Matching Court-Ordered Services with Treatment Needs: Predicting Treatment Success with Young Offenders

Abstract

The rehabilitation of young offenders and their reintegration into society are important goals of the juvenile justice system. An empirically supported model of service delivery attending to the principles of risk level, criminogenic need, and responsivity provides direction in achieving these goals. Although research on this model thus far has evaluated the principles only at a group level, the present study evaluates the impact on recidivism of matching youth with services at the individual level. Files of 122 youth who received court assessments were reviewed to determine whether clinical recommendations and services received were congruent. Youths' criminal records were reviewed to determine reoffense outcomes. As predicted, higher risk scores were associated with earlier and more frequent recidivism. Knowing whether a young offender had his or her specific criminogenic needs addressed in treatment added to the predictive power of risk. Having only a few treatment needs met was associated with significantly earlier recidivism and a greater number of new convictions. These findings may provide direction in enhancing efforts to effectively respond to youth crime.