Topic for Youth Treatment Program Review #1
The topic for this assignment is first time juvenile offenders. Below I explain how you will search for the program and provide an example of a what you should submit.
Instructions
Provide the name of a treatment program for first time juvenile offenders. Include a brief summary of the program, if researchers say it’s effective or not, and explain if you would provide funding to this program.
Name of Program
Summary: Briefly describe the “treatment” the program provides.
Program Effectiveness: Briefly describe evidence of the effectiveness. To determine this, review the evidence of it’s effectiveness. You can read about that in the Evidence-Base (Studies Reviewed) section
Cost-effectiveness: Explain whether this a program you would fund and why.
*Bonus Points (not required): Correctly identifying the crime theory that guides the program and briefly explaining the theory will earn you an additional 5 points.
How to find the a program in the database.
Go to Crime Solutions Program DatabaseLinks to an external site.
Under By Topic select “Juvenile”
Under By Target Population choose “First Time Offender”
Here is a list that comes up when I do the searchLinks to an external site.
Click on the program Title to read about it.
Example of High Scoring Submission
*This program cannot be used for the assignment*
Name
Treatment Program: Police-Initiated Diversion for Youth to Prevent Future Delinquent Behavior
Summary
Police-initiated diversion programs help young people who have committed minor offenses avoid going to court and getting a criminal record. Instead of facing formal charges, these programs offer alternatives like warnings or counseling. The main goal is to keep these youths out of the criminal justice system and provide support to address their personal and social development needs, helping them stay out of trouble in the future.
Program Effectiveness
Research shows that police-initiated diversion programs help lower the chances of youth committing crimes again. Studies back up the effectiveness of these programs. By not labeling young people as criminals and reducing their contact with other offenders, these programs make it less likely that the youth will commit more crimes compared to those who go through the regular juvenile justice system.
Cost-Effectiveness
Funding police-initiated diversion programs is a smart idea. These programs help avoid the high costs of repeat offenses and jail time. They also ease the workload of the juvenile justice system by dealing with low-risk youth early, allowing more resources to be used for serious cases. Studies show that these programs are effective in reducing reoffending, making them a good investment.
*Bonus Points (not required)
Labeling theory says that if you call someone a “criminal” or “delinquent,” they might start to believe it and act that way. When society labels kids as troublemakers, they may think they have to live up to that label, leading to more bad behavior. This happens because they start to see themselves as “bad” and have fewer chances to do positive things in life.
