New Hampshire Courts Research Project

The majority of youth offenders receive little treatment for alcohol and drug abuse. Research has shown that treating this type of abuse saves money, strengthens communities and reclaims the futures of the youth served. The goal of this research was to determine the difference, if any, on screenings administered to youth offenders (ages approximately 14 to 16) that are conducted by JPPOs and those conducted by CFS clinicians.

As a result, this research provided more accurate substance abuse and mental health prevalence data to support efforts to institute or enhance effective services/treatment and improve outcomes for youth. Also, differences in outcomes in screenings between JPPOs and CFS clinicians point towards areas of needed training and capacity for administering the screening tool and increasing its validity.

For more information contact Robin Toof.