Over the last few years, multiple juvenile justice stakeholders in Harris County have engaged in deliberate efforts to divert youth from the juvenile justice system, aiming to provide services and supervision to justice-involved youth without resorting to more punitive and restrictive options, such as out of home placement. Starting in 2023, TPL will begin to conduct quasi experimental evaluations to measure the impact of these diversionary actions on youths’ involvement with the juvenile justice system.
This project is part of our long-term partnership with the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department (HCJPD), in which we aim to quantitatively characterize the multiple decisions that affect the youth in the system, rigorously evaluate programs and services, and identify racial disparities throughout the system. Our research will directly inform HCJPD leadership, as well as other stakeholders, such as the Harris County Juvenile Board, as they implement policies, changes, and programs to achieve their vision for youth justice in Harris County.