Evaluation Study of Gender-specific Programs for Delinquent, Diverted and High-risk Female Youth

Josephine Allen
Department of Policy Analysis and Management
Cornell University
Ithaca NY 14853-2801
607-255-1973
FAX: 607-255-4071
jaa7@cornell.edu
 
Rosemary Sarri
Institute for Social Research
University of Michigan
426 Thompson
Ann Arbor MI 48106-1248
734-763-5611
FAX: 734-764-3341
rcsarri@umich.edu
 
Mary Ruffolo
School of Social Work
University of Michigan
1080 S. University, 2726
Ann Arbor MI 48109-1106
734-936-4799
FAX: 734-763-3372
mruffolo@umich.edu
 
Diane Miller
School of Social Work
University of Michigan
1080 S. University
Ann Arbor MI 48109-1106
734-615-2117
FAX: 734-615-3192
millerdl@umich.edu
 
Sara Goodkind
School of Social Work
University of Michigan
1080 S. University
Ann Arbor MI 48109-1106
734-764-8366
FAX: 734-615-3192
sgoodkin@umich.edu
 
Cheri Albertson
Institute for Social Research
University of Michigan
426 Thompson
Ann Arbor MI 48106-1248
 734-764-8366
FAX: 734-764-3341
cheriaa@umich.edu
This federally funded study analyzes the experiences of delinquent, diverted, and high-risk young women involved in the juvenile justice system within a large urban setting.  This three-wave study follows young women, aged 12-17, as they participate in different types of programs, ranging from community-based to residential.  Data gathered at wave 1 (n~100) - at the point of entry of a young woman into one of the programs under evaluation - provides detailed information on a multitude of risk and protective factors, the participant's service use history, and her experiences of discrimination and other barriers to service.  Study data are obtained using a number of standardized assessment measures including: the Adolescent Interpersonal Competency Questionnaire, the CESD Depression Scale, Elliot's Self-Report Delinquency Scale, the Life Events Stress Scale, Monitoring the Future's School Performance and Substance Use Scales, and the Service Assessment for Children and Adolescents.

Waves 2 and 3 are to occur, respectively, at 6 months from program entry or at completion/termination and at 3 months following completion/termination.  Information gained from this study is to be used both locally - by juvenile justice administrators and by a local collaborative advisory board on female services - and nationally to determine which gender-specific programs are most effective for the varying issues presented by young women within and on the edge of the juvenile justice system.  Results of wave 1, which we propose to present at this conference, provide essential information about characteristics of these young women: their housing stability, school and work performance, service history, peer and community support, trauma and coping skills, substance use, delinquency, and reproductive health and parenting skills.  This knowledge will significantly advance the development of gender-specific services responsive to these young women's considerable strengths and considerable needs.