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We are pleased to review research findings on potential new programs. To be considered, programs must focus on one of the following problem behaviors:

• Delinquency
• Violence
• Youth gang involvement
• Alcohol tobacco and drug use
• Academic difficulties
• Family problems
• Trauma exposure
• Sexual activity/exploitation
• Accompanying mental health issues

Eligible programs can include, but are not limited to delinquency prevention, probation, youth courts, restitution programs, community service, school-based programs, conflict resolution, parent training, mentoring, restorative justice and home confinement.

The intervention must a) explicitly aim to prevent or reduce a problem behavior in a universal or selected juvenile population; or b) if not explicitly aimed to reduce or prevent a problem behavior, apply to a juvenile population at risk for problem behaviors. For example, an academic enrichment program would not qualify if applied to a universal population, but would be eligible if directed toward an at-risk population. Conversely, a tobacco cessation curriculum applied to a universal population would be eligible because it directly impacts tobacco use. A juvenile is defined as anyone under the age of 18. The study is also acceptable if both juveniles and adults are included in the treatment sample.

The study design must involve a comparison condition. A comparison condition can be (a) no treatment, (b) treatment as usual, (c) a placebo treatment, (d) a straw man alternative treatment, or (e) a time period. Thus, eligible study designs may include experimental with random assignment; non-equivalent quasi-experimental; and quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest studies. Non-experimental and case study designs are specifically excluded.

Please submit the following information on programs to be considered for inclusion in the HAY database:

• Detailed description of the program intervention, target population, and target setting.
• Detailed information on the research methodology used to evaluate the program’s effectiveness.
• Detailed information on the evaluation outcomes and findings, including findings on research objectives and performance.
• Contact address, phone number, and email for further information on the program.

Submissions will be reviewed and scored along several dimensions, including 1) the degree to which the program is based on a clear, well-articulated theory or conceptual framework for delinquency prevention; 2) the ability of the research design to establish a causal association between the treatment and outcome; and 3) the degree to which the evaluation findings support the program treatment.

Please send this information, including journal articles and evaluation materials, to:

Dr. Stephen Gies
Development Services Group, Inc.
7315 Wisconsin Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814