DOI: 10.3886/icpsr02730.v1
title: Assessment of a Single-Purpose Substance Abuse Facility for Committed Juvenile Offenders in Virginia, 1995-1997
title: Version 1

description: The objective of this data collection was to provide a
preliminary assessment of the effectiveness of treatment offered at
the Barrett Juvenile Correctional Center, a substance abuse treatment
facility in Virginia for convicted male offenders that began operation
in late 1993. The center uses a holistic approach in the treatment of
youth to identify the triggers for substance abuse and to investigate
the relationship between substance abuse and delinquent behavior. For
the facility assessment, various types of data from the Virginia
Department of Juvenile Justice were gathered. Baseline data on each
juvenile were obtained from the department's Reception and Diagnostic
Center and consisted of demographic information and I.Q. scores,
criminal history, and substance abuse history. Demographic variables
include the youth's race, last grade placement, and with whom the
youth lived. Youths' scores on standardized tests were also compiled,
including SASSI, verbal I.Q., performance I.Q., and full-scale
I.Q. scores. Criminal histories covered whether the committing offense
was a felony or misdemeanor, the type of committing offense, the total
number of committing offenses, whether a prior offense was a felony or
a misdemeanor, the type of prior offense, the total number of prior
offenses, the age at first criminal adjudication, age at commitment,
and degree of delinquency. Alcohol and drug use data focused on the
age at which alcohol was first used, number of times alcohol was used
in the past year, age at which marijuana was first used, number of
times marijuana was used in the past month, and whether the youth ever
used cocaine, crack, inhalants, speed, depressants, hallucinogens, or
other drugs. Another source of information was the youths' parole
officers, who provided data on youths' criminal offending status and
substance abuse at three, six, and twelve months after release from
the center. Data obtained from parole officers assessing youths'
improvement after leaving the center include whether they were
rearrested, the type of offense if rearrested, the total number of
offenses rearrested for, disposition, most serious offense overall,
and youths' overall drug use.
description: Barrett Juvenile Correctional Center began
 operating as a substance abuse treatment facility for convicted male
 offenders in late 1993. To be admitted to the facility, a youth had to
 fit the following criteria: they had to (a) be male, (b) be between
 the ages of 13-18, (c) have a mandatory or recommended need for
 substance abuse treatment, (d) have a length of stay of no less than
 six months, (e) not have a major mental illness or severely limited
 cognitive ability, and (f) not have committed a major offense (defined
 as murder, rape, forcible sodomy, or arson). The center uses a
 holistic approach to the treatment of youth to identify the triggers
 for substance abuse and to investigate the relationship between
 substance abuse and delinquent behavior. The center recognizes the
 interrelationship of all aspects of the youth's life in producing a
 delinquent lifestyle. It provides a highly structured program that
 uses a therapeutic community approach to treat the offender. This
 approach emphasizes personal growth and responsibility. The purpose of
 this research was to examine the program design, structure,
 implementation, and process and to provide a preliminary assessment of
 the program's impact on youth. The assessment centered on (1) the
 number of youths who were rearrested after leaving the center, (2) the
 number who were recommitted, and (3) the number who used a substance
during the one-year follow-up period.
description: The effectiveness of the program at the Barrett
 Juvenile Correction Center was addressed by gathering various types of
 data from the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice. Baseline data
 on youth were compiled from the department's Reception and Diagnostic
 Center. These baseline data were extremely comprehensive and consisted
 of demographic information and I.Q. scores, criminal history, and
 substance abuse history for each youth. Another source of information
 was the youths' parole officers, who provided data on youths' criminal
 offending status and substance abuse at three, six, and twelve months
 after release. The primary outcome variables for determining the
 effectiveness of the program were rearrest, recommitment, and
 substance use during a one-year follow-up period after the youths'
release from the center.
description: Demographic variables include the youth's race,
 last grade placement, and with whom the youth lived. Criminal
 histories covered whether the committing offense was a felony or
 misdemeanor, the type of committing offense, the total number of
 committing offenses, whether a prior offense was a felony or a
 misdemeanor, the type of prior offense, the total number of prior
 offenses, the age at first criminal adjudication, age at commitment,
 and degree of delinquency. Alcohol and drug use data focused on the
 age at which alcohol was first used, number of times alcohol was used
 in the past year, age at which marijuana was first used, number of
 times marijuana was used in the past month, and whether the youth ever
 used cocaine, crack, inhalants, speed, depressants, hallucinogens, or
 other drugs. Another source of information was the youths' parole
 officers, who provided data on youths' criminal offending status and
 substance abuse at three, six, and twelve months after release from
 the center. Data obtained from parole officers assessing youths'
 improvement after leaving the center include their Readiness for
 Change score, whether they were rearrested, the type of offense if
 rearrested, the total number of offenses rearrested for, disposition,
most serious offense overall, and youths' overall drug use.
description: Response Rates: Not applicable
description: Presence of Common Scales: A Likert-type scale was used. Also used were the
 Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI), I.Q., and
Readiness for Change scales.
description: Datasets: 
DS1: Assessment of a Single-Purpose Substance Abuse Facility for Committed Juvenile Offenders in Virginia, 1995-1997
description: All male youths who were released from Barrett Juvenile
Correctional Center between January 1995 and January 1997.