Learning More From Evaluation of Justice Interventions: Further Consideration of Theoretical Mechanisms in Juvenile Drug Courts

• NCJ Number: 251878
• Journal: Crime & Delinquency Volume: 63 Issue: 9 Dated: 2017 Pages: 1091-1115
• Author(s): Joshua Long; Christopher J. Sullivan
• Date Published: 2017
• Length: 25 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2007-DC-BX-0016
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined data on a sample of youths participating in drug courts in nine sites across the United States and a comparison group of probationers (N = 1,372).

Abstract

It is essential to learn as much as possible from justice interventionseven those that do not appear to be successful. For the current study measures of juvenile drug court performance were drawn from case records. Path models with direct and indirect effects were analyzed. Aspects of the juvenile drug court process appeared to heighten the likelihood of youth failure in the program and recidivism. The ratio of incentives to sanctions was protective as drug court youth who experienced more of the former had a reduced likelihood of recidivism. The study concludes that it is important to examine mechanisms that impact the success of justice interventions. (Publisher abstract modified)