NCJ Number
196810
Date Published
2002
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This paper discusses family-based treatment models which have been effective in treating juvenile offenders.
Abstract
After arguing that the fields of family therapy and family-based services provide many ineffective treatment models, the author discusses two family-based treatment models that have been effective in treating juvenile offenders. After briefly introducing the multisystemic therapy and functional family therapy models, the author presents both a general discussion of factors that tend to determine adolescent criminal behavior and general characteristics of effective offender rehabilitation. Focusing on multisystemic therapy interventions to help juvenile offenders, this paper describes the model’s treatment theory, clinical procedures, service delivery and quality assurance procedures. Results from studies using the multisystemic therapy approach demonstrate that it has both short and long-term clinical effectiveness in improving family relations and family functioning among families with juvenile offenders. Turing to the treatment theory, clinical procedures, service delivery and quality assurance procedures of the functional family therapy model, the author argues that a comparison of two models indicates that multisystemic therapy produces stronger treatment effects and greater cost savings than functional family therapy. However, because the functional family therapy model produces such favorable outcomes in controlled evaluations, the author concludes that both models are effective alternatives to out-of-home placement of juveniles presenting serious clinical problems. References