Cognitive Behavioral Interventions for Medium- and High-Risk Juvenile Offenders: A Statewide Randomized Controlled Trial in Virginia, 2003-2018

The Urban Institute developed and fostered a research partnership with the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) to conduct empirical research to inform DJJ's current practice in the management of aggression issues among at-risk youth and enhance DJJ's analytic capacity. Specifically, through a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and quasi-experimental evaluations, the project team assessed the effectiveness of two types of cognitive-behavioral aggression management treatment, Aggression Replacement Training (ART) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for youth in secure juvenile justice facilities. The three-part evaluation consisted of a process evaluation, an impact evaluation, and cost-effectiveness analysis. The impact evaluation was based on RCT data and matched case-control data through propensity score techniques.