Title,Citation,Topic_area,Study_type,Study_evidence_rating,Outcome_effectiveness,Findings,Intervention_program,Topics,Target_population,Firm_characteristics,Geographic_setting,Original_publication_date,Original_publication_link "Synthesis Report: Research Synthesis: Opportunities for Youth",,"Opportunities for Youth",,,,"Findings: Successful programs often involved a substantial time commitment from participating youth. Many successful programs involved a job placement component or job search assistance. Positive impacts tended to be realized in the short term and fade over time. More information is needed on the replicability of some programs.",,"Youth programs","Youth, Disconnected youth",,,, "The effects of youth employment: Evidence from New York City lotteries.","Gelber, A., Isen, A., & Kessler, J. B. (2016). The effects of youth employment: Evidence from New York City lotteries. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 131(1), 423-460.",,"Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-Mixed impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Mod/high-No impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) on the employment rate, earnings, and college enrollment of New York City youth 14 to 21 years old. The authors compared the employment rate, earnings, and college enrollment of the treatment group, youth who won a random lottery for the SYEP program and chose to participate in it, with those of the control group, youth who applied to the program but were not randomly selected to participate. The study used data from the Internal Revenue Service to measure outcomes over a five-year period. The study found that, compared with earnings of the control group, the treatment group had significantly higher earnings in the year of participation in SYEP, but significantly lower earnings in the following three years. The treatment group also had a significantly higher probability of being employed in any job during the year of participation in SYEP and the first follow-up year compared with the employment probability of the control group. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high because it was based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the SYEP program, and not to other factors.","Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)","Youth programs","Youth, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2016, "Becoming adults: One year impact findings from the youth villages’ Transitional Living evaluation","Valentine, E.J., Skemer, M., & Courtney, M.E. (2015). Becoming adults: One year impact findings from the youth villages’ Transitional Living evaluation. New York: MDRC.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Low-No impacts Education and skills gains","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Transitional Living program on education, earnings, and recidivism outcomes. The authors used a randomized controlled trial and estimated impacts by comparing the means of the treatment and control groups. Outcome data on education, earnings, and criminal involvement came from a 12-month survey conducted by the authors. The study found a statistically significant impact on earnings only. Youth in the treatment group earned an average $611 more than youth in the control group. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high because it was based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Transitional Living, and not to other factors.","Transitional Living","Basic skills Other training and education Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2015,http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/Becoming_Adults_FR.pdf "Preventing youth violence and dropout: A randomized field experiment (No. w19014)","Heller, S., Pollack, H. A., Ander, R., & Ludwig, J. (2013). Preventing youth violence and dropout: A randomized field experiment (No. w19014). Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Becoming a Man program on arrest and educational outcomes. The study was a randomized controlled trial. Eligible male youth from 18 public schools in disadvantaged neighborhoods were screened for eligibility. The 2,740 who met requirements were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups or a control group. The study found that being offered the opportunity to participate in the program reduced violent crime arrests during the program year and improved schooling outcomes in both the program and follow-up years. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high because it was based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Becoming a Man program, and not to other factors.","Becoming a Man","Other training and education Safety Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Disconnected youth, Male, Low income",,"United States, Urban",2013,http://faculty.chicagobooth.edu/workshops/AppliedEcon/past/pdf/jensludwigyouthv… "Youth Initiated Mentoring: Investigating a new approach to working with vulnerable adolescents","Schwartz, S., Rhodes, J., Spencer, R., & Grossman, J. (2013). Youth Initiated Mentoring: Investigating a new approach to working with vulnerable adolescents. American Journal of Community Psychology, 52, 155–169.