	Scope and Methodology

To determine what experts and the available research indicate about the  types of reentry programs and substance abuse programs that are effective  or cost beneficial for juvenile offenders, we reviewed relevant literature,  studies, and federal resources for juvenile justice programs, and  interviewed federal officials and 26 juvenile justice experts. We  selected two of OJJDP’s efforts through which it disseminates information  about effective programs—the Model Programs Guide and the National  Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC), which provides  training and support to the juvenile justice field in identifying and  implementing effective programs—because they provide information  about effective programs across the range of issue areas in which OJJDP is  involved, including reentry and substance abuse programs. Several types of programs  address juvenile reentry issues, as described in table 1. The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) established  OJJDP in 1974. For a more  detailed description of reentry experts’ opinions about these program  types, see appendix V.

		Substance Abuse Experts Cited Evidence That Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Family Therapy Are Effective at Reducing Recidivism and Can Help to Reduce Substance Abuse, but Said That Evidence of Effectiveness Was Lacking for the Other Programs

			Experts Cited Evidence from Available Research Showing Cognitive Behavioral and Family Therapies Effectively Reduce Recidivism and Demonstrate Success at Reducing Substance Abuse

All of the 13 substance abuse experts we interviewed stated that based on  available research, cognitive behavioral therapy effectively reduces  recidivism and has demonstrated success at reducing substance abuse. For  example, one study found that juvenile drug courts are cost beneficial  because they are expected to have a net benefit of $4,622 per program  participant. In addition, seven experts also commented on reentry and substance  abuse programs that were not included in the cited studies. In accordance with this  authority and its mission to support states and communities in their efforts  to develop and implement effective juvenile justice programs, OJJDP  disseminates information related to these programs through a range of  efforts, from those designed to meet the needs of the juvenile justice field  as a whole to those that focus on effective programs in a specific issue  area, such as gang prevention or girls’ delinquency. Evaluations and Needs Assessment Help OJJDP Ensure Usefulness of Information Provided by Training and Technical Assistance Efforts, but OJJDP Could Better Ensure the Utility of the Model Programs Guide’s Information through Regular Feedback

In accordance with federal guidelines from OJP and prior GAO work,  OJJDP has mechanisms in place to regularly conduct evaluations and is  currently conducting a needs assessment to ensure the usefulness of the  information provided by its training and technical assistance efforts. OJJDP has mechanisms in place to regularly assess the usefulness of the  information disseminated by NTTAC to ensure that it meets the needs of  the juvenile justice field. Finalizing a Program Plan and Developing a Comprehensive Evaluation Plan Would Help OJJDP Achieve Its Research and Evaluation Goals and Use Its Limited Resources Effectively

OJJDP has articulated research and evaluation goals to support its mission  of promoting effective programs and improving the juvenile justice system. Under the  JJDPA, OJJDP is required to publish an annual program plan that  describes planned activities that are under accounts authorized for  research and evaluation activities and that demonstrate promising  initiatives, among other things. Specifically,  according to the JJDPA, the Administrator must take into account the  public comments received during the 45-day period and develop and  publish a final plan before December 31 of each fiscal year, describing the  particular activities that the Administrator intends to carry out under parts  D and E. While OJJDP has not published an annual program plan since  2002, it issued a proposed plan in the Federal Register to solicit public  comment in December 2009. As a result, OMB  recommended that OJP develop a comprehensive evaluation plan for  juvenile justice programs to obtain better information about the programs’  impacts. Recommendation for Executive Action

To help ensure that OJJDP’s Model Programs Guide is regularly meeting  user needs and providing the most helpful information on effective  programs, consistent with federal guidelines, we recommend the  Administrator of OJJDP develop a cost-effective mechanism for regularly  soliciting and incorporating feedback from the juvenile justice field on the  usefulness of the information provided in its Model Programs Guide. Juvenile drug courts are  specialized courts established within and supervised by juvenile courts to  provide intervention programs, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or  family therapy, for substance-abusing juveniles and their families.
Why GAO Did This Study

State juvenile justice systems face critical problems when it comes to juvenile delinquency issues such as reentry--when offenders return home from incarceration--and substance abuse. GAO was asked to review juvenile reentry and substance abuse program research and efforts by the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to provide information on effective programs (i.e., whether a program achieves its intended goal) and cost-beneficial programs (i.e., whether the benefits of programs exceeded their costs). This report addresses (1) expert opinion and available research on these types of reentry and substance abuse programs, (2) the extent to which OJJDP assesses its efforts to disseminate information on effective programs, and (3) OJJDP's plans to accomplish its research and evaluation goals. GAO, among other things, reviewed academic literature, and OJJDP's dissemination efforts and research goals. GAO also interviewed OJJDP officials and a nonprobability sample of 26 juvenile justice experts selected based on their experience with juvenile reentry and substance abuse issues.

What GAO Found

The majority of the juvenile justice reentry and substance abuse experts GAO interviewed cited evidence that shows cognitive behavioral therapy--programs that help individuals change their beliefs in order to change their behavior--and family therapy--programs that treat juveniles by focusing on improving communication with family members--are effective and cost beneficial when addressing reentry and substance abuse issues. For example, two juvenile reentry experts cited studies showing that 1 year after participating in a cognitive behavioral therapy program, participants were less likely to commit another offense than nonparticipants. Additionally, experts cited a study that reported that a family therapy program provides about $80,000 in savings per participant when accounting for savings from a decline in crime, such as the cost the police would have incurred. Most experts indicated that there was limited evidence on the effectiveness and cost benefits of reentry programs, such as aftercare--programs that assist juvenile offenders in returning to their communities during the reentry process--and substance abuse programs, such as drug courts--specialized courts that provide programs for substance-abusing juveniles and their families. GAO reviewed two OJJDP efforts that provide information on effective programs across the range of juvenile justice issues, the National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) and the Model Programs Guide. OJJDP has mechanisms in place to regularly assess the utility of the information provided by NTTAC, but does not have such a mechanism for the guide. OJJDP ensures the utility of NTTAC's information through evaluations in accordance with federal guidelines that highlight the importance of regularly soliciting feedback from users. However, OJJDP could better ensure the utility of the information disseminated by the Model Programs Guide by having a mechanism in place to solicit regular feedback from members of the juvenile justice field--for example, program practitioners--that is specifically related to the guide. OJJDP has articulated research and evaluation goals to support its mission of improving the juvenile justice system and is developing plans to assist in meeting these goals. OJJDP is required under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, as amended, to publish an annual program plan that describes planned activities under accounts authorized for research and evaluation activities, among other things. Additionally, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recommended that OJJDP develop a comprehensive evaluation plan for juvenile justice programs. While OJJDP has not published an annual program plan since 2002, in December of 2009, it issued a proposed plan for public comment and aims to publish the final program plan once public comments are incorporated. Additionally, although the office has considered developing a comprehensive evaluation plan to address OMB recommendations, it had not previously done so because of a lack of resources. However, OJJDP is committed to developing a comprehensive evaluation plan once the program plan is finalized.