Implementation of these recommendations is essential if the state is to have information to support long-term evaluations of juvenile programs. Such analysis is virtually impossible because of the current inability to track juvenile offenders over time. To the extent that state law regarding the confidentiality of juvenile records interferes with the ability of the agencies to gather essential data, the Legislature should change those laws to allow such inter-agency sharing of data while preserving privacy protections for the affected juveniles. At a minimum, state agencies should be allowed to share juvenile records for purposes of research and evaluation. State and local governments need to know how well juvenile programs are performing over time.
Fiscal responsibility depends on agencies being accountable for the management of funds.
Officials and staff working in the juvenile justice system need performance information to identify which programs work well and which do not, and how to focus their efforts to treat and monitor juvenile offenders. No fiscal impact is expected from these recommendations. Existing staff at the state and local level can conduct evaluations if additional training is incorporated into training curricula. Anticipated savings cannot be determined at this time. Proper program evaluation will ensure that state and local resources are targeted toward the programs that are most successful at addressing the needs of juvenile offenders.