Abstract

We report the results of a study of the impact of a Family Empowerment Intervention (FEI) on twelve-month recidivism among 303 youths processed at the Hillsborough County Juvenile Assessment Center who entered the project between September 1, 1994 and December 31, 1997. The FEI seeks to improve family functioning by empowering parents. Families involved in the project were randomly assigned to receive either an Extended Services Intervention (ESI) or the FEI. Families in the ESI group received monthly phone contacts and, if indicated, referral information; FEI families received three one-hour, home-based meetings per week from a clinician-trained paraprofessional. Final twelve month follow-up analysis indicated that youths who completed the FEI experienced significantly lower rates of new charges and significantly fewer new arrests than youths not completing the FEI. Further, considerable juvenile justice system direct costs savings were projected to be associated with providing FEI services to diversion cases over a two-year period.