Sustaining families, dissuading crime: The effectiveness of a family preservation program with male delinquents

PurposeFamily factors have long been considered an important contributor to the criminogenic process. Family Preservation (FP) programs attempt to improve family functioning and, thereby, dissuade future delinquency. Despite years of delivery, the limited research concerning the influence of FP programs on juvenile delinquency remains inconclusive.MethodsThis study examined the effectiveness of an FP program implemented in a metropolitan county of a large Southern state. Subjects were adjudicated male juveniles referred to the program by the courts. Recidivism outcomes for FP participants were compared against those of a simple random sample of non-participants.ResultsFindings suggest that FP does not impact recidivism among study participants. Issues with treatment fidelity may be responsible for the lack of results for this program.ConclusionThese findings fail to lend support to the FP program. However, they do demonstrate the importance of treatment fidelity in juvenile justice programming.

Research highlights
► Deficits in family functioning have been linked with delinquent behavior.
► Family Preservation aims to reduce recidivism by addressing family problems.
► This study analyzes the effectiveness of FP with male juvenile delinquents.
► The results fails to provide support for the use of FP with male delinquents.
► Results highlight the importance of treatment fidelity in CJ programs.