Juvenile Probation Officers-Contingency Management (JPO-CM)

The JPO-CM study proposes to increase access to an evidence-based practice (Contingency Management [CM]) for youth in the juvenile justice system. This study leverages and extends the investigative team’s work in CM efficacy, delivery, and technology transfer in juvenile justice settings, as well as 30+ years of collaboration with juvenile justice. The study will examine the feasibility of integrating an alcohol and other drugs (AOD) evidence-based practice into the work of juvenile probation officers (JPOs). JPOs across the country are in an ideal situation to deliver this intervention due to their intensive involvement and frequent contact with the youth offenders under their supervision. The study will randomize 36 JPOs to 2 conditions: CM versus control (usual JPO services), and then randomize 504 AOD abusing adolescent probationers across those 2 conditions. This research will provide (1) evidence for the feasibility of JPOs to deliver an AOD abuse intervention, (2) initial evidence of clinical efficacy for JPOs as service delivery providers [to address clinical public health outcomes of AOD use, criminal activity, and HIV/STI sexual risk behaviors], and (3) identification of any barriers that would need to be addressed for JPOs to deliver such services. The researchers’ aim is to provide evidence that JPOs can effectively deliver an evidence-based intervention as a means to ultimately decrease AOD use and other public health-related behaviors (i.e., criminal behaviors, HIV/STI sexual risk behaviors) among these high-risk adolescents.

JPO-CM References

Childs, K., Viglione, J., Chapman, J. E., Drazdowski, T. K., McCart, M. R., & Sheidow, A. J. (in press). Delinquency, substance use, and risky sexual behaviors among youth who are involved in the justice system and predominantly reside in rural communities: Patterns and associated risk factors. Journal of Crime and Justice.

Ingel, S. N., Drazdowski, T. K., Rudes, D. S., McCart, M. R., Chapman, J. E., Taxman, F. S., & Sheidow, A. J. (in press). Juvenile probation officers’ perceptions of sanctions and incentives as compliance strategies. Journal of Applied Juvenile Justice Services.

Ingel, S. N., Davis, L. R., Rudes, D. S., Taxman, F. S., Hartwell, T. N., Drazdowski, T. K., McCart, M. R., Chapman, J. E., & Sheidow, A. J. (2023). Juvenile probation officer perceptions of parental involvement in juvenile probation and with contingency management. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 50(1), 40–55.

Ingel, S. N., Davis, L. R., Rudes, D. S., Hartwell, T. N., Drazdowski, T. K., McCart, M. R., Chapman, J. E., Taxman, F. S., & Sheidow, A. J. (2022). Misunderstanding and sensemaking among juvenile probation officers working with evidence-based practices. Victims & Offenders, 17(7), 975–993. PMCID: PMC9793856

Rudes, D. S., Viglione, J., Sheidow, A. J., McCart, M. R., Chapman, J. E., & Taxman, F. S. (2021). Juvenile probation officers’ perceptions on youth substance use varies from task-shifting to family-based contingency management. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 120, Article 108144. PMCID: PMC7733030

Sheidow, A. J., McCart, M. R., Chapman, J. E., & Drazdowski, T. K. (2020). Capacity of juvenile probation officers in low-resourced, rural settings to deliver an evidence-based substance use intervention to adolescents. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 34(1), 76–88. PMCID: PMC7007313

Year Project Began: 2016
Funder: National Institute on Drug Abuse

Co-Investigator:

• Michael R. McCart, Ph.D.

Formerly Affiliated Principal Investigator:

• Ashli J. Sheidow, Ph.D.

Formerly Affiliated Co-Investigators:

• Jason E. Chapman, Ph.D.
• Tess K. Drazdowski, Ph.D.