's Center for Dispute Resolution in conjunction with Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS). TCP is operated by the University of Baltimore School of Law's Center for Families, Children and the Courts (CFCC) in conjunction with BCPSS. TRPP evaluated in these reports are operated in the Circuit Courts for Dorchester County, Somerset County, Wicomico County and Worcester County. These programs reflect the national literature concerning the intent and design of truancy interventions. They have a problem-solving orientation, involve both parents and students, and are progressive responses involving interagency collaboration. These programs also represent a continuum of court involvement, with no judicial presence in BSMART, Details: Baltimore: Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts, 2011. 111p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2017 at: http://www.igsr.umd.edu/applied_research/Pubs/Truancy%20Intervention%20Synthesis%20Report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.igsr.umd.edu/applied_research/Pubs/Truancy%20Intervention%20Synthesis%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 131205 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Poverty School Attendance School Dropouts Truancy

Author: Urry, Yvonne Title: Turning Points in the Lives of Vulnerable Young People Summary: The data presented in this report was collected as part of a larger study, the Pathways to Resilience Research Program, a five-country (Canada, China, Colombia, South Africa, and New Zealand), mixed methods study of youth resilience and risk. Data for the study was gathered between 2009 and 2013. Linked to its parent study based at the Resilience Research Centre in Halifax Canada, these were the first studies anywhere in the world that investigated the ways in which experiences across service systems influenced outcomes for youth with complex needs. Taking an ecological and youth-centred perspective, the research not only considers multiple service experiences, it also takes account of patterns within the social and material environment as well as interpersonal relationships within the lives of youth who are clients of multiple services. In this way it focuses on explaining the ways in which youth "negotiate" for, and "navigate" (Ungar et al., 2013) towards the social determinants of wellbeing with their families/whanau and the service systems that provide them with support, treatment and care. The purpose of the study was to identify the factors that were related to the achievement of positive outcomes for youth who were users of multiple services. These were very vulnerable young people who faced a complex mix of challenges in navigating safe pathways through adolescence and into adulthood (Allard, 2007; Berzin, 2010; Rogers, 2011; Stein, et al., 2011). The study had a particular interest in explaining the ways in which the risks confronted by these youth, their resilience and wider social ecologies, combined with supportive and remedial services to create different patterns in outcomes. While data was collected from a number of sources, the research placed a particular priority upon providing spaces for youth themselves to explain their own experiences and to reflect upon the factors that made a positive difference in their lives (Bolzan & Gale, 2012; Bottrell, 2009; Fleming, 2011; McLaren, 2002; Sanders & Munford, 2005). Details: Wellington, NZ: Massey University, 2014. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: Pathways to Resilience Research Project (New Zealand):Whaia to huanui kia toa : Technical Report 18: Accessed July 31, 2017 at: http://www.youthsay.co.nz/massey/fms/Resilience/Documents/Turning%20Points%20in%20the%20Lives%20of%20Vulnerable%20Young%20People.pdf Year: 2014 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.youthsay.co.nz/massey/fms/Resilience/Documents/Turning%20Points%20in%20the%20Lives%20of%20Vulnerable%20Young%20People.pdf Shelf Number: 146629 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention

Author: Severinsen, Chrissy Title: Female offending and youth justice interventions: A review of literature Summary: Crime rates are trending downwards in Aotearoa New Zealand. This includes apprehension rates for children and young people, which have remained steady or decreased over the last 20 years (Ministry of Justice, 2015). Within the youth apprehension statistics, females comprise a minority of youth offenders. In Aotearoa New Zealand, one in five young offenders is female (Ministry of Justice, 2015; Statistics NZ, 2016). The apprehension rate for all offences for females is decreasing, and for violent offences has fallen sharply in recent years (Statistics NZ, 2016). International research also shows that females commit less serious crimes, are involved in crime over shorter periods of time, and present lower risk of harm to others (Arnull & Eagle, 2009 (UK); Best, 2013 (NZ); Leve et al., 2015 (US); Sharpe & Gelsthorpe, 2009 (UK)). It has been argued that female offending forms a response to emotional and relational issues, and that a high proportion of offending females are victims of abuse or trauma. However, the lower numbers of young female offenders has meant that political and academic attention has focused on males, and the particular needs of females have not been well-considered in youth justice systems (Arnull & Eagle, 2009 (UK); Criminal Justice Joint Inspection [CJJI](UK), 2014; Fitzgerald et al., 2012 (Australia)). There is also relatively little published research in New Zealand detailing profiles of young female offenders, or of effective gender-responsive interventions and strategies (Best, 2013 (NZ); Lynch, 2014 (NZ)). However, Swift's (2011; 2014a (NZ)) recent examination of young women's violent and anti-social behaviour in the Tasman Policing District of New Zealand, highlights the role that wider risk factors play in contributing to this and suggests community responses. Worldwide, juvenile justice systems have developed primarily in response to