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: The study examined Youth Initiated Mentoring (YIM) within the context of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program (NGYCP). Unlike a traditional mentoring program in which mentors are assigned to youth, under YIM, youth nominate their own mentors. The authors conducted a quantitative analysis using data from the 9-, 21- and 38-month follow-up surveys administered as part of a national evaluation of NGYCP, along with qualitative analysis of interviews with a subsample of NGYCP participants. The study found that YIM mentors included family friends, extended family members and godparents, school and extracurricular staff, and religious leaders. By the 38-month follow-up survey, 56 percent of youth reported still being in contact with their mentors. In addition, NGYCP youth who were in contact with their mentors at the 38-month follow-up showed significant benefits on a range of outcomes compared with the control group.","Youth Initiated Mentoring in the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe","Mentoring Youth programs","Youth, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2013, "Adolescent perspectives of the ecological impact of a summer youth employment program.","Grant, N. (2011). Adolescent perspectives of the ecological impact of a summer youth employment program. Doctoral dissertation. Wichita, KS: Wichita State University. Available at http://soar.wichita.edu/handle/10057/5056.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: Using personal stories of youth who participated in the Area IV Kansas Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), the author sought to describe the ecosystems of urban youth, their relationships with adults, and the impacts of their participation in SYEP. SYEP was a summer program funded as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. It provided disadvantaged youth with summer employment and job skills training over two summers. The author interviewed 10 participating youth and analyzed their personal stories using ecological systems theory and a social capital framework. The author also analyzed documents containing the youths’ demographic and employment records. The author concluded that programs such as SYEP helped disadvantaged youth to make networking connections, learn ways of interacting in the workplace, and open doors to job opportunities that historically have not been available to those with lower socioeconomic status.","Summer Youth Employment Programs (Area IV Kansas)","Basic skills Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Disconnected youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2011,http://www.workforce-ks.com/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=2206 "Beyond a summer work experience: The Recovery Act 2009 Post-Summer Youth Employment Initiative.","Holcomb, P., Ziegler, J., & Laird, E. (2011). Beyond a summer work experience: The Recovery Act 2009 Post-Summer Youth Employment Initiative. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Implementation Analysis",,,"Summary: Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Summer Youth Employment Initiative (SYEI) aimed to reverse the steep decline in youth employment during the recession by providing employment opportunities for youth in the summer of 2009. The 2009 Post-SYEI allowed states and local workforce investment areas to provide extended work experiences to older disconnected youth ages 18 to 24 from October 2009 through March 2010. The authors conducted in-depth site visits to eight selected study sites and analyzed the data using qualitative methods. The authors reported that the study sites effectively built upon the implementation of the SYEI by using the same service delivery structure and extending the work experiences of those youth who had already participated in the summer program. The longer time frame for the work experiences was seen as a benefit by participants and employers. Post-SYEI programs also focused on ensuring the alignment between participants’ interests and their work experiences. The authors recommended three considerations for the design of similar policies targeting older out-of-school youth in the future: allowing sufficient time to design such programs, because the needs of older out-of-school youth differ from those of younger youth who are traditionally served by these types of programs; supporting a year-round, not only summer, work experience; and incorporating a transition strategy from the work experience into future opportunities.","Summer Youth Employment Initiative (SYEI)","Basic skills Job search assistance and supportive services Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Disconnected youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2011,http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/ETAOP_201_03.pdf "Evaluation of the Massachusetts Adolescent Outreach Program for Youths in Intensive Foster Care: Final Report","Courtney, M., Zinn, A., Johnson, H., and Malm, K. (2011). Evaluation of the Massachusetts Adolescent Outreach Program for Youths in Intensive Foster Care: Final Report. OPRE Report #2011-14. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Earnings and wages-Mod/high-No impacts Earnings and wages Education and skills gains-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-No impacts Employment Public benefits receipt-Mod/high-No impacts Public benefit receipt","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Massachusetts Adolescent Outreach Program for Youths in Intensive Foster Care (Outreach) on youths’ education, employment, earnings, and public benefit receipt. Using a randomized controlled trial design, the authors estimated the program’s impact by comparing survey responses and college records for youth randomly selected to receive the Outreach program with those of youth randomly assigned to the control group. The study found that the Outreach program significantly increased college enrollment and persistence. