DOI: 10.3886/icpsr39347
title: Process Evaluation of the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice's Regional Service Coordination Model, 2017-2023
title: Archival Version

description: In 2017, the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) began implementation of the Regional Service Coordination (RSC) model. The goal of this initiative was to implement and maintain statewide comprehensive community-based services and alternative placements for youth in Virginia's juvenile justice system. The DJJ partnered with Child Trends to conduct a process evaluation of this RSC model. Child Trends used data from DJJ's administrative data system, and collected qualitative data from groups involved in implementation, such as probation/parole officers, judges, service coordinators, and direct service providers.
description: Child Trends was funded by the Office of Juvenile
Justice and Delinquency (OJJDP) to conduct an in-depth process evaluation of the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice's (DJJ) Continuum of Services Model, referred to as the Regional Service Coordination Model and Broader Service Continuum, or RSC model. The purpose of this project was to provide feedback and recommendations to DJJ as well as to other juvenile justice systems interested in implementing similar reform efforts.
The researchers had three primary objectives: 

Conduct a process evaluation to understand the extent to which the RSC model is being implemented as intended.
Provide an initial assessment of the extent to which implementation of the RSC model is associated with youth outcomes.
Translate and disseminate findings to targeted audiences.
description: Child Trends adopted a utilization-focused evaluation approach to conduct the evaluation. Child Trends focused on four elements in their evaluation.


Adherence to the model.


Responsiveness of services to the needs of individual youth.


Youth participation in the services.


Youth outcomes in relation to the implementation of the model.


Qualitative data were collected in interviews and focus groups using telephone and virtual programs. Direct Service Providers (DSP) and Judges
were interviewed. Regional Service Coordinators (RSCs) and Court Service Unit (CSU) staff were included in focus groups. RSCs and CSU staff were directly contacted with information
provided by the DJJ. Judges and DSP were identified though public websites.


Quantitative data were collected from DJJ administrative datasets.
description: Dataset 1, Intake Supervision joined by Case Data, contains variables pertaining to youth characteristics (e.g., age at intake, sex assigned at birth, race/ethnicity), History with DJJ, offense characteristics, and results of initial YASI assessment.


Dataset 2, Recidivism and Services Data, contains variables pertaining to arrest and conviction dates as well as misdemeanor or felony classification.


Dataset 3, Regional Service Coordinators Service and YASI Data contains variables pertaining to youth characteristics, youth's history with DJJ, offense characteristics, and the first and last YASI assessments upon referral and service completion.


Dataset 4, Regional Service Coordinators Service and YASI with Non-Services Data, contains variables pertaining to youth characteristics, youth's history with DJJ, offense characteristics, and the first and last YASI assessments upon referral.


Dataset 5, Regional Service Coordinators Youth Services Data, contains variables pertaining to service referral approval status, service start and end dates, type of service provided, and youth's service participation.


Dataset 6, Supervision Status Data, contains variables pertaining to the start and end dates for each supervision level (e.g., probation, detention, commitment, parole)


Datasets 7-23 contain Court Service Unit focus group transcripts.


Datasets 24-41 contain Direct Service Provider interview transcripts.


Datasets 42-50 contain Judge interview transcripts.


Datasets 51-52 contain Regional Service Coordinators (RSC) focus group transcripts.


Dataset 53 contains a Regional Service Coordinators (RSC) focus group summary.
description: The qualitative sample employed stratified purposeful sampling during recruitment, segmenting the sample by urbanicity (rural and non-rural) and DJJ's five administrative regions (Northern, Eastern, Southern, Western, and Central).
description: Datasets: 
DS0: Study-Level Files
DS1: Intake Supervision Joined by Case Data
DS2: Recidivism and Services Data
DS3: Regional Service Coordinators Service and YASI Data
DS4: Regional Service Coordinators Service and YASI with Non-Services Data
DS5: Regional Service Coordinators Youth Services Data
DS6: Supervision Status Data
DS7: Court Service Unit (CSU) Focus Group 1 Pilot
DS8: Court Service Unit (CSU) Focus Group 2
DS9: Court Service Unit (CSU) Focus Group 3
DS10: Court Service Unit (CSU) Focus Group 4
DS11: Court Service Unit (CSU) Focus Group 5
DS12: Court Service Unit (CSU) Focus Group 6
DS13: Court Service Unit (CSU) Focus Group 7
DS14: Court Service Unit (CSU) Focus Group 8
DS15: Court Service Unit (CSU) Focus Group 9
DS16: Court Service Unit (CSU) Focus Group 10
DS17: Court Service Unit (CSU) Focus Group 11
DS18: Court Service Unit (CSU) Focus Group 12
DS19: Court Service Unit (CSU) Focus Group 13
DS20: Court Service Unit (CSU) Focus Group 14
DS21: Court Service Unit (CSU) Focus Group 15
DS22: Court Service Unit (CSU) Focus Group 16
DS23: Court Service Unit (CSU) Focus Group 17
DS24: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP006
DS25: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP018
DS26: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP023
DS27: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP042
DS28: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP056
DS29: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP065
DS30: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP068
DS31: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP077
DS32: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP085
DS33: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP092
DS34: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP095
DS35: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP097
DS36: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP114
DS37: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP118
DS38: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP123
DS39: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP127
DS40: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP132
DS41: Direct Service Provider (DSP) Interview DSP133
DS42: Judge Interview JD014
DS43: Judge Interview JD029
DS44: Judge Interview JD032
DS45: Judge Interview JD034
DS46: Judge Interview JD035
DS47: Judge Interview JD050
DS48: Judge Interview JD065
DS49: Judge Interview JD074
DS50: Judge Interview JD121
DS51: Regional Service Coordinators (RSC) Focus Group Pilot (1)
DS52: Regional Service Coordinators (RSC) Focus Group 2
DS53: Regional Service Coordinators (RSC) Focus Group 3 Summary
description: Smallest Geographic Unit: FIPS
description: computer-assisted personal interview (CAPI); mixed mode; telephone interview