male offending (Arnull & Eagle, 2009 (UK); CJJI, 2014 (UK); Sharpe & Gelsthorpe, 2009 (UK)). It has been suggested that interventions designed to meet the needs of males may not be effective in meeting the needs of females (Arnull & Eagle, 2009 (UK)). A growing body of literature now advocates for the need to respond to differing and specific needs of offending females, in order to be effective (Arnull & Eagle, 2009 (UK); Best, 2013 (NZ); Walker et al., 2016 (US)). This literature review examines national and international literature on offending by young females and intervention programmes considered to be effective with females. Databases including Scopus, Academic Search Premier, and Google Scholar were searched using a combination and variations of the terms 'females', 'offending', 'intervention', 'programme', 'gender', 'responsive', 'juvenile', 'justice', 'delinquency', 'crime', 'female', 'young', 'women', and 'youth'. The resulting literature was reviewed and refined to those which covered the characteristics and profiles of young female offenders, or the characteristics and effectiveness of practice and interventions with females, including gender-specific practice. The review begins with a discussion of young women's pathways into offending, focusing on familial, contextual and individual risk factors that increase the likelihood of offending. It also considers protective factors which may reduce the likelihood of offending by reducing risk exposure, and it explores key differences between males and females who offend. This literature suggests while that females and males share many risk factors for offending, it remains unclear regarding the reasons for the gender gap in offending rates. Some authors emphasise that females experience a greater number of risks and as such have higher rates of mental illness, abuse and victimisation, and family conflict but it is not clear why this does not translate into equal or higher rates of offending (Fagan et al., 2007(US); Fagan & Lindsey, 2014 (US); Walker et al., 2016 (US)). Females are also recognised as having higher levels of welfare need, specifically related to the prevalence of and their vulnerability to abuse and victimisation (CJJI, 2014 (UK)). There appear to be a set of complex interactions between risk and protective factors; it is not possible to identify one explanatory factor or group of factors that predict female entry into, continuation of, and desistance from offending (Arnull & Eagle, 2009). Nonetheless, there are increasing calls to account for differences between young female offenders and both young male and adult women offenders, in addition to recognising the heterogeneity within the young female offending population (Arnull & Eagle, 2009 (UK); van der Put, et al., 2014 (Netherlands). Secondly, the review discusses current responses to females' offending, in particular gender-responsive interventions, and characteristics of effective practice are explored. Offending by young females has received very little study in comparison to males, leaving little guiding theory or evidence regarding the most effective interventions (Leve et al., 2015 (US)). There is some evidence about interventions that are effective more generally in youth justice, but no clear patterns regarding the types of programmes that are most effective by gender (Fagan & Lindsey, 2014(US)). While gender-specific programmes have increased in popularity, there is still a very small evidence base regarding justice interventions that work for females (Arnull & Eagle, 2009 UK); Leve et al., 2015 (US); Zahn et al. 2009(US)). Some research argues that interventions which focus on background needs young people who offend have, such as elevated family and neighbourhood risks, challenges in participating in mainstream education and problematic peer relationships are valuable for both females and males (Arnull & Eagle, 2009 (UK)). The review presents core components which characterise best practice in gender-responsive youth justice systems. These include acknowledging the links between trauma and females' offending, community-based programmes and diversion mechanisms, and support for young females as they transition into adulthood. Details: Wellington, NZ: Massey University, 2016. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical Report 24: Accessed July 31, 2017 at: http://www.youthsay.co.nz/massey/fms/Resilience/Documents/Female%20offending%20literature%20review.pdf Year: 2016 Country: International URL: http://www.youthsay.co.nz/massey/fms/Resilience/Documents/Female%20offending%20literature%20review.pdf Shelf Number: 146630 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Female Juvenile Offenders Female Offenders Gender-Specific Programs Interventions

Author: International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC) Title: National Prevention Strategies for Youth Violence: An International Comparative Study Summary: This international comparative study, funded by the Ministry of Public Safety of Canada, maps and analyzes different national strategies for youth violence prevention in six countries, including South Africa, Canada, Colombia, the United States, France and Norway. These countries have been selected on the basis of their income considering in particular that this may reveal important differences when it comes to connecting all the actors involved. Thus, four countries with high-income were selected compared to two countries with middle income. This report is divided into four parts. The first part has three objectives: a) conduct a literature review on youth and violence; b) describe the comparison means and; c) describe the methodology used. The second part concerns the monographic description of each country's violence prevention strategy. The third part deals with the comparison of these strategies in the light of the notions of interface and comparison means. Finally, in the fourth part, conclusions of the study are presented as well as the recommendations. The objective of this study is therefore to identify how coordination, the qualitative dimensions of such coordination (collaboration, leadership and participation) and information management are ensured in the implementation of prevention policies. Details: Montreal: The Centre, 2017. 182p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 19, 2017 at: http://www.crime-prevention-intl.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/2017/National_Prevention_Strategies_for_Youth_Violence_Final.pdf Year: 2017 Country: International URL: http://www.crime-prevention-intl.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/2017/National_Prevention_Strategies_for_Youth_Violence_Final.pdf Shelf Number: 147730 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Violence Prevention Violent Crime Youth Violence

