Preventing Adolescents From Entering the Juvenile Justice System

Preventing Adolescents From Entering the Juvenile Justice System: Testing An Empirically-Supported, Family-Based Diversion Model

This randomized controlled study tests an innovative juvenile diversion model that integrates evidence-based family therapy.Immediate and longer term effects of the family intervention will be compared to Services As Usual with 120 adolescents participating in Miami-Dade's Civil Citation Program.

This study proposes to rigorously test the innovative Civil Citation Program (CCP)with an integrated evidence-based family intervention, Multidimensional Family Therapy[MDFT](Liddle, 2002).

The study sample includes youth referred to the CCP throughout Miami-Dade county and who according to CCP screening are rated as high risk for re-offending. Youth are 12-17 years old with a first or second misdemeanor charge (excluding any gang, violence, or sex crimes charge). Nearly all (97%) of these youth are ethnic minorities (Hispanic and African American). They are at risk for school failure, substance use, and chronic delinquency due to drug availability in their communities, poor family functioning, peer drug use/delinquency, and school failure / disengagement.

120 youth who enter the Civil Citation Program and are eligible for the study will be assigned to one of the two interventions: CCP+SAU or the experimental intervention, CCP+MDFT.

The study asks a classical services research question(Compton et al, 2005) - does the addition of a family therapy intervention, multidimensional family therapy, into an existing diversion program significantly enhance the program outcomes in key outcome domains: recidivism, substance use, delinquency, school and family functioning.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Youth 12 to 17 years old
• Parent or guardian willing to participate in assessments/treatment
• Demonstrate risk for mental health, substance abuse, or anger/adjustment problems on the Juvenile Services Department screening warranting intervention but not requiring residential treatment

Exclusion Criteria:

• Youth under the age of 12 or over the age of 18
• Parent/guardian not willing to participate in assessments and treatment
• Youth not demonstrating mental health, substance abuse or anger/adjustment problems
• Youth requiring residential treatment
• Youth with severe mental illness or retardation