Juvenile probation officers' perceptions on youth substance use varies from task-shifting to family-based contingency management (original) (raw)
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In juvenile probation, noncompliance with probation conditions is a common occurrence. To deal with this, juvenile probation officers (JPOs) may use different strategies, such as sanctions and incentives. This study uses survey and focus group data from 19 JPOs to evaluate their perceptions of the effectiveness of sanctions and incentives in reducing youth noncompliance, specifically in the form of substance use. Results show that there are two distinct groups of JPOs: those who believe sanctions are an effective deterrent strategy and those who do not. Perceptually and demographically these two groups contain significant differences. Notably, both groups have similar views of social incentives, but JPOs who believe sanctions are ineffective are significantly more likely to have positive views of tangible incentives. This study has implications for how the field of juvenile probation can target JPO perceptions to move toward incentive-based strategies rather than sanction-based stra...
Program use of effective drug abuse treatment practices for juvenile offenders
Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 2007
This study examined the extent to which organizational context predicted use of consensus-based elements of effective substance abuse treatment practices with juvenile offenders. Participants were either directors of substance abuse treatment programs located in residential facilities (institutional sample) or directors of community-based treatment agencies providing services to adolescents in their home communities (community sample). The two settings differed significantly in the number and types of effective practices they were using. Community programs were more likely to have staff qualified to deliver substance abuse treatment, involve families in treatment, and assess their treatment outcomes. In contrast, institutional programs were more likely to provide comprehensive services. Resources dedicated to training, internal support for new programming, and network connectedness with non-criminal-justice facilities were associated with greater use of effective practices. These findings highlight the importance of establishing corrections-community partnerships designed to promote continuity of care for juvenile offenders. D
Staff Perspectives on Juvenile Drug Court Operations
Criminal Justice Policy Review, 2013
Substance use is pervasive among youth, particularly among those involved in the juvenile justice system. Juvenile drug courts (JDCs) are a promising approach for delinquent youth with substance abuse issues. However, research regarding JDCs has shown inconsistent effects, and little is known about the specific components associated with positive outcomes. The current study examines data from interviews of JDC judges and team member focus groups in six JDCs from two contiguous southeastern states to identify stakeholders’ perceptions about what places youth at risk for involvement in JDC and the factors that may contribute to successful outcomes. In addition, we examine these stakeholders’ perceptions of the strengths and challenges facing their JDCs. Our findings highlight the importance of parents and specific strategies implemented by JDCs in influencing the outcomes of youth in JDCs and the importance of interagency collaboration and access to treatment and community resources f...
Purpose: The first purpose of this study is to describe the practical ideal characteristics of an effective substance treatment program for juvenile probation departments based on a review of the literature. The second purpose is to conduct a case study and assess the current practices of Williamson County Juvenile Services. Finally, this study will present recommendations to assist juvenile probation departments in Texas by more effectively supervising youth who have an ideation toward drug use. Methodology: The methodologies used in this case study of Williamson County Juvenile Services include structured interviews, document analysis, and archival data analysis. Document analysis was conducted by reviewing the County’s policy and procedure manual, department pamphlets, and pamphlets from organizations which offer services to families who have children supervised by the probation department. Archival data used included case plans, chronological notes, probation orders, and deferred agreements. Results: Overall, Williamson County adheres to the practical ideal model for juvenile probation departments. Programs, however, could be improved by offering additional services in counseling, defining current offerings more clearly, and developing policies that specify which services are offered to juveniles under supervision.
