Blog Post #6: Delinquency Prevention Programs

What works in preventing juvenile delinquency?

For years, the federal government has provided billions of dollars to state and local governments to assist them in their efforts to prevent crime [1]. However, the amount spent on prevention programs is not nearly the amount spent on punishment and secure confinement. {Refer to Blog Post #2} In this decade though, several delinquency programs have emerged and are being funded by Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. According to Taylor Greene and Penn (2005), the focus might be shifting from punishment to prevention in juvenile justice partly due to the high cost of “get tough” policies that do not necessarily work [2]. Howell (2003) identified many juvenile justice programs and strategies that do not work, including shock incarceration, drug abuse resistance education, zero-tolerance policies and incarceration of juveniles in adult prisons [3]. Although we know more about what does not work today, we still do not know enough about what does work.

Twelve years ago, Sherman et al. (1997) conducted a study of factors relating to juvenile crime and the effectiveness of prevention programs on youth violence. They concluded that, although some programs work, some do not, others are promising, and there is a need to identify what works in areas of concentrated poverty where homicides are prevalent. It is also important to know what works in delinquency prevention in any community where there is a heightened problem of fear, violence, and victimization [1]. One group that attempts to find out what works in delinquency prevention is the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence. Since 1996, the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence has been identifying and evaluating violence prevention efforts. The center selects “Blueprint Model Programs” based on several criteria for effectiveness. The criterion includes evidence of a deterrent effect with a solid research design and reproduction of the program in another place [4]. The center also selects “Promising Programs” which are required to only meet the first criteria. At this time, there are 11 Blueprint Model Programs and 19 Promising Programs. The Blueprint Model Programs include Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Multisystemic Therapy, Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, Project Towards No Drug Abuse, and Life Skills Training [4].

In terms of how these programs can be integrated with juvenile justice systems throughout the country, Howell (2003) provided a “comprehensive strategy framework” for incorporating delinquency prevention into the juvenile justice system. The keys to this strategy are prevention, effective early intervention with at-risk children and graduated sanctions for youth in the juvenile justice system [3]. The comprehensive strategy is based on research and has been applied in many jurisdictions. It utilizes a developmental prevention approach that focuses on risk factors in the individual, family, school, and community.

Although it is easy to forget the fact that the vast majority of the juveniles in our country are not delinquent regardless of their race, class, and gender, we should remember that many parents, teachers, counselors, and community-based organizations are dedicated to the proper development of juveniles across the nation. It makes much more sense to invest society’s resources into education, health, and delinquency prevention than it does to invest into juvenile correctional facilities. Investing in delinquency prevention, however, will require the identification of prevention programs that work, can be reproduced in other areas of the country, and that can be sufficiently funded on a continual basis.

Sources:

[1] Sherman, L.W., Gottfredson, D., MacKenzie, D., Eck, J. P., Reuter, P., & Bushway, S. (Eds.). (1997). Preventing crime: What works, what doesn’t what’s promising. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice.

[2] Taylor Greene, H., & Penn, E. (2005). Reducing juvenile delinquency: Lessons learned. Race and juvenile justice. Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press.

[3] Howell, J.C. (2003). Preventing and reducing juvenile delinquency: A comprehensive framework. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

[4] Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence. (2008). Blueprints for Violence Prevention. University of Colorado at Boulder. http://www.colorado.edu/cspv/blueprints/index.html