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high because it was based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Massachusetts Adolescent Outreach Program for Youths in Intensive Foster Care, and not to other factors.","the Massachusetts Adolescent Outreach Program for Youths in Intensive Foster Care","Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2011,http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/opre/eval_mass.pdf "Anne Arundel County juvenile treatment court outcome and cost evaluation","Mackin, J., Lucas, L., Waller, M., Carey, S., & Finigan, M. (2010). Anne Arundel County juvenile treatment court outcome and cost evaluation. Portland OR: NPC Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of a juvenile treatment court in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, on recidivism. The authors used a nonexperimental design, matching youth who participated in the juvenile treatment court with similar court-involved youth who did not participate in the juvenile treatment court. The authors used administrative data to compare the mean number of juvenile rearrests for the study groups over a two-year follow-up period. The study found that 53 percent of the treatment court group, compared with 73 percent of the comparison group, had a juvenile rearrest within 24 months. The study also found differences of a similar magnitude at three intermediate follow-ups (6-, 12-, and 18-month follow-ups). The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the juvenile treatment court, but other factors might also have contributed.","Anne Arundel Juvenile Treatment Court","Other training and education Substance abuse recovery Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2010,http://www.courts.state.md.us/opsc/dtc/pdfs/evaluationsreports/annearundelcount… "Reinvesting in America’s youth: Lessons from the 2009 Recovery Act Summer Youth Employment Initiative.","Bellotti, J., Rosenberg, L., Sattar, S., Esposito, A., & Ziegler, J. (2010). Reinvesting in America’s youth: Lessons from the 2009 Recovery Act Summer Youth Employment Initiative. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Implementation Analysis",,,"Summary: The research examines the implementation of the Summer Youth Employment Initiative (SYEI). Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, SYEI aimed to reverse the steep decline in youth employment during the recession by providing employment opportunities for youth in the summer of 2009. Through the initiative, youth were placed in summer work experiences with local employers and their wages were paid with Recovery Act funds. The work experiences were fairly flexible, but had to be age appropriate and lead to youth meeting work readiness goals. The authors analyzed state performance data through December 31, 2009, and data from in-depth site visits to 20 selected sites during July and August 2009. The authors reported that it took a large effort to get the program up and running in such a short amount of time (about four months). Some sites reported having to make compromises along the way, given the quick time frame, but all reported satisfaction with their accomplishments. The initiative was implemented successfully in all the studied sites, with all sites able to recruit a sufficient number of participants and place them in employment. Youth participants and the employers interviewed were very positive about the initative. Although the implementation of SYEI was considered a success, it was not without some initial challenges, including handling the large volume of applicants and determining their eligibility, reaching older youth ages 22 to 24 and veterans and their spouses, and appropriately matching youth to employers.","Summer Youth Employment Initiative (SYEI)","Basic skills Job search assistance and supportive services Work based and other occupational training Youth programs","Youth, Disconnected youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",2010,http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED510398.pdf "Reentry experiences of confined juvenile offenders: Characteristics, service receipt and outcomes of juvenile male participants in the SVORI multi-site evaluation. The multi-site evaluation of the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative.","Hawkins, S., Lattimore, P., Dawes, D., & Visher, C. (2010). Reentry experiences of confined juvenile offenders: Characteristics, service receipt and outcomes of juvenile male participants in the SVORI multi-site evaluation. The multi-site evaluation of the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative. NCJ 230423. Research Triangle Park, NC: RTI.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Education and skills gains-Mod/high-Mixed impacts Education and skills gains Employment-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study examined the impact of the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI) on employment, education, and recidivism among juvenile incarcerated males. The study used propensity scores to match participants in SVORI to nonparticipants who were similar on observed characteristics. The study used data from interviews collected at multiple time points through 15 months after release. The study found that SVORI participants were more likely than nonparticipants to be enrolled in school 3 months post-release (68 and 52 percent, respectively) and were more likely than nonparticipants to have a job with benefits 15 months post-release (69 and 40 percent, respectively). The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the SVORI program, but other factors might also have contributed.","Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI)","Other employment and reemployment Other health and safety Reentry Substance abuse recovery Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth, Male",,"United States",2010,https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/230423.pdf "St. Mary’s County juvenile drug court outcome and cost evaluation","Mackin, J., Lucas, L., Lambarth, C., Waller, M., Herrera, A., Carey, S., & Finigan, M. (2010). St. Mary’s County juvenile drug court outcome and cost evaluation. Portland, OR: NPC Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of participation in a juvenile drug court program in St. Mary’s County, Oregon, on recidivism. The study used administrative data from the departments of Juvenile Services, Public Safety and Correctional Services, and Health and Mental Hygiene to compare outcomes of youth who participated in juvenile drug court with outcomes from a group of similar, drug court-eligible youth who did not participate. The study found no statistically significant effects on recidivism, including total number of rearrests, rearrests for drug charges, and rearrest rates over a two-year period. