• Probation Officer 1: 14 minors (11 male and 3 female) from the Corning area;
• Probation Officer 2: 17 minors (12 male and 5 female) from the Red Bluff area;
• Probation Officer 3: 16 minors (13 male and 3 female) from the Red Bluff and north county areas.

Twenty-nine minors have completed the program during this reporting period (July 1-December 31, 1998). They are currently receiving follow-up services. All of the 38 minors who completed the program since its inception are maintaining, and the program has not seen any recidivism in the treatment or control groups.

The majority of the minors are placed on probation due to crimes stemming from drug and alcohol use, mental health issues, or anger problems. Some of the charges include: possession of alcohol and/or drugs; petty theft; vandalism; battery; receiving stolen property; possession of methamphetamines; and vehicular theft. The program has noted that younger children and groups of children are banning together to commit crimes in Tehama County. A ten-year-old has just been placed in the comparison group.

The intensive face-to-face contacts, school contacts, and home visits have helped to uncover problems that normal probation would miss or take much longer to discover. The program strives to provide intensive interventions from the beginning and detect needs of the family much earlier than the traditional probation program services.

During the past six months of the program, the Project Manager and the Probation Officers have identified some definite positive changes in the minors and their parents.

• One girl who was on informal probation kept testing positive for marijuana. She was told that she would be charged with a felony if it happened again. She decided to get clean and attend drug and alcohol classes. She now is clean and sober, feels better, and has a boyfriend that is a "positive" influence. She stated that it is like a fog has been lifted and is thankful that she was forced to get away from drugs. She is now able to look back and see the harm her drug addiction caused.
• Another girl who was on informal probation was not following through. She was brought in and informed that she would be placed on formal probation. She started going to school and completed the work program. She is now off of informal probation. Her parents, who at first were quite passive, became convinced that they needed to become more involved.
• The tutorial program has been very successful. Expelled minors placed on home study can come into the office. Many students prefer to come to the office to complete their work, as they are able to accomplish much more than if they stay at home. One girl completed so much work she now may be able to graduate.

• Drug and Alcohol Abuse Counseling
• Family Visits
• School visits
• Anger Management
• Intensive Supervision
• Institutional Commitment
• Work Program: consisting of graffiti clean-up, maintenance of school grounds, maintenance of a U.S. Forest Service recreational area
• Tutoring
• Mental Health Services
• Medical Services
• Financial Restitution
• Outside Home Placement
• CPS
• School Counseling
• Parent Training
• Counseling for Parents

Once it has been determined that a minor is at risk, he/she receives further assessment as soon as possible after the Dispositional Hearing. All of the minors who qualify for the program are assessed on the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment (CAFAS), the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Youth Self Report (YSR) and the Restrictiveness of Living Environment Scale (ROLES). After assessment, they are randomly assigned to either the treatment or comparison group. 1

Youth in both the treatment and comparison groups are reassessed on instruments after six months of participation in the program.

There is a statistically significant improvement in the functioning of minors in the treatment group. A comparison of the pre and post assessments for minors in the treatment and comparison groups demonstrates:

• A statistically significant (p<.05) increase in functioning for the treatment group as measured by The Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS);
• A statistically significant (p<.05) decrease in detrimental behaviors for minors in both the treatment and comparison groups as measured by the Child Behavior Checklist;
• A statistically significant (p<.05) decrease in detrimental behaviors for minors in the treatment group on the Youth Self-Report (YSR).

There was no statistical significant increase on the Child Behavior Checklist or Youth Self-Report Competencies Scale for the treatment or comparison groups.

Following are the paired samples statistics and paired samples test for the CAFAS, the CBCL and the YSR.

CAFAS

The Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS) assesses the degree of impairment in children and adolescents with emotional, behavioral, or substance abuse symptoms. It provides a snapshot of the youth's functional status at present and within the recent past. The CAFAS is rated by a Mental Health clinician.

