JPRC

Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative Scale-Up: Study of Four States

Justice Systems

Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative Scale-Up: Study of Four States

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The Annie E. Casey Foundation (Casey) funded the JPRC to study the implementation of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) in Indiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, and New Mexico.

JDAI is a complex, multipart reform initiative developed by Casey to reduce reliance on the use of detention for low-risk young people in the juvenile justice system prior to disposition.

Casey has worked closely with local jurisdictions and states across the country since the 1990s to implement the initiative and bring it to scale.

This report:

  • Describes how the four states have scaled-up the JDAI
  • Summarizes the lessons learned from JDAI implementation both in and across the states
  • Presents findings that can be used to inform practice and guide future scale-ups of the JDAI and other complex juvenile justice reform initiatives

Intensified Support for Juvenile Offenders on Probation: Evidence From Germany (RDD Design in Crime and Justice Project Study Summary #2)

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WestEd’s Jonathan Nakamoto and Trent Baskerville summarized this study conducted by researchers Christoph Engel, Sebastian J. Goerg, and Christian Traxler to investigate the impact of an intensive probation program on youth recidivism.

Using a prospective Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD), the study assigned half of the eligible youth above a cutoff score to receive the intensive probation program, while the other half received regular probation. The research team collected individual-level conviction data from Germany’s Federal Crime Register and used a risk scorecard to evaluate each youth’s criminal history and risks/needs.

The findings revealed that recidivism was approximately 10 percentage points lower for youth eligible for the intensive probation program after 6 months, with this difference increasing to around 30 percentage points between 1 and 3 years later. These reductions in recidivism were statistically significant for less severe offenders close to the assignment variable cutoff. Overall, the study highlights how intensified personal support and increased monitoring by probation officers can contribute to positive outcomes in reducing recidivism among juvenile offenders.

Under the Cover of Darkness: How Ambient Light Influences Criminal Activity (RDD in Crime and Justice Project Study Summary #3)

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WestEd’s Jonathan Nakamoto and Trent Baskerville summarized this study conducted by researchers Jennifer L. Doleac and Nicholas J. Sanders to investigate the impact of increased daylight during evening hours due to Daylight Savings Time (DST) on criminal activity.

Using a retrospective Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) study, the researchers used crime and population data from 558 jurisdictions in the United States between 2005 and 2008. They found that DST led to reductions in robbery and rape rates, with the most significant decreases occurring in the hour following sunset.

The study revealed statistically significant reductions of 7 percent for robbery and 11 percent for rape in daily crime rates after DST, while there were no significant changes for aggravated assault and murder. However, analysis of crime rates specifically within the hour after sunset revealed larger reductions of 27 percent for robbery and 38 percent for rape. Importantly, the findings indicated that criminal activity was not shifted to other times of the day. The authors estimated that these reductions could result in annual savings of nearly $60 million due to avoided robberies and approximately $250 million due to avoided rapes as a result of DST implementation.

Examining Prison Effects on Recidivism: A Regression Discontinuity Approach (RDD in Crime and Justice Project Study Summary #1)

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This study summary prepared by Jonathan Nakamoto and Trent Baskerville explores the impact of prison sentences on recidivism rates. The study, conducted by Ojmarrh Mitchell, Joshua C. Cochran, Daniel P. Mears, and William D. Bales, focuses on Florida’s point system for sentencing and uses a Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) to evaluate the effects of prison versus nonprison sanctions on subsequent reconviction rates.

The authors analyzed data from the Florida Department of Corrections and found that there was no statistically significant difference in reconviction rates between cases just above and cases just below the cutoff score for imprisonment. This suggests that prison sentences did not lead to a reduction in recidivism over a 3-year period for mostly nonviolent property and drug offenders near the cutoff score. The study concludes that alternative sanctions may be more effective for these types of offenders considering he high costs associated with imprisonment.

Evaluating Oklahoma Program for Justice-Involved Women With Substance Abuse Disorders

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The U.S. Department of Treasury, under the Social Impact Partnerships to Pay for Results Act (SIPPRA), provides outcome payments for meeting positive employment and child welfare targets that result in value to the federal government. Under SIPPRA, jurisdictions can apply for funding to support, among other things, an evaluation to determine if the program achieved its predetermined targets. The State of Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services was awarded a contract for the Family & Children’s Services Women in Recovery program in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The program is an outpatient alternative for women with substance use disorders facing incarceration. The project objectives include improving access to stable employment and reducing contact with child protection services. The JPRC will serve as the independent evaluator and lead a quasi-experimental study.

A National Evaluation of Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Training: Final Report

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The Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program was developed in 1988 to help state and local law enforcement agencies effectively respond to technology-related crimes against children. This program, managed by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), includes funding to provide training and technical assistance to law enforcement.

The JPRC was funded by OJJDP (on a project later transferred to the NIJ) to conduct the National Evaluation of ICAC Task Force Training, the first to examine training provided by the ICAC program. Due to concerns about the sensitivity of investigative data, only certain findings could be released in the final report. Findings suggest that overall, ICAC investigative training was rated highly by both trainees and their ICAC commanders in terms of the quality of training delivery, expertise of instructors, knowledge gains, and applicability to on-the-job ICAC investigations.