OJJDP FY 16 Assessing the Impact of Juvenile Justice Reforms Program

The Westat-American Probation and Parole Association Team will work with the Kentucky (KY) Administrative Office of the Courts and the Department of Juvenile Justice to evaluate the juvenile justice reforms passed in the SB200 legislation. The objectives of the study are to: (1) conduct an implementation evaluation of SB200 reforms, and (2) assess the impact of SB200 reforms on the juvenile justice system. The implementation evaluation will be comprised of an extensive review and analysis of justice system processes and outputs related to key SB200 reforms. This evaluation is a mixed-methods design that includes document reviews, semi-structured telephone interviews with key stakeholders, followed by intensive site visits in five jurisdictions in KY and analysis of administrative data. After completion of the implementation evaluation, a quasi-experimental outcome evaluation based on a “difference-in-differences” approach within an interrupted time-series design will be conducted. The proposed study will provide important findings for OJJDP on the processes by which KY implemented reforms supported by the Smart on Juvenile Justice Initiative and the effectiveness of those reform efforts.

The goal of this program is to assess the effectiveness and/or cost efficiency of juvenile justice system reforms. For the purposes of this solicitation, OJJDP defines the juvenile justice system broadly to include systems involving law enforcement, courts, community corrections, and corrections. Reform may constitute systemic policy or practice change(s) within a locality and/or state that impacts one or more segments of the juvenile justice system.

CA/NCF