Evaluating Service Delivery in the Youth Justice System: Uncovering the ‘Black Box’ of Supervision Practices In Wales

• In Event: Delivering Effective Programming to Young People in Juvenile Justice and Correctional Settings

Abstract

In Wales, the precise processes through which frontline youth justice practitioners deliver interventions and other services to young people who offend have received insufficient empirical attention. Therefore, it is unclear whether youth justice practitioners effectively and consistently implement evidence-based skills such as Core Correctional Practices (CCPs) (see Andrews and Kiessling 1980). Previous studies suggest that the effective use of CCPs is linked to positive outcomes such as reductions in recidivism rates (Lowenkamp et al., 2006; Raynor et al., 2014; Ugwudike, Raynor and Vanstone, 2014). However, the dearth of insights into the content of youth justice practices means that the latter remains a ‘black box’ (see Bonta et al., 2008). With limited empirical insight, it is difficult to ascertain whether youth justice practitioners employ evidence-based CCPs. It is also difficult to establish the impact of service delivery on outcomes such as reductions in re-offending. This paper will discuss the findings from evaluations conducted on community-based and secure youth offending services in Wales, specifically focusing on CCPs. It will also highlight the key factors that undermine the successful implementation of CCPs and discuss how best to align front-line practice with the existing evidence-base.

Author

• Gemma Morgan, Swansea University