NCJ Number
208533
Date Published
2003
Length
119 pages
Annotation
This report presents evaluation findings on California’s Comprehensive Youth Services Act (CYSA).
Abstract
The Welfare-to-Work Act of 1997 created a new program in the State of California: the Comprehensive Youth Services Act (CYSA), enacted in fiscal year 1997-98 to provide funding to juvenile probation services. The three main goals of the program are to: (1) prevent further criminal offending among probation youths; (2) decrease dependence on public assistance by developing essential skills among probation and at-risk youth; and (3) help meet the four fundamental goals of the Federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Family (TANF) program. The Chief Probation Officers of California (CPOC) commissioned this statewide analysis of the CYSA; the analysis had four main objectives: (1) provide feedback on the CYSA/TANF implementation; (2) document the use patterns of CYSA/TANF funds by local agencies; (3) assess the impact of local interventions; and (4) provide recommendations for overall program design and operation. Evaluators reviewed program details from 11 participating counties, which revealed considerable variation in the approaches implemented with CYSA/TANF funding. Types of services offered under these programs ranged from formal treatment services to externally-provided case management services and life skills development services. Some counties added after-care services or enhanced their existing after-care services. Within juvenile detention settings, CYSA/TANF funds tended to be used to enhance existing services. Professionals working with CYSA/TANF funding, as well as the evaluators, offered the opinion that these funds helped fill an important gap in the provision of juvenile probation services. Assessments of system and individual outcomes indicated positive outcome results for program participants in at least some outcome measures, although results were similar for both study and comparison groups. Given the integral nature of CYSA/TANF funding for many juvenile justice agencies, it is recommended that further evaluation of this program be conducted with a larger sample size. Figures, tables, references, appendixes