Citation

Blechman EA, Maurice A, Buecker B, Helberg C. Prev. Sci. 2000; 1(3): 139-155.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The authors compared juvenile offenders' recidivism following nonrandom assignment to juvenile diversion (JD, n = 137), JD plus skill training (ST, n = 55), or JD plus mentoring (MEN, n = 45). Intake characteristics that distinguished intervention groups were used to calculate assignment propensity scores. After propensity score blocking balanced intake characteristics, ST proved more cost effective than MEN, achieving a 14% relative reduction in recidivism at a savings of $33,600 per hundred youths. In ST, 37% were rearrested 2 years or more after intake, compared to 51% in MEN and 46% in JD. In two of five propensity subclasses, time to first rearrest was longer in ST (M = 767 days) than in MEN (M = 638 days) or JD (M = 619 days). These results argue for an experimental comparison of ST and MEN and for observational studies with propensity analysis when randomization to juvenile justice interventions is infeasible. (Abstract Adapted from Source: Prevention Science, 2001. Copyright © 2001 by the Society for Prevention Research; Springer)

Juvenile Delinquency
Juvenile Offender
Offender Recidivism
Recidivism Prevention
Delinquency Prevention
Delinquency Intervention
Intervention Program
Prevention Program
Program Effectiveness
Mentoring
Diversion Program
Social Skills Training
06-01