Behavior Intervention at Cook County (IL) Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC)
Problems addressed
Effectiveness

Promising

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Promising

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Life periods served
Where the program was applied
Country of application
Description

This is a cognitive behavioral program for high-risk youth. The aim is to reduce both the likelihood and the number of readmissions to detention among young participants.
The intervention plan focuses on reducing automatic or reactive behaviors. It is delivered by trained officers through deep breathing, relaxation, and anger management techniques. The program is manualized and can also be taught by university students without a specialization in psychology or social work.

Impact evaluations

An impact assessment showed that participants were 16% less likely to be readmitted to the detention center when compared to the control group, which did not receive the intervention [1].

Bibliographic reference

[1] Heller, S. B., Shah, A. K., Guryan, J., Ludwig, J., Mullainathan, S. & Pollack, H. A. (2015). Thinking, Fast and Slow? Some Field Experiments to Reduce Crime and Dropout in Chicago (NBER Working Paper Series núm. 21178). Cambridge, MA. National Bureau of Economic Research. https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w21178/w21178.pdf

Information source