title: Can mentoring or skill training reduce recidivism? Observational study with propensity analysis.
abstract: We compared juvenile offenders' recidivism following nonrandom assignment to juvenile diversion (JD, n = 137), JD plus skill training (ST, n = 55), or JD plus mentoring (MEN, n = 45). Intake characteristics that distinguished intervention groups were used to calculate assignment propensity scores. After propensity score blocking balanced intake characteristics, ST proved more cost effective than MEN, achieving a 14% relative reduction in recidivism at a savings of $33,600 per hundred youths. In ST, 37% were rearrested 2 years or more after intake, compared to 51% in MEN and 46% in JD. In two of five propensity subclasses, time to first rearrest was longer in ST (M = 767 days) than in MEN (M = 638 days) or JD (M = 619 days). These results argue for an experimental comparison of ST and MEN and for observational studies with propensity analysis when randomization to juvenile justice interventions is infeasible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Colorado at Boulder, 80309-0345, USA. eblechman@worldnet.att.net
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Blechman
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maurice
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Buecker
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Helberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D003120:Colorado; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors / Q000523:psychology; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015397:Program Evaluation; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012008:Recurrence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors