NCJ Number
207639
Date Published
2004
Length
21 pages
Annotation
In examining effective educational interventions for juvenile offenders in the United Kingdom, this chapter addresses the link between education and offending, the Youth Justice Board's (YJB's) new education and training strategy, and what works in the educational interventions at the core of the YJB strategy.
Abstract
The main areas of linkage between education and juvenile offending are detachment from mainstream education, the impact of custodial sentences, and educational underachievement. The YJB has developed its Learning and Skills Strategy around these three key areas, as it focuses on reducing the number of juveniles detached from mainstream education, reducing the negative impact of custody, and increasing the literacy and mathematical skills of juvenile offenders. The chapter also considers how evidence can inform and facilitate the implementation of the YJB strategy, as it discusses whether educational services reduce recidivism, the features of successful education programs, how to design effective basic skills interventions, motivation and attitudes toward learning, and the infrastructure for effective delivery of education services. The authors conclude that this chapter's limited literature review supports the importance of education and training in reducing a juvenile's recidivism; however, there is a research gap in making causal connections between program features and gains in basic skills attainment. They advise that such knowledge must be gained while developing and implementing education programs. 35 references