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Keywords: reentry interventions, juvenile offenders, family therapy, recidivism, Parenting with Love and Limits(TM)
Abstract
Previous studies have evaluated the effects of community-based, family-focused juvenile probation services on recidivism. Many states are beginning to use such services as part of reentry programming for youth released from residential custody. Little is known, however, about whether these models effectively reduce rates of reoffending among youth transitioning from confinement. The current study used a quasiexperimental design to compare the familyfocused Parenting with Love and Limits(TM) (PLL) reentry services with standard aftercare offered through the St. Joseph County Probate Court in Indiana. We used intent-to-treat and protocol adherence analyses to evaluate recidivism outcomes. Youth released from PLL had lower rates of reoffending than those receiving standard aftercare, with statistically significant differences found for subsequent rates of juvenile readjudication. Effect sizes for the intervention ranged from -0.112 for rearrest to -0.221 for readjudication. Lengths of service were significantly shorter for the treatment sample than for the matched comparison group by an average of 2 months, suggesting that the intervention can serve more clients per year than standard aftercare while reducing costs associated with residential commitment. Findings have important implications for research and the implementation of juvenile reentry programs and strategies.
Introduction
Nationally, juvenile arrest rates have declined to their lowest levels since 1980 (Puzzanchera & Adams, 2011). However, recidivism rates for youth released from juvenile correctional facilities have failed to keep pace. The number of arrests involving juveniles in the United States declined by 17% between 2000 and 2009 (Puzzanchera & Adams, 2011), yet recidivism trends reported by various states either have remained relatively stable or revealed only incremental decreases over time (Feyerherm, 2011; Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, 2011; Noreus & Foley, 2012; Pate, 2008; Rogan, 2008; Virginia Department of Corrections, 2011). Overall rates of recidivism for juveniles released from residential commitment are high. The Casey Foundation reports that 68% to 82% of these youth are rearrested within two years of release, and 38% to 58% are subsequently adjudicated or convicted for a new offense (Mendel, 2011).
Aftercare services in the juvenile justice system have historically been underfunded and have emphasized surveillance and community restraint, with little in the way of treatment interventions designed to address offender risks...