Health & Justice, 2023
Substance use disorders (SUD) are prevalent among justice-involved youth (JIY) and are a robust predictor of reoffending. Only a fraction of JIY with substance use problems receive treatment. This paper describes the impacts of system-level efforts to improve identification and referral to treatment on recidivism of JIY. A cluster randomized trial involving 20 county juvenile justice agency sites across 5 states was used to implement an organizational intervention (Core vs Enhanced) to juvenile justice staff and community-based treatment providers, working with 18,698 JIY from March 2014 to August 2017. Recidivism rates over four study time periods were examined. Logistic regression was used to predict recidivism as a function of site, need for SUD services, level of supervision, time, organizational intervention, and time x intervention interaction terms. Results indicated that Enhanced sites showed decreased levels of recidivism compared to Core-only sites, where it increased over time. Additionally, need for SU services, level of supervision, and site were significant predictors of reoffending. Findings suggest the potential value of facilitation of juvenile justice agency efforts to increasing identification of and referral to SUD services of JIY in need of such services for reducing further contact with the legal system.
Perceived importance of substance use prevention in juvenile justice: a multi-level analysis
Health & justice, 2018
Youth under juvenile justice (JJ) supervision are at high-risk of adverse outcomes from substance use, making prevention important. Few studies have examined prevention-related attitudes of JJ employees, yet such attitudes may be important for implementing prevention programs. Attitudes toward prevention may reflect individual characteristics and organizational contexts. Mixed effects regression was used to analyze data from 492 employees in 36 sites participating in the Juvenile Justice-Translational Research on Interventions for Adolescents in the Legal System (JJ-TRIALS) cooperative agreement. JJ employees' perceived importance of substance use prevention was measured. Staff-level variables included attitudes, job type, and demographic characteristics. Site-level variables focused on use of evidence-based screening tools, prevention programs, and drug testing. On average, JJ employees rated substance use prevention as highly important (mean = 45.9, out of 50). JJ employees ge...
Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 2019
Background: Youth involved in the juvenile justice system (YIJJ) have high rates of substance use problems; however, rates of YIJJ engagement in substance use services is low. Barriers to service engagement include lack of appropriate screening and connection to services by the juvenile justice system, as well as lack of resources for delivering evidence-based treatment in community-based settings. To address these barriers, this paper describes a protocol for a type 1 hybrid design to (1) implement universal substance use screening for YIJJ; (2) implement and evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a brief, three-session substance use interventions based in motivational interviewing for youth with mild/moderate substance use: Teen Intervene (an individual-based intervention); (3) implement ENCOMPASS, an evidence-based substance use intervention based in motivational enhancement and cognitive behavioral therapy for youth with severe substance use; and (4) evaluate facilitators and barriers to implementing these interventions for mild to severe substance use among YIJJ in community mental health centers (CMHC). Methods/design: Using a hybrid type 1 clinical effectiveness-implementation design, we will collaborate with CMHCs and juvenile justice in two rural Indiana counties. Guided by the EPIS (exploration, preparation, implementation, sustainability) framework, we will measure factors that affect implementation of substance use screening in juvenile justice and implementation of substance use interventions in CMHCs utilizing self-reports and qualitative interviews with juvenile justice and CMHC staff pre-and post-implementation. YIJJ with mild/moderate substance use will receive a brief interventions and YIJJ with severe substance use will receive ENCOMPASS. We will measure the effectiveness of a brief and comprehensive intervention by assessing changes in substance use across treatment. We anticipate recruiting 160 YIJJ and their caregivers into the study. We will assess intervention outcomes utilizing baseline, 3-, and 6-month assessments. Discussion: Findings have the potential to improve screening and intervention services for YIJJ.
Youthful compliance with juvenile court mandates is a cornerstone of effective probation practice. Despite this, research has not examined probation strategies for encouraging and enforcing youthful compliance with probation conditions. This study describes the use of confrontational tactics and client-centered approaches reported by probation officers in their supervision of delinquent youths. The study was conducted with data from a Web-based survey of probation (N = 308). Results indicate that officers balanced confrontational approaches with client-centered approaches. Officers employed confrontational tactics more frequently than client-centered strategies for youths with substance use problems, with younger youths, and with African American females. Alternatively, officers reported more client-centered approaches with females who had higher histories of prior service utilization and with youths who were perceived by officers to be honest. These findings open new avenues for research on the