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we would be somewhat confident that any estimated effects would be attributable to participation in the juvenile drug court, but other factors might also have contributed. However, the study did not find any statistically significant effects.","St. Mary's County Juvenile Drug Court","Substance abuse recovery Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2010,http://www.courts.state.md.us/opsc/dtc/pdfs/evaluationsreports/stmaryscountyjuv… "Baltimore County Juvenile Drug Court outcome and cost evaluation","Mackin, J., Lucas, L., Lambarth, C., Herrera, T., Waller, M., Carey, S., & Finigan, M. (2010). Baltimore County Juvenile Drug Court outcome and cost evaluation. Portland, OR: NPC Research.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study examined the impact of participation in the Baltimore County Juvenile Drug Court on drug use and recidivism. The authors used a nonexperimental design, matching youth who participated in the juvenile drug court with a comparison group of similar youth who were eligible to participate in juvenile drug court, but instead participated in the traditional juvenile justice system. The authors used administrative data to compare the mean number of juvenile rearrests over a two-year follow-up period. The study found that drug court participants had significantly fewer juvenile rearrests, both overall and specifically for drug charges, than comparison youth. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Baltimore County Juvenile Drug Court, but other factors might also have contributed.","the Baltimore County Juvenile Drug Court","Substance abuse recovery Youth programs","Youth, Disability, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2010,http://www.ndcrc.org/sites/default/files/baltimore_co_juv_dc_outcome-cost_0110… "Youth work and learn at Our Piece of the Pie (OPP): Findings of the formative evaluation of Connecticut's youth development model","Britner, P., Buch, R., Colon, R., Milan, S., Singer, M., & Snow, S. (2009). Youth work and learn at Our Piece of the Pie (OPP): Findings of the formative evaluation of Connecticut's youth development model. Storrs, CT: Center for Health, Intervention and Prevention, University of Connecticut.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This report describes the work of Our Piece of the Pie (OPP), an organization that gives young people in Hartford, CT, access to a range of services, including academic assistance, vocational training, and guidance from caring adults trained to provide mentorship and other support. The study aimed to gather information on the characteristics of the youth served by OPP, their participation in program activities, and the progress they made in reaching academic and employment goals. The evaluation team conducted direct observations of intervention activities, interviews with program staff and participants, and surveys of participating youth. It also drew on program data collected by OPP. The study found that most participants spent a considerable amount of time with their mentors each week, with some also taking advantage of career advancement and educational preparation services. Although participating youth were making progress on their goals at the time of the evaluation, particularly in achieving educational milestones, the authors suggested that the program could benefit by strengthening participant-mentor relationships, adapting programming for special populations, and improving the quality of program data.","Our Piece of the Pie (OPP)","Job search assistance and supportive services Youth programs Mentoring Other training and education Work based and other occupational training","Youth, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2009, "The impact of reentry services on juvenile offenders’ recidivism","Bouffard, J., & Bergseth, K. (2008). The impact of reentry services on juvenile offenders’ recidivism. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 6(3), 295-318.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study examined the impact of structured after-care and reentry services for justice-involved youth on their recidivism rates. The study used a nonexperimental design to compare youth who received reentry services to a comparison group of youth who received traditional services in a neighboring county. Data came from the local juvenile court databases, probation and transitional coordinator files, and electronic records used by case managers to track client contacts. The study found that there were no statistically significant differences between study groups in time to first reoffense or in number of criminal contacts with the justice system. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because all treated youth were in one county and all comparison youth were in another. