Monitor on Psychology - December 2011 - (Page 70)

M entire environments — growing up in drug-ridden or violent ore than 1 million American youth end up in areas, for example — are part of why they end up in trouble. juvenile court every year, and about 160,000 of them “There’s a growing awareness that you don’t just change the are referred to residential placements, including kid or the parent or the schools, but you also need to look at detention centers, residential treatment centers, correctional neighborhood and community contexts as well,” Britner says. institutions and group homes, according to a 2011 Social Policy What these programs have in common, he adds, are a strong Report by the Society for Research in Child Development. research base, a focus on improving family relationships and a However, the report finds that such settings often do more bent to foster youngsters’ strengths. Here’s a look at some of them. harm than good, causing depression, thoughts of suicide, acting-out behaviors and recidivism among these youth. thirty-five years and counting Recognizing this problem, many states have enacted a variety William S. Davidson II, PhD, distinguished professor at of community-based “diversion” programs aimed at keeping Michigan State University, never imagined that his graduate offending youth out of the court system, particularly those who dissertation would become a model diversion program have committed nonviolent crimes or “status” offenses such as that has been running now for 35 years. But that’s what has truancy, running away from home or defying parents or other happened with his Adolescent Diversion Project, which pairs authority figures. undergraduate students and adolescents found guilty of Diversion services, though, are extremely diffuse in their breaking and entering, design and in the larceny and other crimes. populations they intend These relationships have to serve, say psychologists been found to cut the in the area of juvenile youths’ recidivism rate justice. What’s more, in half, and the program most programs that has won a number of communities use are not national awards, including backed by science. the Jimmy and Rosalynn “The literature is Carter Award from pretty consistent that Campus Compact and you’re better off diverting the APA Task Force on the less serious offenders Prevention’s Exemplary out of the juvenile justice Prevention Research system, and if possible, designation. hooking them up with In the model, services,” says Medical undergraduate psychology University of South PRestOn a. BRitneR students take a twoCarolina psychologist Scott university of Connecticut semester course that trains Henggeler, PhD. “But you them in the program’s can be diverted to services theory and practice. They that make the situation then spend eight hours worse. So for me, diverted a week for 18 weeks mentoring young offenders and their to what is really the question.” families on how to communicate and negotiate effectively with The good news is that psychologists and other social each other. In addition, the psychology students connect the scientists are creating diversion programs that address this kids with positive, community-based activities that tap their concern, dramatically improving outcomes such as re-offense interests, such as computer labs, machine shops, dance studios rates and family relationships, thus saving the juvenile justice and tae kwon do centers. “It’s about finding out what this kid system a great deal of money, says University of Connecticut is interested in, what his or her strengths are and how we can psychologist Preston A. Britner, PhD, the incoming co-chair build on them,” Davidson says. of APA’s Committee on Children, Youth and Families, who After launching a successful pilot of the program in 1976, also helped the state of Connecticut create and implement an Davidson devoted 15 years to improving and replicating it in evidence-based diversion program for status-offending kids. several Michigan cities with funds from the National Institute In addition, these programs are being studied using advanced of Mental Health. In Lansing, the model has evolved into a research methodology, and they recognize that young people’s “There’s a growing awareness that you don’t just change the kid or the parent or the schools, but you also need to look at neighborhood and community contexts as well.” 70 Monitor on psychology • DeceMber 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Monitor on Psychology - December 2011

Monitor on Psychology - December 2011
Letters
President’s Column
Contents
From the CEO
Willpower Pioneer Wins $100,000 Grawemeyer Prize
Single-Sex Schooling Called Into Question by Prominent Researchers
Maternal Depression Stunts Childhood Growth, Research Suggests
For Boys, Sharing May Seem Like a Waste of Time
Good News for Postdoc Applicants
In Brief
Treatment Guideline Development Now Under Way
Government Relations Update
Psychologist Named Va Mental Health Chief
The Limits of Eyewitness Testimony
Judicial Notebook
Random Sample
Time Capsule
Deconstructing Suicide
Questionnaire
A Focus on Interdisciplinarity
A Time of ‘Enormous Change’
The Science Behind Team Science
Good Science Requires Good Conflict
A New Paradigm of Care
Speaking of Education
Science Directions
New Labels, New Attitudes?
Psychologist Profile
Early Career Psychology
Unintended Consequences
Better Options for Troubled Teens
Saving Lives, One Organ at a Time
New Journal Editors
APA News
Division Spotlight
Guidelines for the Conduct of President-Elect Nominations and Elections
American Psychological Foundation
Personalities

Monitor on Psychology - December 2011