Prevent Juvenile Delinquency

Washington State

Washington State has implemented a comprehensive, state-wide juvenile delinquency prevention system. The system includes youth employment initiatives, violence prevention services, gang prevention and intervention initiatives, and a mental health evidence-based practice pilot project.

• Focusing on Mental Health: The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services established the Thurston-Mason Children’s Mental Health Evidence-Based Practice Pilot Project to provide mental health services to children and youth. The first evidence-based practice selected by the Pilot was Multisystemic Therapy (MST), an intensive family- and community-based treatment program for youth. Compared to youth with similar criminal histories and demographic characteristics, MST youth were convicted of fewer crimes on average.
• Secondary Education and Employment: Washington's comprehensive strategy for workforce development (High Skills, High Wages 2008 -2018 ) outlines a plan to ensure all youth receive the education, training, and support they need to be successful in postsecondary education and/or work.
• Youth Gang Prevention and Intervention: The Washington State Partnership Council on Juvenile Justice (WA-PCJJ) added “Youth Gang Prevention and Intervention” to their priorities in November 2007.  The WA-PCJJ is working with communities to help institute proven prevention and intervention strategies that build trust, reduce delinquency, and support the success of young people and community safety. The state has a number of gang prevention programs at the state, county and municipal level aimed at preventing and reducing gang participation.
• Supporting Families: A state-sponsored nurse family partnership (NFP), program provides intensive visitations by nurses to low-income, at-risk women for the first two years after giving birth to their first child. This partnership was evaluated through a study conducted by WSIPP.  The report found that the Washington program reduces the rate of crimes committed by the mothers by 38.2% and later, by the child, by 15.7%,increasing family and community well-being and saving taxpayers and the state $20,756 per mother-child couple.

The range of delinquency prevention initiatives in place in Washington State have contributed to the reduction of juvenile arrests.  The 2008 juvenile arrest rate is the lowest reported rate for Washington State in over three decades.