Riverside County Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (A.B. 1913) Projects
   Y.A.T.
    Y.A.B.
    B.R.I.D.G.E.
    Youth Courts
    P.A.C.T.

Project staff from the Center are evaluating a number of juvenile diversion programs established under funding made available through the Riverside County Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act of 2000 (A.B. 1913), as approved by the California Board of Corrections. This large multi-year evaluation research project is divided into five distinct areas.

Programs to be evaluated are those approved by the Board of Corrections: Community Based Probation Diversion, Youth Accountability Teams, the Gang Prevention Program–Project BRIDGE, and the Family Violence Prevention Program–P.A.C.T., Youth Accountability Boards, and Youth Courts.

The evaluation will be directed at collecting necessary baseline and follow-up data to meet Board of Corrections requirements for measuring the success of each JJCPA program. These criteria include juvenile arrest rates per 100,000; arrest rates for program participants; incarceration rates; rate of completion of probation (or program completion); probation violation rate; rate of completion of restitution; rate of completion of community service; and in some cases truancy and family violence rates. Performance benchmarks for prior years in each of these areas will be calculated for each program against which subsequent performance will be measured. Procedures for process and impact evaluation will include admission (baseline) data collection, program performance data (process evaluation), progress and follow-up, and program completion or termination data. Data analysis will focus on comparisons designated in the BOC-approved evaluation design, with additional comparisons planned. Outcomes will be assessed for each of the programs.

The evaluation team will be headed by Dr. Dale K. Sechrest, who has directed numerous program evaluations in Riverside County, California, and nationally. He will be working with Dr. Pamela Schram, who will be the Associate Project Director, and with other faculty involved in various aspects of this project based upon expertise including Drs. Stephen Tibbetts, John Worrall, Gisela Bichler, and David Schicor.

The following projects are funded by the California Board of Corrections by legislation (AB 1913), which also requires the evaluation, as conducted by Center personnel:

Police Action Counseling Team (PACT)

The intent of the Police Action Counseling Team (PACT) program is to minimize the harmful effects of exposure to violence on children. To this end, PACT clinicians accompany Riverside County Sheriff's deputies on calls where children are exposed to violence, primarily domestic violence. Once on the scene, PACT clinicians assist the children and counsel them, leaving law enforcement tasks to the deputies.

The PACT program has been subjected to two evaluations thus far, one of which is ongoing. The first evaluation was of the PACT training program conducted at the Indio station in July 2002. Deputies were surveyed before and after the PACT training program. Jurupa Valley station served as a control group. Deputies in Jurupa completed the before and after surveys, but did not receive the training program. The results of this analysis revealed that the training program had a positive impact on deputies' understanding of principles of child psychology and their understanding of the effects of exposure to violence on children.

The ongoing evaluation makes use of PACT assessment forms. These forms are completed at first PACT callout and during subsequent follow-ups. The assessment forms used in the analysis reported here covered the period from 2/11/02 through 1/11/03. The assessment forms were used to determine (1) whether PACT has had a positive impact on children's traumatic symptoms, (2) what the PACT team recommendation was, and (3) whether families have followed up on PACT recommendations. Preliminary results suggest that PACT is having a positive impact on children's traumatic symptoms. Further, the primary recommendation following PACT intervention was a CPS consult; unfortunately, the majority of families do not follow up on this and/or other PACT recommendations. The fact that most families do not follow up on PACT recommendations is not likely to be due to PACT but rather to other family-related problems, resource constraints, and the like. In order to control for the impact of geographic and financial factors, an additional research component is being added. Please refer to the PACT research described under the CPAL division of the Center for Criminal Justice Research.