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the after-care and reentry program; other factors are likely to have contributed.","After-care and Reentry Services","Mentoring Reentry Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States, Rural",2008, "McNeil Education, Training and Evaluation (2008). Process evaluation of the Demand-Side Youth Offender Demonstration Project (Phase II).","McNeil Education, Training and Evaluation (2008). Process evaluation of the Demand-Side Youth Offender Demonstration Project (Phase II). Chapel Hill, NC: McNeil Education.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence","Employment-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Employment","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of being matched to employment through the Demand-Side Youth Offender Demonstration Project (DSYODP) Phase I on youths’ average weekly earnings. The study compared the wages of employed youth who were matched to employment through DSYODP with the wages of employed youth who were eligible for the DSYODP but had secured employment through other means. The study found that average weekly wages of youth matched to employment through DSYODP were significantly higher than wages of youth who secured employment through other means. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the DSYODP; however, other factors might also have contributed.","Demand-Side Youth Offender Demonstration Project (DSYODP)","Job search assistance and supportive services Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2008,https://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Process%20Evaluation%20of%20… "Evaluation of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Targeted Re-Entry Initiative","Barton, W., Jarjoura, G., & Rosay, A. (2008). Evaluation of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Targeted Re-Entry Initiative. Indianapolis: Indiana University School of Social Work, and Anchorage: Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Targeted Re-Entry Initiative on youth’s recidivism. The authors used administrative data to match Initiative participants to a comparison group of nonparticipants released from the same rehabilitation facilities. The authors compared recidivism rates among program participants and the comparison group. The authors reported a statistically significant relationship between participation in the Targeted Re-Entry Initiative and higher rates of re-arrest at one of the three sites studied, and no statistically significant correlations at the other two sites. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not include sufficient controls for pre-existing differences between the study groups in their analysis. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Targeted Re-Entry Initiative; other factors are likely to have contributed.","the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Targeted Re-Entry Initiative","Basic skills Health Job search assistance and supportive services Other training and education Reentry Substance abuse recovery Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2008,http://justice.uaa.alaska.edu/research/2000/0411.targeted_reentry/0411.05.targe… "An experimental evaluation of teen courts","Stickle, W., Connell, N., Wilson, D., & Gottfredson, D. (2008). An experimental evaluation of teen courts. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 4(2), 137-163.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of participation in a teen court on youth offenders’ rates of recidivism. The study was a randomized controlled trial in which eligible youth were randomly assigned to either the treatment group, which participated in a teen court, or to the control group, which participated in the traditional juvenile justice system. The authors compared outcomes for the two groups using administrative data. The study reported no differences in recidivism outcomes for teen court youth and those in the traditional juvenile justice system. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate for some outcomes and low for other outcomes. This means we have little confidence that any estimated effects would be attributable to the teen court program. However, the study did not find statistically significant effects.","Teen Court","Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2008, "Evaluation of the Suffolk County juvenile treatment court: Process and impact findings","Kralstein, D. (2008). Evaluation of the Suffolk County juvenile treatment court: Process and impact findings. New York: Center for Court Innovation.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of Suffolk County’s juvenile drug court on recidivism. The study used propensity scores based on state and county administrative records to match juveniles who participated in the drug court to similar juveniles in the year before the introduction of the drug court. The author used regression analysis to estimate the relationship between participation in the juvenile drug court and the number and rate of arrests 18 and 24 months following the initial petition. The study found no statistically significant relationship between the juvenile drug court and recidivism. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the study did not account for other changes that could have taken place at the same time as the introduction of the drug court and affected juvenile recidivism. This means we are not confident that any estimated effects would be attributable to the juvenile drug court, and not other factors. However, the study found no statistically significant effects.","Suffolk County’s Juvenile Drug Court","Reentry Substance abuse recovery Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2008,http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/Suffolk_JTC.pdf "The effects of an experimental intensive juvenile probation program on self-reported delinquency and drug use","Lane, J., Turner, S., Fain, T., & Sehgal, A. (2007). The effects of an experimental intensive juvenile probation program on self-reported delinquency and drug use. