NCJ Number
243079
Date Published
2012
Length
60 pages
Annotation
This report from the New Zealand Department of Corrections presents an overview on intervention programs for young offenders in that country.
Abstract
This report from the New Zealand Department of Corrections begins with an overview on youth offending trends in the country for the period 1992 to 2008. A review of research found that between 1999 and 2008, rates of violent offending among 14-16 year-olds increased steadily, and that about 20 percent of youth offenders commit serious and/or repeat offenses, accounting for about 80 percent of all youth offenses. The review also revealed a strong connection between reconviction and re-imprisonment rates and the age of offenders, with offenders under the age of 20 having higher reconviction and re-imprisonment rates almost twice as high as other offenders. Following this analysis, the report examines causal theories or mechanisms for explaining juvenile delinquency, including biological theories, cognitive theories, social learning and behavioral theories, and system theories. The report also discusses the various factors that affect youth offending rates, including risk factors, protective factors, desistance, and reintegration. The third section of the report discusses effective interventions aimed at reducing youth offending that have been identified through numerous studies. These interventions include restorative programs, counseling, skill building programs, and deterrence efforts. The fourth section of the report discusses characteristics of effective programs that have been identified through research, and provides information on designing and developing effective youth intervention programs. Tables, figures, references, and appendix