Author: Courser, Matthew Title: Assessing the Impact of parental Characteristics, Parental Attitudes, and Parental Engagement on Mentoring Relationship Outcomes: Final Report Summary: In October 2013, the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana (BBBS‐KY), was funded under OJJDP Award 2013‐JU‐FX‐ 0010 to assess the impact of three types of parent/guardian factors-parent‐child dynamics, family dynamics, and parent/guardian involvement in mentoring matches‐‐influenced match length, the strength of relationships between volunteer mentors and youth, and youth outcomes. The project utilized an intervention‐only pre‐post design in which the BBBS community‐based and site‐based programs were the intervention. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from youth, mentors, and parent‐guardians in the BBBS‐KY program at match and 12‐months after match. These data were complemented by school record data from 16 area school districts and from data from the BBBS‐KY AIM database. We found that parental‐youth relationship dynamics and parenting styles had a direct impact on youth attitudes toward risky behaviors. For youth in site‐based matches, these factors also were related to academic performance, unexcused school absences, and school suspensions. We also found that while parent/guardian involvement in match relationships influences strength of relationship ratings, it does not appear to influence youth/program outcomes directly. However, relationships between parents/guardians and volunteers influence both the strength of mentoring relationships developed and two key youth outcomes- attitudes toward risky behaviors and academic performance. Details: Louisville, KY: Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 2017. 148p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 19, 2018 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/251114.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/251114.pdf Shelf Number: 149525 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Mentoring Programs Parenting

Author: Bateman, Tim Title: The state of youth justice, 2017. An overview of trends and developments Summary: At the time of publication (September 2017), the last two years appear as having been something of an uncertain period for youth justice. In September 2015, Michael Gove, then Justice Secretary, announced that Charlie Taylor, former Chief Executive of the National College of Teaching and Leadership, would lead a 'Departmental review' of the youth justice system. The terms of reference were wide-ranging requiring consideration of: - 'The nature and characteristics of offending by young people aged 10-17 and the arrangements in place to prevent it; - 'How effectively the youth justice system and its partners operate in responding to offending by children and young people, preventing further offending, protecting the public and repairing harm to victims and communities, and rehabilitating young offenders; and - 'Whether the leadership, governance, delivery structures and performance management of the youth justice system is effective in preventing offending and re-offending, and in achieving value for money'. Disappointingly, and without any rationale being provided, the age of criminal responsibility, the treatment of children in courts and the sentencing framework were explicitly excluded from the review, but it was nonetheless clear that the exercise had the potential to herald significant change in arrangements for dealing with children in conflict with the law. Moreover, following the publication by Charlie Taylor of an interim report in February 2016, which dealt largely with the state of custodial provision for children, the Justice Secretary confirmed that he had amended the terms of reference to include examination of 'the way young offenders are dealt with in court, and the sentences available to tackle their offending'. (Predictably perhaps, the age at which children are held to be criminally responsible remained outside the remit of the review, despite repeated criticisms from within the jurisdiction and without. ) It was anticipated that the review would report in the summer of 2016 and, as a consequence, developments in youth justice both nationally and at a local level were effectively put on hold. This was particularly so because it was widely anticipated that any recommendations made by Taylor would have government endorsement. In the event, publication was delayed following ministerial changes in the aftermath of the referendum on membership of the European Union. The report eventually appeared in December 2016, but it no longer had the status of a Departmental review; government endorsement was no longer assured and the report was published alongside a government response. While the Taylor review was wide-ranging and, in some respects, quite radical, a number of key recommendations were rejected or ignored by the government and commitments to reform were for the most part couched in vague terms or put of for future consideration. For example, Taylor details a range of principles and assumptions which he considers should inform arrangements for dealing with children in conflict with the law. These include: - A focus on the child