This research brief presents results from one of the first neighborhoods to be involved in John Jay College’s evaluation of Cure Violence. The results depict the respondents’ personal attitudes toward violence and their experiences with violence, as well as their awareness of local violence prevention efforts and their confidence in police and local agencies. Continue reading Perceptions of Violence in the South Bronx

The enforcement of U.S. drug laws during the 1980s and 1990s had disparate impacts on black youth despite the fact that illegal drug use in the U.S. does not differ significantly by race. Even adolescent involvement in drug sales does not vary significantly by race. Studies find that black youth are only slightly more likely than white youth (6% vs. 5%) to be involved in any form of drug selling. According to the most recent national data available from the U.S. Department of Justice, however, drug arrest rates increased far more among black youth than among white youth in recent decades. Continue reading Racial Disparities in Juvenile Drug Arrests

The Research and Evaluation Center at John Jay College of Criminal Justice recently reviewed the outcomes of New York State’s Close to Home initiative. Researchers collected statistical information about the effort, interviewed some of the officials who designed and implemented it, and talked with private providers and advocates. Continue reading New York’s “Close to Home” Initiative — Lessons Learned

The Research and Evaluation Center at John Jay College of Criminal Justice reviewed the outcomes of New York’s Close to Home initiative. Researchers collected statistical information about the effort, interviewed many of the officials who designed and implemented it, and talked with private providers and advocates about their impressions of the initative. The study suggests the effort successfully changed the youth justice system in New York City, and in the way intended by the designers of the reform. Continue reading New York’s “Close to Home” Initiative – Did it Work?