Project Contact: Dr. John Worrall
Reports and Publications

Diversion: Youth Accountability Teams (YAT)

Even the most conservative critic sees the value in diverting minor offenders from the juvenile justice system and handling them in a non-punitive, treatment-oriented fashion. Such diversion can occur at any stage of the formal justice process. Generally, diversion occurs for youths committing minor, non-criminal acts, for first offenders, and for youth who are best managed by local social agencies. Diversion can occur at referral (arrest), during intake process or petition filing, and even at adjudication; however, the Riverside County JCPA program focuses on early diversion of youth involved in minor, mostly non-criminal acts, such as truancy and incorrigibility. In addition, this program includes community-based organizations that provide youth outreach counseling.

The program involves probation, law enforcement, and staff of the district attorney's office in efforts at the prevention, intervention, and suppression of juvenile delinquency. The target population is pre-delinquents and misdemeanor referrals aged 12 through 17, who are at-risk in the areas of substance abuse, truancy, family conflict, mental health, school adjustment, or gang involvement. Sixteen sites are currently operating throughout the county at local schools as the focus of these efforts; these sites are staffed by Youth Accountability Teams. Success is measured against prior performance standards, or “benchmarks,” stated in terms of rates of arrest, incarceration, program/probation completion, probation violations, restitution, and community service. Truancy rates and family violence rates will be used to evaluate some of the programs.

Project Contact: Dr. Pamela Schram
Reports and Publications

Building Resources for the Intervention and Deterrence of Gang Engagement (BRIDGE)

The City of Riverside has had a gang suppression unit, Building Resources for the Intervention and Deterrence of Gang Engagement (BRIDGE), in place for several years as part of a five-year federally funded program that is based upon the University of Chicago Gang Violence Reduction Project to provide preventative and intensive suppression of gang activity. Preliminary results suggest positive outcomes. The model incorporates a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency response to reduce youth gang violence, gang membership, and gang-related crime. This program is operated by the Riverside Police Department, and will include approximately 150 cases for analysis. Although difficult to measure, significant reductions in gang involvement are anticipated. The success of this effort will be measured against prior performance standards, or ‘benchmarks,” with the inclusion of comparisons against the earlier completed studies of the BRIDGE program.

Project Contact: Dr. Stephen Tibbetts
Reports and Publications

Youth Accountability Board (YAB)

The Youth Accountability Boards (YABs) in Riverside County are staffed by adult community members from all walks of life. These volunteers investigate cases involving first-time juvenile offenders and determine the appropriate consequences to be imposed, sometimes referred to as “rehabilitative sanctions.” They also provide follow-up supervision and monitoring of cases through the social investigators. Contracts of six months duration are signed. Community service work hours, payment of restitution, letters of apology to the victims, tours of correctional facilities, shoplifting classes, research projects, and referral for counseling are some of the sanctions imposed.

The YABs are designed to work specifically with elementary and junior high schools to serve pre-delinquent minors who demonstrate even earlier stages of at-risk behavior not just limited to misdemeanor law violations (602WIC), which are essentially “status” offenses, such as defiance of authority, parental conflict, and truancy. Center evaluation staff are assisting in data collection and in the tracking of progress for these minors.

Project Contact: Dr. John Worrall
Reports and Publications

Youth Courts

Youth Courts, sometimes called teen or peer courts, are operating in two high schools in western eastern Riverside County. Youth are recruited from the schools to serve on the Youth Court as peer attorneys. Misdemeanor cases referred by law enforcement (drug offenses, vandalism, shoplifting, alcohol related offenses, battery incidents without injury, etc.) are screen by probation, district attorney, and sheriff's department staff for suitability. Appropriate cases are referred for intake and assessment, which includes the minor's parents.

If the minor admits to the offense and agrees to Youth Court, a non-judicial hearing and “mock” sentencing hearing is conducted before a volunteer judge, usually a local attorney who agrees to “sit in.” Parents are required to attend. A teen defense attorney and prosecutor assist with assistance by the adult mentor. A “verdict” is rendered by a youth jury, after hearing arguments from both sides. The contract, usually for six months, includes many restorative justice options, such as restitution, substance abuse counseling, regular school attendance, etc. Community supervision is provided by district attorney and sheriff's department personnel. Center evaluation staff are assisting in data collection and in the tracking of progress for these minors.