According to a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services preliminary report, on a single day in 2016, there were an estimated 437,465 youth in foster care in the United States. Risk factors associated with youth being in foster care are also common risk factors for future justice system involvement. Consequently, a better understanding of what interventions may help prevent offending and justice system involvement for this at-risk population of youth is an important public safety consideration.

In 2013, OJJDP funded researchers from Portland State University to investigate whether the My Life program for youth in foster care prevented or reduced criminal offending as young adults. This mentoring program model incorporated both individual and group mentoring to improve transition outcomes for youth in foster care who were between the ages of 16 and 18. The program focused on goal setting, self-determination, and problem-solving skills. The study built on 2 previous randomized trials involving more than 150 youth by extending the followup of study participants into early adulthood. The researchers collected measures of criminal justice involvement by examining self-reported arrests, convictions, incarceration or probation periods, and other offending behavior measures. They also examined whether gender, disability, or prior delinquency behaviors were associated with differences in impact.

The researchers found that for males in the study—who also were found to have the highest likelihood of criminal justice involvement as adults—participating in the My Life mentoring program had a statistically significant effect on reducing criminal justice involvement and the likelihood of being incarcerated. In addition, the researchers found that the mentoring program appeared to have a protective effect on youth who did not have prior histories of delinquency because those who participated in the program had fewer incarcerations than those who did not participate.

These findings help advance the understanding about how a mentoring program geared toward youth in foster care may also help reduce the likelihood of future criminal justice involvement for this at-risk group. The research suggests that this type of targeted mentoring can be an important tool in preventing and reducing offending in early adulthood and improving safety in communities.

For further information, see Evaluation of the Effects of a Mentoring Program for Youth in Foster Care on Their Criminal Justice Involvement as Young Adults.

 

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The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act that established OJJDP authorizes the Administrator to conduct research and evaluations and undertake statistical analyses on issues related to juvenile offending and victimization. Because OJJDP is the only Office of Justice Programs agency with dual mandates for research and programs, we are uniquely positioned to integrate research in our programmatic functions, and we are committed to translating research into practice.

Look to this recurring column authored by members of OJJDP’s Research Unit to distill topically relevant and timely OJJDP-supported research.