Bridges and Barriers: The Educational Attainment of Youth Returning from Detention and Correctional Facilities

Title of Study: Bridges and Barriers: Educational Attainment of Youth Returning from Detention and Correctional Facilities

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey will examine the educational and behavioral consequences of both re-enrollment in mainstream schools, as facilitated by a specialized admissions center for school-aged ex-offenders, and enrollment in a model transitional school. This project will assess and document the results of a unique, recent, and large-scale 'natural experiment' in educational reentry policy in NYC. From 2002 through 2004 all school-aged offenders released to Manhattan, but not to the other boroughs of NYC, were offered assistance with re-enrollment through a specialized high school admissions office, the School Connection Center. This project will examine the following: (1) the extent and the determinants of mainstream and transitional school re-enrollment following release from juvenile detention or correctional facilities; (2) the effect of facilitated mainstream school re-enrollment on recidivism; (3) the effect of enrollment in a specialized transitional high school (versus non-enrollment or enrollment in another alternative setting) on recidivism; (4) whether specialized transitional school enrollment reduce the risks of truancy, failure, drop out, and recidivism more than facilitated mainstream school re-enrollment; and (5) the individual, social, and institutional characteristics and circumstances that may condition these effects. Project performance will be measured by the project's adherence to its established timeline and by the quality of deliverables. CA/NCF