NCJ Number
236165
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 39 Issue: 4 Dated: July/August 2011 Pages: 338-343
Date Published
July 2011
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This study examined whether family preservation programs were effective at dissuading juvenile males from future delinquency.
Abstract
The study found that the recidivism rates for male juvenile offenders referred by the courts to the family preservation (FP) program were not affected by the offender's participation in the program. The study also found that the outcome of program participation was not affected by whether the juvenile was a felony offender or a misdemeanor offender. For felony offenders who participated in the FP program, living with a single mother was significant predictor of recidivism; for misdemeanor offender participants, being an older offender, having gang affiliation, and having substance abuse issues were all significant predictors of increased rates of recidivism, while living with two biological parents significantly decreased the odds of recidivism. This study examined whether participation in FP programs by male juvenile offenders significantly affected their rates of recidivism. Data were obtained from analysis of a FP program in a single county administered through a non-profit social services organization. Participants (n=286) were first-time male offenders aged 10 to 17 years of age who were referred to the program by an urban county probation department between 2001 and 2007. The sample of FP participants was compared to a simple random sample (n=1,074) of non-FP male participants. The study's findings indicate that FP programs are not effective at reducing recidivism rates for male juvenile offenders. Implications for future research are discussed. Tables, notes, and references