first and the offender second; - Children who break the law should be treated differently from adults; - Because many of the causes of youth offending lie beyond the reach of the youth justice system; a broad range of agencies should provide an integrated response to preventing and addressing offending behaviour; - Education should be at the heart of that response; - Contact with the criminal justice system tends to increase the likelihood of offending and children should be diverted from it wherever possible; - More persistent and serious offending often implies that the children concerned are deeply troubled, and responses to such offending should recognize that fact. By contrast, the government, in the first line of its response, makes reference to the youth justice system's central role in 'punishing crime' and later reiterates that the statutory aim of the system is to prevent offending and re-offending by children and young people. Taylor calls for a clear division between the role of the court in establishing guilt where an offense is denied and deciding what action 'should be taken to repair harm and rehabilitate the child' once responsibility for the offending has been determined. Details: s.l.: National Association for Youth Justice, 2017. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2018 at: http://thenayj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/State-of-Youth-Justice-report-for-web-Sep17.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://thenayj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/State-of-Youth-Justice-report-for-web-Sep17.pdf Shelf Number: 149805 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile Justice Reform Juvenile Justice Systems Juvenile Offenders Youthful Offenders

Author: Waddell, Stephanie Title: Intervening Early to Prevent Gang and Youth Violence: The Role of Primary Schools Summary: This report explores the extent to which young children at risk of gang involvement or youth violence are supported through evidence-based early intervention, particularly within primary schools. It draws on qualitative interviews with schools, local government officials, police and voluntary sector organisations within the London boroughs of Lambeth and Wandsworth, and builds on earlier EIF research which indicates that risk factors for gang involvement and youth violence can be spotted as early as age seven. Our research paints a picture of primary school staff who know their children and local families well, and who go above and beyond to try to provide strong, positive role models and to support children's emotional wellbeing. However, there is also a strong sense that some school staff are intensely frustrated and feel unsupported in their efforts to work with vulnerable children. Some staff expressed anger and sadness as they told us that they feel unable to change children's outcomes in spite of their best efforts. The school staff and stakeholders we spoke to identified a range of concerns, including: the lack of a clear or shared understanding of the level of risk within a school a lack of clarity or confidence in identifying and accessing statutory and other services beyond the school walls a limited awareness of the range and quality of external support that is available to schools, and little evaluation of the external support that is commissioned the pressure on schools to focus on academic performance to the exclusion of children's wellbeing, a challenge which is often exacerbated in schools located in areas where the risk of gang and youth violence is likely to be higher. Our recommendations concentrate on four areas: improving the use of evidence in commissioning in-school support and programmes, including by providing improved information to schools and by calling on funders and commissioners at the national or regional level to make evidence-based decisions increasing the emphasis on and time available for developing children's social and emotional skills in primary schools, including by making PSHE compulsory in all schools and by requiring Ofsted to consider how well schools are supporting children's wellbeing alongside the academic performance improving the links between schools and the wider early help system in their area, so that school staff are clear about the options that are open to them and confident that referrals will result in support for children and families examining how the police can most effectively work within primary schools to help prevent gang and youth violence. This report is the first output of a three-year project that will explore and support the testing of evidence-informed approaches to early intervention to prevent gang involvement and youth violence. We will be working with the local authorities, police, participating schools and providers in Lambeth and Wandsworth over the next two years, with a view to co-designing, implementing and testing new approaches to preventing gang and youth violence through effective early intervention. Details: London: Early Intervention Foundation, 2018. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2018 at: http://www.eif.org.uk/publication/intervening-early-to-prevent-gang-and-youth-violence-the-role-of-primary-schools/ Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.eif.org.uk/publication/intervening-early-to-prevent-gang-and-youth-violence-the-role-of-primary-schools/ Shelf Number: 150036 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Gangs Intervention Programs School-Based Programs Youth Violence

