Los angeles county probation youth community transition project

BACKGROUND

The Los Angeles County Probation Youth Community Transition Project (PYCTP) is a pilot project funded by the U.S. Department of Justice Second Chance Act since 2010. PYCTP is designed to improve coordination of services for high-risk youth age 14-18 exiting probation camps, and their families, including linkage to community-based therapeutic and multi-disciplinary case management services. Project goals include decreased recidivism, improved pro-social skills and family relations and coordination of aftercare services. A multi-agency oversight body called the System Opportunities Review Team (SORT) identified and addressed systemic changes that arose from the pilot project, and this body merged with another effort to become the Los Angeles County Juvenile Reentry Council, the first of its kind to address juvenile reentry system wide in the county.

METHODS

Detailed intake and outcome data were collected at program entry and six month intervals until case closed, in most cases due to termination of probation jurisdiction. Recidivism was also checked at six-month intervals after case close. Data management and preliminary analyses were conducted in Access. Final analyses will be conducted using SAS when the project ends in June 2013 to determine factors correlated with project goals. Variables to be examined include youth risk factors, linkage to therapeutic services, gang involvement, demographics, school re-enrollment, family strength and risk factors, and successes and challenges of case management and coordination of services. Participant recidivism will be compared with recidivism of a cohort of similar high-risk juvenile probation youth.

RESULTS

To date 135 youth have participated in PYCTP. Participant demographics are comparable to the overall juvenile probation population: 88% of participants are male, the average age of participants is 16.5, 78% of youth are Hispanic/Latino, 19% are Black/African-American, and 2% White/Caucasian. Average age at first offense was 14 and 75% of participants were gang involved. Preliminary data indicate that 69% of participants improved pro-social skills, 58% improved family relations, and 68% had no new criminal convictions. The project model, systemic barriers, and efforts to standardize pilot practices to benefit all juvenile probation youth in the county will also be discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

Reentry is an important element of the public health approach to violence prevention. Pilot projects like PYCTP provide valuable insight into the factors linked to successful transition into the community for youth exiting incarceration.