Characteristics of Effective Treatments and Interventions for Juvenile Offenders

• NCJ Number: 183495
• Author(s): Richard E. Redding Ph.D.
• Date Published: 1999
• Length: 9 pages
• Grant Number(s): 97-JE-FX-0051
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
• Corporate Author: Institute of Law, Psychiatry & Public Policy, University of Virginia
• Sale Source: NCJRS Photocopy Services; Institute of Law, Psychiatry & Public Policy, University of Virginia
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper examines characteristics of effective treatments and interventions for juvenile offenders.

Abstract

While no single treatment will rehabilitate all juvenile offenders, the best interventions share some characteristics. They are based on empirically demonstrated effective treatments, simultaneously address multiple risk factors (child, family, school, neighborhood) contributing to a child's delinquency, are tailored to each child, are of sufficient duration and maintain high program quality in terms of staff recruitment and training, supervision, accountability for outcomes, and ongoing program monitoring and evaluation. The most effective programs include early screening, evaluation and intervention and are community-based. The paper provides an overview of research findings on the characteristics of effective interventions, identifies specific treatments generally considered the most effective in reducing recidivism in juvenile offenders, and describes certain treatments that show particular promise. Bibliography, references