Juvenile offenders with substance use problems are at high risk for deleterious long-term outcomes. This study evaluated the capacity of a promising vocational and employment training program in the building sector (i.e., Community Restitution Apprenticeship-Focused Training, CRAFT) to mitigate such outcomes through enhanced employment and education. Participants were 97 high-risk juvenile offenders (mean age = 15.8 years) randomized to CRAFT versus education as usual (EAU) intervention conditions. Multi-method procedures measured employment, education, substance use, mental health, and criminal outcomes through a 30-month post-baseline follow-up. CRAFT was significantly more effective than EAU at increasing rates of youth employment and GED attendance. Intervention effects were not observed, however, for months employed, hours worked, or hourly wage. Measures of youth substance use, mental health symptoms, and criminal activity showed no favorable or iatrogenic effects. The potential of CRAFT was modestly supported, and suggestions were made for future research.
Drug programs have been experiencing a rapid maturation process during the past three years. Increasingly higher professional standards and accountability are being demanded by funding sources, administrators, and local community supporters. This paper presents a working client/overall-program evaluation that has been used by a comprehensive out-patient drug abuse program to meet accountability requirements as well as therapeutic needs and demands. Six central criteria based on program goals are put into a rating instrument to measure client progress and program effectiveness. The criteria are: Program Involvement, Drug Abuse Status, Arrest/Conviction Recidivism Status, Education and Training Status, Job Stability and Job Performance.
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