Intensive Supervision (Juveniles): Technical Report

• NCJ Number: 306426
• Author(s): Christian M. Sarver; Jennifer K. Molloy; Robert P. Butters
• Date Published: 2012
• Length: 15 pages
• Publication Type: Publication

Annotation

This meta-analysis reports on an intensive aftercare research and demonstration program to provide best practice guidelines for reintegrating high-risk juvenile parolees into the community.

Abstract

This document describes research aimed at developing best practice guidelines for Intensive Supervision Programs (ISP) when reintegrating high-risk juvenile parolees back into the community. The authors conducted a systematic review, according to PRISMA protocol, to identify studies fitting the inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis, criteria which included: both the treatment group and comparison/control group must consist of juvenile offenders aged 12 to 22 years; the study must evaluate a juvenile justice intervention, excluding primary prevention programs and programs serving non-court involved populations; interventions conducted within the context of any community-based placement were eligible for inclusion; the study must include a measure of recidivism as an outcome; and both experimental and quasi-experimental studies were eligible for inclusion. The authors report finding 19 comparison studies for the meta-analysis, including 13 studies that compared ISP to regular supervision, five studies that compared ISP to a secure placement, and one study that compared two forms of ISP. Results indicated that ISP for juvenile offenders is associated with significantly lower recidivism rates when compared to regular supervision. The authors also discuss the limitations of this meta-analysis, noting that the reported effects of interventions may be attributable to other program components and not the intensity of the supervision.