NCJ Number
197344
Date Published
July 1997
Length
36 pages
Annotation
This report summarizes the assessments of high-risk youth screened for the Washington State Early Intervention Program as of May 1997, and provides a descriptive portrait of the youths' character and family environments.
Abstract
This report describes an evaluation of a juvenile court Early Intervention Program (EIP), funded by the Washington State legislature in 1996, with the goal of preventing high-risk, first-time juvenile probationers from becoming further entrenched in the court system. A later report, released in December of 1997, describes preliminary findings on recidivism and other program outcomes. The data contained in this report, describing 1,381 juvenile probationers judged to pose a high risk of re-offense, represent the judgements of probation staff and depends on the care taken and accurate knowledge of each juvenile's situation. Criminal history, mental health and substance abuse, family history, and school and peers for the individuals studied are highlighted in this report. Risk scored for a sample of youth committed to a State institution were also estimated to provide comparison, and it was found that EIP youth scored considerably lower than the comparison group. In conclusion, it is reported here that research reveals that positive protective factors can counteract risks for negative consequences. Fourteen tables are included that describe risk factors and protective factors related to the description of eligible youth, and seven tables compare Green Hill and Early Intervention Youth. Figures include assessment items and scores, number of youth by group, and percent of EIP and Green Hill youth by range of risk assessment score.