Program Profile: Oklahoma's Juvenile Second Chance Act Reentry Program (Tulsa, OK)

This is a juvenile reentry program that offers services to youth returning to the community in Tulsa, Okla., after their out-of-home placements. The goal of the program is to reduce rates of recidivism for high-risk youth. The program is rated No Effects. There were no statistically significant differences in reconviction rates for treatment group youth who received the program’s services, compared with comparison group youth who did not receive services.

A No Effects rating implies that implementing the program is unlikely to result in the intended outcome(s) and may result in a negative outcome(s).

Program Goals

Research has shown that incarcerated youth may not receive the necessary support from their families, peers, schools, and communities after release from an out-of-home placement and may struggle to be connected with aftercare treatment and services (Liberman et al. 2021). These barriers can impede a youth’s successful reintegration back into the community and could contribute to future criminal involvement. In response to high juvenile recidivism rates, the Second Chance Act (SCA) was passed in 2008, authorizing funding to implement and support comprehensive juvenile reentry programming (Congress.gov 2007). The premise behind the SCA is that improving reentry efforts should aid in more successful transitions from system supervision to the larger community, thereby aiding in the reduction of juvenile recidivism and increased public safety.

In 2010, in collaboration with the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA), Youth Services of Tulsa (YST)–a nonprofit, community-based service provider in Tulsa, Okla., –received SCA funding to improve reintegration planning. The goal of the program was to reduce rates of recidivism for high-risk youth returning from correctional facilities or other residential placements, such as group homes.

Program Components

To be eligible for participation, each youth must have been in out-of-home placement and returning home to Tulsa after at least 6 months in placement.

The primary program elements include pre- and post-release case management and intensive family services. An YST reentry case manager is assigned to each youth upon referral from OJA. Case managers visit youth once a month throughout placement, and at least once a week following their release for up to six months. Pre-release visits focus on youth’s day-to-day experiences during placement and on reentry planning, including anticipated barriers and challenges. Post-release visits focus on the youth’s day-to-day experiences of returning home, rekindling relationships with friends and family, and navigating daily needs in the community, including obtaining identification cards, a driver’s license, and accessing educational and employment services. Case managers serve as mentors and counselors.

Intensive family service therapists conduct pre-release visits to the youth 30 days before they are released, visits youth two or three times weekly following their release, and visits their families at least once a week after release. Prior to youth’s release, intensive family service therapists try to make contact with their families over the phone to assist in the reunification process. During the first few visits after release, the therapists help establish case plans and goals during conversations with youth and their families, centering on the strengths and needs of each youth as they are assessed through counseling and life skills assessments.

In addition to intensive case management and intensive family services, all youth participate in an 8-hour orientation program that facilitates conversations centered around conflict resolution, decision-making, anger management, sexual health, substance use relapse prevention, and employment and independent living skills.

Case planning and services provided to youth are guided by the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLSI/CMI). Some services include education, substance use and mental health treatment, family therapy, housing, and mentoring.

Study 1

Liberman and colleagues (2021) conducted a quasi-experimental study to assess the impact of the Second Chance Act (SCA) Youth Services of Tulsa (YST) program, on juvenile recidivism rates. Administrative data were obtained from the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Risk and needs data were obtained from the Youth Level of Service Inventory (YLSI) assessment.

To be eligible for participation in the study, Tulsa County youth had to be in out-of-home placement for at least 6 months prior to release, during either the pre-implementation period (2008 through 2010) or during the post-implementation period (January 1, 2011, through June 30, 2014) and had to have a 6-month post-release assessment available. The treatment group comprised youth who were transitioning back home to Tulsa County from 2011 through June 2014 (post-implementation), after 6 months of consecutive placement in a correctional facility or other residential placements following adjudication on felony charges. Youth in the treatment group were recipients of YST program services. These services included case management and intensive family services before and after release, and participation in an 8-hour orientation program geared toward overcoming reentry barriers. The comparison group was composed of youth released from January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2010, who did not receive YST services.

The treatment group (n = 210) was mostly male (91 percent), Black (61 percent), on average 16 years old, and mostly at moderate-risk level (49 percent) or high-risk level (45 percent). About 24 percent of those in the treatment group identified as White, 9 percent identified as Hispanic, and 6 percent identified as Other. The comparison group (n = 155) was mostly male (95 percent), Black (59 percent), on average 16 years old, and mostly at moderate-risk level (48 percent) or high-risk level (46 percent). About 17 percent of comparison group participants identified as White, 14 percent identified as Hispanic, and 10 percent identified as Other. The age range of participants in both groups ranged from 12 to 19 years old.

To assess the impact of the YST reentry program on recidivism, which was defined as new convictions, outcome data were examined at 6, 12, and 18 months after release. The CrimeSolutions review of this study focused on the results at 18 months after release. To adjust for differences between the treatment and comparison groups, outcome measures were analyzed using logistic regression on the propensity-score-weighted samples. No subgroup analysis was conducted.

These sources were used in the development of the program profile:

These sources were used in the development of the program profile:

Following are CrimeSolutions-rated programs that are related to this practice:

Juvenile Reentry Programs

This practice consists of reintegrative programs and services designed to prepare juveniles, who were placed out of their homes, for reentry into the community. The overall goal is to reduce the recidivism rate of juveniles released from out-of-home placements. The practice is rated Promising. There was a statistically significant decrease in the recidivism rates of juveniles who participated in the reentry programs, compared with juveniles in the comparison groups.

Evidence Ratings for Outcomes

Crime & Delinquency - Multiple crime/offense types

Juvenile Intensive Supervision Programs

This practice consists of intensive supervision of juveniles on probation in the community, compared with those on traditional community supervision. Conditions of intensive supervision programs may vary, but they generally include increased face-to-face contact with probation officers, drug/urinalysis testing, and participation in programming (such as tutoring, counseling, or job training). The practice is rated No Effects for reducing recidivism.

Evidence Ratings for Outcomes

Crime & Delinquency - Multiple crime/offense types

Skill-Building Interventions for Delinquent Behaviors of Youth

This practice involves the use of skill-building interventions to prevent antisocial and delinquent behaviors in youth (ages 12 to 21) and to reduce juvenile recidivism. Skill-building interventions tend to be behavioral in approach or focus on instruction aimed at developing specific skills. The practice is rated Promising in reducing juvenile recidivism.

Evidence Ratings for Outcomes

Crime & Delinquency - Recidivism

Why might a practice's outcome ratings differ from the ratings of specific programs encompassed by that practice?