Evidenced-Based Practices in Juvenile Corrections

1. Evidenced-Based Practices in Juvenile Corrections

2. Clarifying Terms • Best Practices are often based on collective experience and wisdom of the field rather than scientifically tested knowledge • What Works implies linkage to general outcomes but does not specify the kind of outcomes desired • Evidenced-Based Practice implies definable outcomes, is measurable and is defined by practical realities

3. What Are Evidenced Based Practices (EBP)? EBP focuses on two main questions: • What “works”? • Which types of programming, policies and practices have been effective in producing positive outcomes (recidivism, post-release employment, cost-benefit)? • For whom does it “work”? • Are there certain types of offenders for whom a certain type of program or practice is more or less effective?

4. What Are Evidenced Based Practices? In corrections: Practices in which an agency systematically finds, appraises, and applies the most current and valid research findings as the basis for developing and implementing targeted interventions and programming proven to reduce recidivism.

5. Historical Perspective

6. Research Foundation for Evidenced Based Practices • In the 1980’s research began to appear supporting the notion that treatment works to reduce recidivism • 30+ years of over 500 quality research studies • Many sophisticated meta-analyses • Canada, Europe, and United States

7. What Works • Deliver services to higher-risk offenders • Target criminogenic needs – those factors that can change over time • Cognitive-behavioral interventions work best with appropriate offenders • Treatment programs are matched to responsivity

8. What Does Not Work with Offenders • Targeting low-risk offenders • Deterrence alone without treatment • Targeting non-criminogenic needs; i.e., anxiety, depression, self-esteem • Scared straight approaches • Insight oriented, psychodynamic, non-directive, or client-centered therapies • Lack of direct training procedures with an absence of modeling and role-playing

9. Essentials of EBP • Measure Outcomes • Engage Ongoing Support • Increase Positive Reinforcement • Cognitive Behavioral Interventions • Target Intervention • Enhance Intrinsic Motivation • Assess Offender Risk/Needs

10. I. Assess Offender Risk/Needs • Assess Offender Risk/Needs

11. I. Assess Offender Risk & Need • Dynamic risk factors are linked to criminal behavior and can be changed • Improved self-control • Increased positive support networks • Engagement in pro-social values • Increased pro-social behaviors • Substance abuse treatment • Reconnection with primary/healthy relationships

12. I. Assess Offender Risk & Need • Static risk factors that do not predict criminal behavior • Age • Criminal or delinquent history • Offense

13. I. Assess Offender Risks and Needs How do we identity Risk predictors? • Youth Level-of-Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) • Juvenile Detention Risk Management • Juvenile Sex offender assessments • Chemical assessments

14. I. Assess Offender Risk & Need How do we identify these Need predictors? • Massachusetts Youth Screening Inventory (MAYSI-2 for mental health) • Problem Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers (POSIT) • Substance Use Screenings • Gambling Screen • Personal Experience Screening Questionnaire (PESQ)

15. I. Assess Offender Risks and Needs • Actuarial risk to reoffend • Identifies criminogenic needs

16. I. Risk Assessment Implementation • Offenders under supervision are assessed to determine their likelihood to reoffend

17. II. Enhance Intrinsic Motivation • Enhance Intrinsic Motivation • Assess Offender Risk/Need

18. II. Enhance Intrinsic Motivation “The only people who truly welcome change are wet babies” - Harvey Skinner

19. II. Enhance Intrinsic Motivation Motivational Interviewing • Based on Prochaska’s stages of change: • Establishes rapport • Assesses readiness to change • Centers on engagement and empowerment • Utilizes the change process

20. II. Stages of Change

21. II. Enhance Offender Motivation • For lasting change to occur, there needs to be a level of intrinsic motivation • Research strongly suggest that motivational interviewing (MI) effectively enhances motivation for initiating and maintaining change behavior.

22. III. Target Interventions • Target Interventions • Enhance Intrinsic Motivation • Assess Offender Risk Need

23. III. Target Interventions • Risk • Need • Responsivity

24. III. Target InterventionsRisk • Determine the risk to re-offend through use of validated, reliable “risk assessment” tools • Work with moderate to high risk offenders; leave low risk offenders alone • Use interventions that directly address offender characteristics associated with criminal behavior

25. III. Target InterventionsNeed • Criminogenic needs can change over time • Anti-social attitudes, anti-social associates, anti-social thinking patterns, anti-social behaviors i.e., substance abuse • Criminogenic needs are identified through assessment tools and targeted through interventions

26. III. Target InterventionsResponsivity • Responsive to temperament, learning style, gender, culture when assigning programs • Matching offender to the appropriate interventions given their risk level and crimnogenic needs

27. III. Target Interventions • Relies on motivational interviewing • Targets risk factors that lead to recidivism • SMART case plan goals are: • Small, measureable, attainable, realistic, timely • Strength-based • Gender, culturally, developmentally responsive • Follows offender through the system

28. IV. Use Cognitive Behavioral Interventions • Use Cognitive Behavioral Interventions • Target Interventions • Enhance Intrinsic Motivation • Assess Offender Risk/Needs

