This paper provides an overview of a tool which measures effectiveness and ways to improve existing juvenile justice programs. The tool offers options for a full scope of programming to more efficiently and appropriately meet the individual needs of youth based on their level of risk to reoffend. Providing a broader range of appropriate program helps to meet the needs of youth ensure safety in their communities in the future.
Excerpt: The programs are implemented in silos, disconnected from a systemwide quality assurance approach and a continuum of effective services to meet the needs of youth. Despite these challenges, the use of gold standard programs is viewed by many as a magic bullet, and in some instances, states are mandated to fund only these programs„resulting in reductions in funding for local programs that may have measures of effectiveness, but that do not have rigorous evaluation studies.