Author: Klima, Noel Title: Local cooperation in youth crime prevention Summary: Youth crime prevention often takes place on a local level. Preventive measures taken by only one partner are often too limited and have a high risk of failure. The past decennia, more and more initiatives have been taken including different partners to bundle forces to approach youth crime. The police often plays a role in these partnerships. The cooperation can focus on one or more levels of prevention (primary prevention, secondary prevention, tertiary prevention). Furthermore, the focus of the joint projects and actions can be the offender, the situation and/or the victim. Due to the fact that much cooperation takes place on the local level, the exchange of good practices and its evaluation with other localities and regions is still rather limited. There is a need to bring the existing knowledge together and inspire the exchange of experiences within Europe. The EUCPN plays a central role in facilitating this exchange. This toolbox combines academic research, good practices and expert knowledge gathered from several European countries, to support local policy makers and practitioners in the field. This toolbox aims to inform, support and inspire local practitioners and policy makers on actual knowledge in local cooperation in youth crime prevention. To reach this goal, this toolbox contains a variety of tools collected from different sources such as academic literature, existing good practices and expert opinions from different EU Member States to bundle the knowledge and present it to local practitioners and policy makers. It is an easyto-read document, providing an introduction to the topic of local cooperation in youth crime prevention. Details: Brussels: EUCPN, 2012. 102p. Source: Internet Resource: Toolbox 1: Accessed May 3, 2018 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/toolbox1_localcooperationinyouthcrimeprevention_1.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Europe URL: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/toolbox1_localcooperationinyouthcrimeprevention_1.pdf Shelf Number: 150049 Keywords: At-risk Youth Community Programs Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention

Author: Wilson, David B. Title: Police-initiated diversion for youth to prevent future delinquent behavior: A systematic review Summary: Police-led diversion of low-risk youth reduces their future contact with the justice system Police-led diversion of low-risk youth who come into contact with the justice system is more effective in reducing a youth's future contact with the justice system compared to traditional processing. What is this review about? Youth misconduct and misbehavior is a normal part of adolescence and that misbehavior sometimes crosses the line from disruptive or problematic to delinquent. Nationally representative surveys of youth in the USA have indicated that minor delinquent behavior is normative, particularly for boys. The normative nature of minor delinquent behavior raises the question of how police should respond to minor delinquent behavior in a way that is corrective, but also avoids involving the youth in the criminal justice system beyond what will be effective in reducing future misbehavior. Police diversion schemes are a collection of strategies police can apply as an alternative to court processing of youth. Diversion as an option is popular among law enforcement officers, as it provides an option between ignoring youth engaged in minor wrongdoing and formally charging such youth with a crime. Police-led diversion has the potential to reduce reoffending by limiting the exposure of low-risk youth to potentially harmful effects of engagement with the criminal justice system. This review examined whether police-led diversion and traditional processing of youth have different effects on rates of official delinquency. Details: Oslo: Campbell Collaboration, 2018. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: A Campbell Systematic Review 2018:5: Accessed June 5, 2018 at: https://campbellcollaboration.org/library/police-initiated-diversion-to-prevent-future-delinquent-behaviour.html Year: 2018 Country: International URL: https://campbellcollaboration.org/library/police-initiated-diversion-to-prevent-future-delinquent-behaviour.html Shelf Number: 150466 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquents Juvenile Diversion

Author: Nussio, Enzo Title: Deterring delinquents with information: Evidence from a randomized poster campaign in Bogota Summary: In this article, we test whether an isolated information campaign can deter criminals by appealing to their apprehension risk perception. A randomized trial was conducted around 154 high crime housing blocks in Bogota. With support of the Colombian Police, half of the blocks were exposed to a three month poster campaign reporting the number of "arrests around this street block" and half to a no-treatment control condition. The main outcome measure (total registered crime) and secondary outcome measures (calls to the emergency line for thefts and attacks, and minor wrongdoings) were provided by the Police. Additionally, trust in police, security perception, and police performance perception were measured among residents and workers in the treatment and control areas (N = 616) using a post-treatment survey. Measures were analyzed with linear regression analysis and two-sample t-tests. Over the course of the treatment period, premeditated crime was reduced, while spontaneous crime remained unchanged. Overall levels of crime were not significantly altered. Also, a moderate crime reduction is detectable during the first month of the treatment period. The posters were highly visible (93% of respondents in the treated areas recalled them) and positively received (67% "liked" them). Perceptions of security and police among locals improved, though not significantly. Inherent among residents of Bogot� is a pervasive feeling of impunity and low trust in authorities, making the city a hard test case for an offender-targeted advertising campaign. Initial reductions of crime and overall reductions of premeditated crime are thus noteworthy. These results align with key principles of apprehension risk updating theory. Details: PLosONE, 33(7): 1-20 Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 30, 2018 at: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0200593&type=printable Year: 2018 Country: Colombia URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0200593&type=printable Shelf Number: 153311 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Deterrence Media Campaign

