Juvenile Justice

The Institute conducts research and evaluation activities that help to shape juvenile justice policies, case processing decisions, and program development and implementation, all with the goal of enhancing outcomes for youth and families involved in the juvenile justice system. Our mission is to ensure that high quality research evidence is applied to inform equitable, individualized decisions that address the developmental needs of youth and reduce their likelihood of reoffending. We aim to partner with both agency leaders and frontline decision makers—as well as other interested stakeholders such as police, judges and attorneys. 

For nearly two decades, the Institute has partnered with the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) to provide evaluation support and technical assistance across the juvenile justice system. Key efforts include developing and implementing research-based risk and needs assessment (RNA) tools to aid decision-making at intake, adjudication/disposition, and when detention is requested by the police. You can read more about our RNA tools and their associated evaluations under the relevant areas of focus below. Additionally, since 2018, the Institute has conducted annual Program Questionnaires (PQ) to evaluate services funded by DJS and the Department of Human Services (DHS), identifying service gaps and improving service matching. 

Across all projects, we are committed to incorporating the voices of youth, families, and communities most affected by juvenile justice decisions into our work. 

• Detention and Alternatives
• Intake and Case Forwarding Decisions
• Policies and Practices for Adjudicated Youth
• Program/Service Array
• Policy and Legislation