Identifying factors like prosocial identity that protect against re-offending and services that build strengths
Exciting reforms are underway in juvenile justice– including shifts towards strengths-based practices. Today’s challenge is to empirically identify the factors that most strongly promote young people’s success – and specify how to build them into evidence-based case planning and supervision practices, for young people at different ages and stages.
To address this challenge, we are partnering with juvenile justice agencies in three states to conduct longitudinal studies of assessments and services. We are specifically testing the protective value of prosocial identity, engagements and activities; social skills and supports; and self-control, grit, and self-efficacy. Our colleagues are iSPARC at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center and the Council of State Governments.