Linking Process and Outcomes in Evaluating a Statewide Drug Treatment Program for Youthful Offenders

Considerable attention recently has been given to the principles of effective intervention and their importance for reducing recidivism. By contrast, much less attention has been given to youth performance while in treatment or to program implementation, yet both are critical factors that also can affect recidivism. Using data on youthful offenders in the Texas Youth Commission (TYC), we examine rearrest patterns for youths in TYC’s Chemical Dependency Treatment Program (CDTP). Analyses focus on treatment performance and program implementation and their impact on rearrest, net of demographic, risk, and need factors. Policy and research implications of these analyses are discussed.