NCJ Number
229192
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 37 Issue: 6 Dated: November-December 2009 Pages: 596-607
Date Published
December 2009
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study validated the Positive Achievement Change Tool (PACT) as a tool for assessing juveniles' risk to reoffend, and it examined whether the PACT was as predictive of female delinquency as it was of male delinquency, using subsequent official delinquency referral as the dependent measure.
Abstract
The overall level of risk to reoffend as determined by the PACT was found to be a significant predictor of recidivism for youth who were assessed and remained in the community, with higher risk youth more likely to reoffend. Youth assessed as at lower risk to reoffend by the PACT were significantly less likely to commit an offense if allowed to remain in the community compared with youth assessed at higher risk. In addition, the likelihood of recidivism was exactly as the PACT predicted, with low-risk youth less likely than moderate-risk youth to reoffend, who were in turn less likely than moderate-high risk youth, who were less likely than high-risk youth to reoffend. The study found support for the PACT being a significant predictor of both male and female juvenile recidivism. The findings of the current study convinced Florida to use the PACT with all youth under the care and custody of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. PACT uses an interview process, with the staff member having a conversation with the youth in order to elicit the required information. The PACT uses both a prescreen and a full-assessment, providing overall risk levels, including measurements of low, moderate, moderate-high, and high risk to reoffend. The current study used 111,450 PACT assessments. It used only assessments that allowed for a 12-month follow-up post assessment for youth who remained in the community. The sampling procedures resulted in a final sample of 8,132, which was 69.8 percent male and 30.2 percent female. 8 tables, 3 notes, and 68 references