NCJ Number
169633
Date Published
1994
Length
458 pages
Annotation
Fifty-two drug and gang prevention projects funded under the Youth Gang Drug Prevention Program of the 1988 Omnibus Anti-Drug Abuse Act were evaluated with respect to their implementation, the impact of the policy context, the characteristics of the projects and the youths who participated, and program effectiveness.
Abstract
The process evaluation gathered information by means of interviews of project staff at 37 projects, as well as government and school officials and criminal justice personnel. A quasi-experimental, retrospective pre-post design was also used to compare outcomes for participants and nonparticipants in the 13 consortium projects that provided direct services. The programs served youth at risk of gang and drug involvement due to school problems, families with low income or headed by a single parent, the lack of a support system, and a propensity for delinquency. Staff reported that youth took part because they needed something to do, sought physical activities, or had been urged to participate by others. They dropped out due to moves, boredom, age, or conflicting obligations. The 52 projects implemented more than 30 recreation, education, tutoring, outreach, cultural, and counseling services for youth, families, and the community. After participating in the program, participants were less likely than nonparticipants to have reported engaging in delinquent behavior overall and in specific delinquent behaviors. Participants were also less likely than nonparticipants to report using alcohol or other drugs after participating in the program. Both participants and nonparticipants had small decreases in their gang involvement. Additional findings, process and outcome recommendations, and 125 references