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 3(3), 201-219.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the South Oxnard Challenge Project (SOCP), an alternative juvenile probation program, on delinquency and drug use. The study was a randomized controlled trial. Eligible youth were randomly assigned to either a treatment group, which could participate in SOCP, or a control group, which had routine juvenile probation. The study found that significantly more SOCP youth than youth in the control group reported committing a violent crime in the 12 months after starting probation (67.6 versus 55.6 percent). However, SOCP youth indicated they used ecstasy/MDMA less frequently than control youth in the past 30 days (1.8 versus 4.2 days). The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high because it was based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the SOCP, and not to other factors.","South Oxnard Challenge Project (SOCP)","Substance abuse recovery Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2007, "Reentry services: An evaluation of a pilot project in Clay County, MN","Bergseth, K., & McDonald, T. (2007). Reentry services: An evaluation of a pilot project in Clay County, MN. Fargo, ND: North Dakota State University, Department of Criminal Justice and Political Science.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Reentry Services Project (RSP) on juvenile recidivism. The authors estimated regression models comparing the number of criminal and official contacts with police or the courts, pulled from an electronic Court Services Tracking System, between RSP and comparison group members, controlling for differences in demographics and number of prior charges. The study found that RSP group members had significantly fewer official and criminal contacts than the comparison group one year after release from out-of-home placement. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the program was implemented in only one county and there was no variation in the implementation of the program over time. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the RSP; other factors are likely to have contributed.","the Reentry Services Project (RSP)","Health Job search assistance and supportive services Reentry Substance abuse recovery Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2007,http://www.claycountycollaborative.org/projects/RSP%20Final%20Report%202007.pdf "Harford County juvenile drug court performance evaluation: Final report","Crumpton, D., Carey, S., Mackin, J., Finigan, M., Pukstas, K., Weller, J., and Brekhus, J. (2006). Harford County juvenile drug court performance evaluation: Final report. Portland, Oregon. NPC Research, 1-104.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Harford County (Maryland) Juvenile Drug Court on recidivism. The authors used administrative records to estimate the impact of the drug court by comparing the outcomes of youth who participated in the drug court with those of similar youth who did not. The study found that drug court participants had significantly fewer rearrests (36 percent fewer) and fewer days (59 percent fewer) on probation than youth who were eligible for the program but did not participate. Participants spent fewer days in secure and community detention in the first year after program entry than youth in the comparison group. However, the study found no significant effects on the number of adjudication hearings, days in residential treatment, or days in a group home. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Harford County Juvenile Drug Court, but other factors might also have contributed.","Harford County Juvenile Drug Court","Substance abuse recovery Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2006,http://npcresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/HCJDC_Process_Outcome-Cost-FINAL-repo… "Juvenile drug court: Enhancing outcomes by integrating evidence-based treatments.","Henggeler, S., Halliday-Boykins, C., Cunningham, P., Randall, J., Shapiro, S., & Chapman, J. (2006). Juvenile drug court: Enhancing outcomes by integrating evidence-based treatments. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74(1), 42-54.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence","Health and safety-Mod/high-Favorable impacts Health and safety","Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the marginal impacts of three layered treatments—drug court hearings, substance abuse therapy, and contingency management counseling—on criminal justice outcomes and positive drug screens among youth in Charleston, South Carolina, diagnosed with substance abuse or dependence. The authors randomly assigned eligible youth to one of three treatment groups—drug court, drug court with multisystemic therapy, or drug court with multisystemic therapy enhanced by contingency management—or to a control group that received typical family court services. The study found no statistically significant differences between the groups on measures of recidivism after one year. However, the study found that participants in the treatment groups reported committing fewer delinquent acts than those in the control groups. Effects on drug screens were mixed. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high for recidivism outcomes because they are based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial but moderate for self-reported delinquency and drug screen outcomes because they had high attrition and the authors demonstrated that the groups being compared had similar baseline characteristics.","the Treatments","Substance abuse recovery Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2006, "Recidivism findings for the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration’s mentoring program: Final report","Drake, E. (2006). Recidivism findings for the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration’s mentoring program: Final report. Olympia, WA: Washington State Institute for Public Policy.