Author: Herz, Denise Title: Los Angeles County Probation Workgroup: Report Summary: Pursuant to a September 15, 2015 motion by Supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Hilda L. Solis, the Board instructed the Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Probation Department to review The Los Angeles County Juvenile Probation Outcomes Study and establish an interagency workgroup comprised of various entities in order to build on the report's findings, create a mechanism to implement the report recommendations and ensure continued systems improvement and monitoring of youth outcomes. The goals of this interagency workgroup (hereafter referred to as the "Probation Workgroup") are to support the Los Angeles County and the Probation Department in its ongoing development and implementation of best practices in juvenile justice. Specifically, this group is expected to produce key documents to help:  maximize service integration;  strengthen coordination between County Departments and community-based service providers;  ensure a data-driven, transparent and accountable juvenile justice system; and  improve information sharing within Probation and across County Departments. The Board motion directed Dr. Denise C. Herz, Ph.D. and Kristine Chan, MSW, from California State University Los Angeles School of Criminal Justice & Criminalistics to lead this effort. Following the passage of the motion, the Probation Workgroup was established in November 2015 and met monthly either as a full group or as an Ad Hoc Working Committee through January 2017 to address the six tasks. The Workgroup was comprised of 71 participants with a range of expertise and experiences necessary to generate direct guidance on how Los Angeles County Probation can become more efficient and effective in delivering services to youth. Specifically, the membership included seven young people and three parents with different backgrounds and diversity in their Probation experiences. They were engaged through monthly contacts and transportation was coordinated to these meetings when they are able and willing to attend. Over the past year, the Probation Workgroup approached each task with the intent to produce "building blocks" for Probation and other entities involved in juvenile justice. In particular, these documents offer a substantive starting point for building a better infrastructure and delivery system for juvenile justice practice in Los Angeles County. It holds as a primary assumption that preventing and effectively responding to delinquency when it occurs is a shared responsibility across a variety of stakeholders. Thus, better delinquency prevention and intervention requires the commitment of time and resources by the Board of Supervisors, the Probation Department, other County agencies, community-based organizations, schools, advocacy groups and many others. The Probation Department alone will not be able to effectively reduce delinquency and improve the overall well-being of youth and their families without partnerships with all entities who play a role in the wellness in communities. It is our hope the documents contained within this report facilitate and support that relationship. Details: Los Angeles: California State University, Los Angeles, 2017. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2018 at: http://www.juvenilejusticeresearch.com/sites/default/files/2017-05/Probation%20Workgroup%20Report%203-3-17.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://www.juvenilejusticeresearch.com/sites/default/files/2017-05/Probation%20Workgroup%20Report%203-3-17.pdf Shelf Number: 151322 Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Community-Based Programs Delinquency prevention Juvenile Offenders Juvenile Probation Probation

Author: Modecki, Kathryn Lynn Title: Antisocial Behavior During the Teenage Years: Understanding Developmental Risks Summary: Individuals are far more likely to engage in antisocial behaviour during adolescence than any other period of their life. This paper presents selected results from two studies which used secondary data analysis to provide a theoretically informed picture of youths' decision-making process in relation to delinquency. Study 1 focused on changes in adolescents' perceived rewards and delinquency involvement over four years. Results showed that high levels of perceived rewards go hand in hand with high levels of delinquency, but perceived antisocial rewards 'topped out' by age 14, suggesting that the best time to intervene is during early adolescence or late childhood. Study 2 focused on anger control. Youth who were highly delinquency-involved were especially likely to report surges in anger on days when they experienced a stressor, pointing to a need for delinquency prevention programs aimed at emotion control, including cognitive reappraisal. Improving these skills should enhance youths' ability to navigate risk during the teenage years. Details: Canberra, ACT: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2108. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi556 Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi556 Shelf Number: 151438 Keywords: Adolescent Behavior Antisocial Behavior Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Delinquency

