NCJ Number
186308
Journal
Juvenile Justice Update Volume: 6 Issue: 3 Dated: June/July 2000 Pages: 1-2-14-16
Date Published
2000
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This paper describes the components, participants, challenges, and evaluation plans for Colorado's Teen Quest program, which provides gender-specific programming for female juvenile delinquents.
Abstract
Colorado's Mountview School near Denver has six pretrial detention "pods" and one short-term treatment cottage for boys. For girls, it hosts one pretrial detention "pod" and Teen Quest. Teen Quest is a 20-bed secure facility located on the fenced-in grounds of the Mountview School. Teen Quest has been operated since late 1994 by a private nonprofit agency, the Denver Area Youth Services. Teen Quest residents have a multitude of treatment needs, including post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, psychiatric disorders, sexual abuse, eating disorders, self-harm and self-mutilation, and motherhood. The Teen Quest approach to treatment helps residents acquire insights into their pasts while they develop skills to function independently in society. It emphasizes strengths and strength-building. The treatment approach applies a triad of theoretical bases. First, from a cognitive behavioral perspective, residents focus on their own accountability for their misbehaviors. Second, the girls are taught to recognize factors that "trigger" relapses into negative behavior. Third, the program provides female-specific programming. Among the gender-specific issues addressed are parenting education, gender issues in the media, current events, close relationships, domestic violence, victim empathy, sexual abuse, proactive communication, and conflict resolution. Although Teen Quest believes in its program, it has no valid measure of its effectiveness. A rigorous evaluation of Teen Quest's participants, its program, and treatment modalities is currently being designed. 4 references