NCJ Number
201807
Date Published
December 2001
Length
83 pages
Annotation
This report presents the findings of an evaluation of Alameda County's (California) Reaffirming Young Sister's Excellence (RYSE) program, whose primary goal was to prevent girls whose cases had been adjudicated within the county juvenile court from returning to the juvenile justice system or entering the adult criminal justice system.
Abstract
A corollary goal was to promote the development of the girls' social, academic, and vocation competencies, so they could sustain crime-free and economically secure lifestyles. In addition, the program sought to end the intergenerational cycle of family fragmentation and delinquency through the provision of family-focused services, since a significant number of girls in the juvenile justice system were already pregnant and/or parenting. The program included supervision as well as treatment interventions that sought to reduce participants' rate of arrest; increase the completion of probation, restitution, and community-service requirements; improve school performance; improve scores on the major CASI subscales; and reduce recidivism and the level of offending. The evaluation of the program consisted of a process evaluation, an impact evaluation, and a cost-effectiveness analysis. The evaluation found that the gender-specific continuum of intervention was more effective than traditional probation in achieving compliance with probation conditions, restitution, and community-service requirements. The continuum was also effective in terms of beginning the process of addressing the risk factors that contribute to delinquent and criminal behavior. The program was more effective in reducing the delinquent behaviors of girls who were on probation for at least 1 year. Although there was no demonstrated effect of the interventions on rearrest and recidivism, the severity of reoffending was less for the girls in the program. Recidivism was most likely for girls who had poor school attendance and performance, had significant histories of sexual and/or physical victimization and abuse, and who used/abused drugs. Ongoing programs and interventions that target these risk factors could have improved the effectiveness of the program. Detailed recommendations for improving the program are offered. 26 notes, 37 references, and extensive tables and figures