The Youth Protective Factors Study: The Influence of Protective Factors and Strength-Based Services on Youth Reoffending

Hosted by The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center, iSPARC at UMass Chan Medical School, and UC Berkeley’s Risk-Resilience Lab 

The Youth Protective Factors Study: Effective Supervision and Services Based on Risks, Strengths, and Development is an unprecedented multistate, multiyear examination of the risk and protective factors that most influence reoffending—particularly serious offenses that involve physical harm to others—among youth ages 10 to 23 in the juvenile justice system.   

Researchers recently released the second in a series of briefs associated with this study, “Protective Factors and Strength-Based Services: Impacts on Long-Term Youth Reoffending.” This webinar will share key findings from the brief, including results from a first-of-its-kind survey of protective factors that was administered to almost 2,000 youth across the 3 states that participated in the study as part of juvenile justice system intake processes. The webinar will also highlight which protective factors mitigate youth reoffending, especially for serious offenses, and the impact of receiving strength-based services on long-term system involvement and violence. Principal researchers Gina Vincent and Jennifer Skeem will share key takeaways and implications for juvenile justice supervision, case planning, and service delivery to enhance public safety and improve youth outcomes.   

Speakers: 

• Josh Weber, Deputy Division Director, Corrections and Reentry, CSG Justice Center  

• Gina Vincent, Professor of Psychiatry (Psychology), Co-Director, Law & Psychiatry Program, UMass Chan Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Implementation Science & Practice Advances Research Center (iSPARC)   

• Jennifer Skeem, Professor of Social Welfare and Public Policy, University of California –Berkeley