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Washington State Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration’s mentoring program on recidivism. The author estimated the effect of the mentoring program using administrative data to compare outcomes among youth released from a juvenile rehabilitation facility who applied to participate in the program with the outcomes of similar youth who did not apply. The study did not find any statistically significant effects of the mentoring program on recidivism. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that any estimated effects would be attributable to the Washington State Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration’s mentoring program, but other factors might also have contributed. However, the study did not find statistically significant effects.","the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration’s Mentoring Program","Mentoring Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2006,http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/ReportFile/947/Wsipp_Recidivism-Findings-for-the-Juveni… "Implementation and outcome evaluation of the Intensive Aftercare Program: Final report","Wiebush, R., Wagner, D., McNulty, B., Wang, Y., & Le, T. (2005). Implementation and outcome evaluation of the Intensive Aftercare Program: Final report. National Council on Crime and Delinquency. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to measure the impact of participation in an Intensive Aftercare Program (IAP) for high-risk youth from juvenile justice facility placements on recidivism. The authors used a random assignment design and multivariate regression analysis to estimate impacts on aggregate recidivism scores, the sum of all subsequent offenses, weighted by severity. Data for the study were collected from standardized forms, surveys, risk assessment tests, and state agency and police records. The study found no statistically significant effects of the program on participants’ aggregate recidivism scores. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate for some outcomes and low for other outcomes. This means we have little confidence that any estimated effects would be attributable to the IAP. However, the study found few statistically significant effects.","the Intensive Aftercare Program (IAP)","Reentry Youth programs","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth, Male",,"United States",2005,http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED484683.pdf "Evaluating an experimental intensive juvenile probation program: Supervision and official outcomes","Lane, J., Turner, S., Fain, T., & Sehgal, A. (2005). Evaluating an experimental intensive juvenile probation program: Supervision and official outcomes. Crime & Delinquency, 51(1), 26-52.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis","Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence",,"Summary: The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the South Oxnard Challenge Project (SOCP), an alternative juvenile probation program, on recidivism outcomes. The study was a randomized controlled trial. The authors used administrative data from the program and probation records to compare the outcomes of youth randomly assigned to the SOCP with those of youth randomly assigned to a control group that received standard probation services. The study found no statistically significant effects of SOCP on arrests or referrals to probation, convictions, or incarceration. The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high because it was based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we would be confident that any estimated effects would be attributable to SOCP and not to other factors. However, the study did not find statistically significant effects.","South Oxnard Challenge Project (SOCP)","Substance abuse recovery Youth programs Behavioral Interventions","Youth, Justice-involved, Disconnected youth",,"United States",2005, "Youth Corps: Promising strategies for young people and their communities","Jastrzab, J., Blomquist, J., Masker, J., & Orr, L. (1997). Youth Corps: Promising strategies for young people and their communities. Cambridge, MA: Abt Associates Inc.","Opportunities for Youth","Study Type: Descriptive Analysis",,,"Summary: This report provides a high-level summary of a study on Youth Corps programs, which have engaged disadvantaged youth in community service projects since 1933. An in-depth impact analysis is contained in Jastrzab et al. 1996. The study’s objective was to gain insight into participants’ contributions and experiences; analyze program impacts on educational, employment, and behavioral outcomes; and assess the costs and benefits of the programs. The authors analyzed data on initiatives sponsored by the Commission on National and Community Service in 1993 and 1994, and during that time also collected data directly from Youth Corps programs for the impact analysis and cost-benefit assessment. In addition, the authors talked with several program staff and participants. The study found that although program completion rates were low, most participants felt the program was helpful and sponsors and beneficiaries were generally satisfied with youths’ performance. The program had a significant impact on the employment and earnings of corps members. The analysis of program costs and benefits showed aggregate benefits to society.","Youth Corps Programs","Mentoring Youth programs","Youth, Disconnected youth, Low-skilled, Low income",,"United States",1997,http://www.abtassociates.com/reports/Youth-Corps.pdf