Author: Novak, Adam Title: Multi-country evaluation of the impact of juvenile justice system reforms on children in conflict with the law (2006-2012) Summary: 2.1 Background The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) requires States to promote the establishment of laws, policies, procedures institutions and services specifically applicable to children who are alleged as, accused of or recognised as having infringed the criminal law. More specifically, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child requires that States parties establish a juvenile justice system, whose principal aim is to reintegrate children into their communities and society. The juvenile justice systems in countries and territories of CEE/CIS, which shared a common legal background until independence at the beginning of the 90s, focused on punishment rather than reintegration, and on prosecution and detention rather than on diversion from judicial proceedings and the various community-based alternative to custody that can best support the reintegration of young people in conflict with the law. None of the countries or territories in the CEE/CIS region have a juvenile justice system that fully meets the standard set by the CRC and other UN international standards and norms. UNICEF country offices have gradually started working on juvenile justice in the CEE/CIS region in 2000, with most of them active in this area by 2006. In addition to specific country-based support to reforms, there have been two initiatives led by the UNICEF Regional Office. The first, the 'critical mass' exercise started in 2008, and aimed at encouraging a group of CEE/CIS states that had developed experience in juvenile justice to work with a common set of objectives and priorities, strengthen their approaches, and to document and share experience and lessons learnt for the benefit of other countries in the region. The second was a programme co-funded by the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights' (EIDHR) on Consolidation of Juvenile Justice System Reforms against Torture and Other Forms of Ill-treatment of Children in Former Soviet Countries," covering 8 countries. 2.2 Objective, scope and methodology In 2012, UNICEF decided to commission an independent evaluation of its work on juvenile justice in the region as part of a series of thematic multi-country evaluations aimed at assessing and reinforcing the impact of UNICEF's work on the most vulnerable children. The present evaluation was carried out in partnership with the European Commission (EC) and constitute the final evaluation of the above-mentioned regional programme co-funded by EIDHR and UNICEF. This joint EC and UNICEF multi-country evaluation (MCE) assesses the extent to which juvenile justice system reforms in eleven countries and territories of the CEE/CIS region during the period 2006-2012 have contributed to (a) reducing deprivation of liberty for children in conflict with the law, (b) increasing the use of diversion from the judicial process and (c) reducing the average duration of pre-sentence detention. These three results are necessary in ensuring the child's reintegration into the community - i.e. the ultimate objective of juvenile justice reforms as stated above. They also correspond to interventions where UNICEF has been particularly active in the region. The evaluation reviews UNICEF's and the EIDHR support to system level changes and assesses the extent to which this support contributed to the three above-mentioned results. The MCE was conducted in 11 selected countries and territories which had reported significant results in terms of reductions of children in detention (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo (UNSCR 1244), Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Montenegro, Tajikistan and Ukraine), with two overarching goals: - Demonstrate how reduction of equity gaps and impact results were made possible through changes in the national/regional/local systems and document UNICEF's contribution to such changes; - Identify key lessons in order to improve current and future action. The evaluation was carried out by a team of twelve independent consultants and took place between September 2013 and January 2015. The methodology was based on a reconstructed Theory of Change (TOC); this generated a series of hypotheses regarding the sequencing and causal links of changes in juvenile justice and UNICEF's engagement. Using 16 evaluation questions, findings from the region were used to assess the validity of the logic underpinning the TOC; the extent to which the sequencing of inputs, outputs, outcomes and Impacts corresponded to the TOC, and whether the assumptions that link one level of the TOC to the next hold true. This was followed by a combined desk and field phase, based on documentary review, interviews and focus groups, and questionnaires for UNICEF staff and for practitioners and NGOs. Fieldwork was carried out in six of the 11 countries and territories included within the scope of the evaluation, with local experts assisting in the data collection in the remaining countries and territories. The evaluation team�s analysis was shared with UNICEF stakeholders and an expert panel at various stages and the final draft report was discussed during a validation workshop and passed an external quality assurance review. Details: New York: UNICEF, 2015. 106p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 12, 2018 at: https://www.unicef.org/evaldatabase/files/MCE2_Final_CEECIS_2015-005.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: https://www.unicef.org/evaldatabase/files/MCE2_Final_CEECIS_2015-005.pdf Shelf Number: 152915 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Interventions Juvenile Delinquents Juvenile Justice Reforms Juvenile Justice Systems Juvenile Offenders