29. IV. Use Cognitive Behavioral Interventions • Treatment Principles: • Treatment, particularly cognitive-behavioral (CBT) is most effective with offenders • Proactive and strategic case planning • Targeted, timely treatment provides the greatest long term benefit • Applying treatment to lower risk offenders can have detrimental effects

30. IV. Use Cognitive Behavioral Interventions • Target criminal thinking • Use cognitive-behavioral learning approaches • Modeling • Reinforcement • Role play • Coaching • Structured curricula • Targeted treatment • Sex offender treatment • Chemical dependency treatment

31. V. Measure Outcomes • Measure Outcomes • Provide Ongoing Support • Increase Positive Reinforcement • Cognitive Behavioral Interventions • Target Interventions • Enhance Intrinsic Motivation • Assess Offender Risk/Needs

32. V. Measurement • Are there more effective ways to use taxpayer $ to achieve particular public outcomes • Recidivism is the gold standard for better and for worse • All the EBPs are shown to reduce recidivism

33. V. Measures are Tied to Mission Protect the public by: • Providing for core correctional care • Holding offenders accountable • Changing offender behavior • Restoring justice to victims

34. V. Examples of Corrections Outcome Measures • Recidivism while under supervision • Reduction in risk assessment score • Restitution ordered and collected • Recidivism three years post release

35. V. Types of Measurement • Program Evaluation • Outcome Measures • Performance Measures • Research using quasi or experimental design • Cost Analysis • Cost Utility Analysis • Cost Effectiveness Analysis • Cost/Benefit Analysis

36. V. Cost/Benefit Analysis Evaluation of alternatives according to a comparison of both their costs and benefits when each is measured in monetary terms. • Rigorous economic methodology using compounding and discounting • Alternatives must show benefits in excess of costs • Useful when benefits can be readily converted into monetary values

37. Keys to Successful Implementation of EBP’s Outside In Approach • Adopting research-supported program models • Minimizes “re-inventing the wheel” • Must Implement with fidelity

38. Keys to Successful Implementation of EBP’s Inside Out Approach • Develop and maintain internal information controls when implementing new practices • Offender measures • Operational measures • Staff measures

39. Washington Institute of Public Policywww.wsipp.wa.gov • 2006 Washington State faced need to construct several new prisons • Legislature directed Institute to explore the use of evidenced-based options to reduce future need & crime rates • Systematic review of 545 comparison group evaluations of adult, juvenile, prevention programs to reduce crime • Estimated costs and benefits and developed portfolios

40. Evidenced Based Programs in Juvenile • Cognitive-Behavioral Curricula • Coordination of Services • Functional Family Therapy • Family Integrated Transitions • Multi-Systemic Therapy • Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care

41. Cognitive Behavioral InterventionsAggression Replacement Training (ART) • An example of cognitive-behavioral curriculum • 10 weeks, 30 hours • Groups of 10 moderate to high risk youth • 3 times/week • Instructor and co-instructor/session

42. Cognitive Behavioral Interventions (ART) • Improved attendance with transportation incentives and community locations • Provided by probation officers or private contractors • Anger control, life skills, moral reasoning • Best used when all staff are trained • Program Cost: $785/youth Benefits Minus Costs: $14,660

43. Coordination of Services (COS) • 13 hours of educational classes • Groups of 10 low risk juvenile offenders and parents • Community outreach component to enable coordination • Delivered by probation officers • Program Cost: $229/youth Benefits minus Cost: $5493

44. Functional Family Therapy (FFT) • Structured home-based family intervention for high risk youth • Trained FFT therapists with caseloads of 10 to 12 families • 12 visits during a 12 week period • FFT will reduce recidivism if properly implemented • Program Cost: $2,609 Benefits Minus Costs: $33,632

45. Family Integrated Transitions (FIT) • Structured home-based family intervention • High-risk youth with the co-occurring mental illness and CD disorders • Integrates Multi-Systemic Therapy, Motivational Enhancement Therapy, Relapse Prevention, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy • Caseloads of 4 to 6 families for a 20 week period

46. Family Integrated Transitions (FIT) • 24/7 availability by therapist • FIT therapist participates on a team with clinicians, psychiatrist • Program Cost: $9,938 Benefits Minus Costs: $36,117

47. Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST) • Structured home-based family intervention for high-risk youth • Trained MST therapists with caseload of 4 to 6 families for 16 week period • 24/7 availability by therapist • Therapist participates on team of clinicians • Program Cost: $6,416 Benefits Minus Costs: $17,440

48. Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) • Delinquents with chronic disruptive behavior • Used as an alternative to placement • Foster parents - highly trained, ongoing support, • $43.70 savings for every dollar spend

49. Victim Offender Mediation (VOM) • Both offender and the victim agree to a face-to-face meeting with a trained, neutral, mediator • Purpose is to discuss the effects of the crime, and to determine what can be done to make amends to the victim and the community • Program Cost: $880 Benefits Minus Costs: $7,067

50. Keys to Successful Implementation of EBP’s • Cost shifting • Fidelity • Training, training, and re-training • Organizational reinforcement