QUEST Futures is a juvenile mental health initiative that seeks to establish a comprehensive, coordinated response to youth with mental illness involved in the juvenile justice system in Queens, New York. Here, researcher Josephine Hahn discusses the findings of an impact evaluation of the program. (February 2014)
This report presents the results of an evaluation assessing the impact of a community-based mental health intervention known as QUEST Futures on recidivism and other juvenile delinquency outcomes among 392 justice-involved youth (15 years or younger) in New York City. Among other findings, results show that participation in QUEST Futures contributes to reduced felony level re-offending.
In 2009, the Center for Court Innovation received funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to enhance drug court programming for young adults in the Mid-Hudson Valley region of New York. As part of that effort, experts from around the country participated in a roundtable discussion about the challenges of young adults in drug courts and explored some promising practices for meeting their needs. This report summarizes that discussion.
This statewide evaluation of New York's adult drug courts finds modest reductions in re-arrest over a three year study period, with wide variation in impact across the 86 sites. In fact, while the most effective courts reduce re-arrest by up to 21 percent, the least effective courts increase re-arrest.
This report summarizes results of a mental health screen administered to 812 youths sentenced to community supervision in New York City. Half of the sample were identified as having a mental disorder and close to four in ten showed multiple disorders. The report identifies distinct clusters of disorders that tend to co-occur and examines the relationship between different disorders and recidivism. For example, depression and anxiety were associated with an increased likelihood of re-arrest, whereas suicidality was associated with a decreased likelihood of re-arrest.
Rockefeller Drug Law Reform, adopted in April 2009, eliminated mandatory prison sentences in New York State for most felony drug offenders and sought to link more felony-level drug and property offenders to treatment.
This fact sheet summarizes a study of the impact of Rockefeller Drug Law Reform on judicial diversion. The study found that the new law increased court-ordered treatment participation (although precise effects varied widely by county), reduced incarceration and recidivism among those treated, and increased savings.
This Practitioners Manual provides step-by-step guidance for drug court teams looking to help participants pursue higher education. The other three manuals provide support for participants, interns, and trainers.
This guide for trainers is one of four manuals that, together, explain how drug court teams can create a program to help drug court participants pursue higher education. The Practitioners Manual provides a road map for the entire program, which gives step-by-step guidance to participants enrolling in and seeking financial aid for college.
