Citation

Myers WC, Burton PR, Sanders PD, Donat KM, Cheney J, Fitzpatrick TM, Monaco L. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2000; 39(9): 1127-1134.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610, USA. wmyers@psych.med.ufl.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/00004583-200009000-00012

PMID

10986809

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the effectiveness of Project Back-on-Track, an after-school diversion program that uses a multimodal approach for the treatment of early-career juvenile offenders. METHOD: Project Back-on-Track completers (30 of 41 enrollees; 73%), aged 9 to 17 years, 63% female, participated in a 4-week cycle of treatment consisting of group and family therapies, parent groups, educational sessions, community service projects, and empathy-building exercises. These youths attended the program 2 hours per day, 4 days a week, allowing for 32 hours of contact with the program per cycle; parents attended the program for 15 hours per cycle. Most youths were referred for violent offenses and met criteria for conduct disorder. RESULTS: Project Back-on-Track completers were significantly less likely than matched controls to have committed subsequent criminal offenses at 12 months. In addition, they had significantly fewer subsequent criminal charges at 9- and 12-month follow-up intervals than the control group. By decreasing the frequency of criminal recidivism, it is estimated that Project Back-on-Track resulted in savings to society of approximately $1,800 per youth enrolled after 1 year. CONCLUSION: At 1-year follow-up, findings suggest that treatment through Project Back-on-Track was effective in reducing criminal recidivism and costs in a population of early-career juvenile offenders.

Language: en