Author: International Association of Chiefs of Police Title: Law Enforcement's Leadership Role in Juvenile Justice Reform: Actionable Recommendations for Practice & Policy Summary: There are many opportunities and a continued need for law enforcement to engage in a multi-dimensional, proactive approach to young people. The National Summit on Law Enforcement Leadership in Juvenile Justice was designed to support law enforcement agencies nationwide in becoming more effective leaders in juvenile justice reform. Bringing together a diverse group of 90 law enforcement executives and other juvenile justice system stakeholders, the International Association of Chiefs of Police convened the summit in Arlington, Virginia in September 2013 with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The multidisciplinary summit had two primary goals: - To support law enforcement executives in developing the tools and understanding they need to make preventing and addressing juvenile crime a priority in their agencies while working with youth in effective and developmentally appropriate ways. - To enable law enforcement leaders to take a more active role as change agents in their communities, working in collaboration with partners to bring their perspectives to policymakers at the local, state, and national levels. Summit participants met for a day and a half to discuss how best to advance these priorities. The deliberations centered on the need for law enforcement to be "smart on crime" and keep communities safe by effectively addressing both the smaller proportion of youth who commit the most serious offenses, or are at highest risk of reoffending, and those youth who commit relatively minor offenses or might only rarely come into contact with the justice system. The summit participants developed the 33 recommendations, grouped into eight topic areas, that are outlined in this report for practices and policies that advance a more constructive role for law enforcement when engaging with a broad range of juvenile offenders and at-risk youth. Details: Alexandria, VA: IACP, 2016. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 19, 2018 at: https://www.theiacp.org/sites/default/files/2018-07/JuvenileJusticeSummitReport.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.theiacp.org/sites/default/files/2018-07/JuvenileJusticeSummitReport.pdf Shelf Number: 132982 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Juvenile Justice Reform Juvenile Justice Systems Juvenile Offenders Police-Community Relations

Author: Jarjoura, G. Roger Title: Evaluation of the Mentoring Enhancement Demonstration Program: Technical Report Summary: Introduction -- In 2012, OJJDP launched a demonstration field experiment, the Mentoring Enhancement Demonstration Program (MEDP) and Evaluation to examine: (1) the use of an "advocacy" role for mentors; and (2) the use of a teaching/information provision role for mentors. The overall goal of MEDP was to develop program models that specified what advocacy and teaching look like in practice and to understand whether encouraging the general practice of advocacy and teaching could improve youth outcomes. The American Institutes for Research (AIR) conducted a rigorous process and outcome evaluation of programs funded by OJJDP in 2012. The evaluation was designed to rigorously assess the effectiveness of programs that agreed to develop and implement enhanced practices incorporating advocacy or teaching roles for mentors, including providing focused prematch and ongoing training to mentors, and providing ongoing support to help mentors carry out the targeted roles. The Mentoring Enhancement Demonstration Program MEDP grantees comprised collaboratives that would offer coordinated implementation of the same set of program enhancements in three or four separate established and qualified mentoring programs located within the same regional area. The MEDP collaboratives varied widely in their geographical locations, their size and experience in mentoring, and the structure of their mentoring programs. The types and structures of mentoring programs also varied across, and sometimes within, collaboratives. All the collaboratives proposed enhancements in the way they would train mentors for their roles, and in the way they would provide ongoing support to the mentors and in some cases, the matches. The evaluation of MEDP was designed to: (1) provide rigorous evidence about whether the enhancements improved youth outcomes and reduced risk for delinquency, and (2) describe the practice models and program characteristics associated with these improvements. This combined outcome and implementation analysis was guided by a theory of change. The MEDP Evaluation -- Based on recent research and theory in mentoring as well as the broader field of youth development, the theory of change posited that mentors exposed to enhanced training and support should be more likely to engage in the types of behaviors encouraged through the initiative, and through these behaviors promote more positive, longer-lasting relationships with their mentees, which should, in turn, promote stronger positive outcomes for youth. The implementation evaluation focused on understanding how different the proposed enhancements were from the existing (i.e., the business-as-usual) program practices and whether these differences were big enough to lead us to expect that they might result in differences in match and youth outcomes. We also examined the extent to which the enhanced program practices were delivered as intended. Finally, we wanted to understand what it took for the programs to implement their planned programmatic enhancements. The impact evaluation was designed to understand whether the programmatic enhancements had an impact on the intermediate and distal youth outcomes. We were also interested in understanding - based on the theory of change-what processes led to these outcomes, and whether mentor experiences could be shaped by exposure to the enhanced program practices. Sources of data for the evaluation included program documents, mentor training rosters, notes from site visits, notes from staff focus groups, surveys of staff, and baseline and follow-up surveys of youth, parents, and mentors. Throughout the initiative, the research team took a collaborative approach to working with the program staff who supported data collection activities, to increase their capacity to participate in the evaluation and to ensure data quality. Details: American Institutes for Research, 2018. 233p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2018 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/252167.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/252167.pdf Shelf Number: 153846 Keywords: Cognitive Behavioral Programs Delinquency Prevention Evidence-Based Programs Mentoring Rehabilitation Programs Young Adult Offenders