Economic Evaluation of the Juvenile Drug Court/Reclaiming Futures (JDC/RF) Model

Kathryn McCollister, Pamela Baumer, Monica Davis, Alison Greene, Sally Stevens, Michael Dennis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Juvenile drug court (JDC) programs are an increasingly popular option for rehabilitating juvenile offenders with substance problems, but research has found inconsistent evidence regarding their effectiveness and economic impact. While assessing client outcomes such as reduced substance use and delinquency is necessary to gauge program effectiveness, a more comprehensive understanding of program success and sustainability can be attained by examining program costs and economic benefits. As part of the National Cross-Site Evaluation of JDC and Reclaiming Futures (RF), an economic analysis of five JDC/RF programs was conducted from a multisystem and multiagency perspective. The study highlights the direct and indirect costs of JDC/RF and the savings generated from reduced health problems, illegal activity, and missed school days. Results include the average (per participant) cost of JDC/RF, the total economic benefits per JDC/RF participant, and the net savings of JDC/RF relative to standard JDC.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)321-339
Number of pages19
JournalJournal of Behavioral Health Services and Research
Volume45
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1 2018

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Health(social science)
  • Health Policy
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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