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The Pathways to Desistance Study (the 'Pathways Study') is a multi-site, collaborative research project that follows 1,355 serious juvenile offenders from adolescence to young adulthood. Interviews are conducted regularly with these adolescents as well as their family members and friends over a several year period after their involvement in court for a serious (overwelmingly felony level) offense. This investigation provides rich information about different patterns that serious adolescent offenders follow when stopping antisocial activity, the role of social context and developmental changes in promoting these positive changes, and the effects of sanctions and interventions in this process. The study provides the empirical information needed to improve decision making by court and social service personnel about potential future risk and amenability to treatment. It also provides useful guidance for ongoing policy debates about alternative approaches for dealing with serious adolescent offenders. NCA/NCF
The work proposed in this application augments the ongoing activities of the Pathways to Desistance study. The award funds will cover two smaller studies. The first is a qualitative investigation of the factors related to observed reductions in antisocial activity and increases in positive adjustment in a selected sample of high-offending adolescents, based on adolescent self-report. The second investigates the connection between adolescent involvement in antisocial behavior and earlier abuse/neglect experiences and involvement in the child welfare system. The grantee will report on performance measures related to qualitative and quantitative research results. Relevant measures include: the number of adolescents interviewed for the first study, and the number of study youth for whom data on earlier abuse/neglect and child welfare experiences is obtained. NCA/NCF