Table 1: CAFAS Paired Samples Statistics Mean N Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean Treatment: CAFAS Total Pre CAFAS Total Post 89.7368 68.9474 38 39.0071 41.7709 6.3278 6.7761 Comparison: CAFAS Total Pre CAFAS Total Post 88.1081 74.5946 37 38.0670 44.5717 6.2582 7.3275

Figure 1: CAFAS Comparison of Means

Table 2: CAFAS Paired Samples Test Mean t df Sig. (2-tailed) Treatment: CAFAS Pre - CAFAS Post 20.7895 3.070 37 .004 Comparison: CAFAS Pre - CAFAS Post 13.5135 1.786 36 .082

There is a statistically significant (p < .05) increase in functioning for the treatment group as measured by the Child Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS).

Child Behavior Checklist, Competency Scale

The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) is designed to record a youth's competencies as reported by parents or caregivers. Parents/caregivers respond to 20 items focusing on social competence.

Table 3: CBCL Competencies, Paired Samples Statistics Mean N Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean Treatment: CBCL Competency Pre CBCL Competency Post 35.5714 36.6667 21 9.5842 7.2273 2.0914 1.5771 Comparison: CBCL Competency Pre CBCL Competency Post 37.7000 38.2000 20 6.2332 5.9701 1.3938 1.3350

Figure 2: CBCL Competencies, Comparison of Means

Table 4: CBCL Competency Paired Samples Test Mean t df Sig. (2-tailed) Treatment: Pre - Post CBCL Competencies -1.0952 -.505 20 .619 Comparison: Pre - Post CBCL Competencies -.50 -.494 19 .627

There is no statistically significant increase in competencies in the treatment or comparison groups.

Child Behavior Checklist, Problem Scale

The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) is designed to record a youth's problems as reported by parents or caregivers. Parents/caregivers complete the CBCL responding to 118 specific problem items.

Table 5: CBCL Problems, Paired Samples Statistics Mean N Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean Treatment: Pre CBCL Problems Post CBCL Problems 60.6786 51.7857 28 12.4396 15.4784 2.35092.9251 Comparison: Pre CBCL Problems Post CBCL Problems 60.5862 52.4828 29 7.4331 12.4230 1.3803 2.3069

Figure 3: CBCL Problems, Comparison of Means

Table 6: CBCL Problems, Paired Samples Test Mean t df Sig. (2-tailed) Treatment: Pre - Post CBCL Problems 8.8929 3.176 27 .004 Comparison: Pre - Post CBCL Problems 8.1034 4.3085 28 .000

There is a statistically significant (p < .05) decrease in detrimental behaviors for minors in both the treatment and comparison groups as measured by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).

Youth Self Report, Competency Scale

The Youth Self-Report (YSR) is designed to obtain the youth's report of his/her own competencies and problems. This assessment provides a basis for comparing the youth's view of his/her functioning with information provided by other assessments, such as the CBCL. In the competency portion of the assessment, the youth completes 17 competency items.

Table 7: YSR Competencies, Paired Samples Statistics Mean N Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean Treatment: Pre YSR Problems Post YSR Problems 36.5217 39.4348 23 7.8269 6.7273 1.6320 1.4027 Comparison: Pre YSR Problems Post YSR Problems 37.8696 41.3043 23 9.3920 9.8509 1.9584 2.0540

Figure 4: YSR Competencies, Comparison of Means

Table 8: YSR Competencies Scale, Paired Samples Test Mean t df Sig. (2-tailed) Treatment: Pre - Post YSR Competencies -2.1930 -1.574 22 .130 Comparison: Pre - Post YSR Competencies -3.4348 -1.533 22 .140

There is no statistical significant increase in the Youth Self-Report competencies in the treatment or comparison groups.

Youth Self Report, Problem Scale

Youth Self-Report (YSR): this assessment is designed to obtain the youth's report of his/her own problems. The youth completes the YSR responding to 103 problem items.

Table 9: YSR Problem Scale, Paired Samples Statistics Mean N Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean Treatment: Pre YSR Problems Post YSRL Problems 54.3214 44.8214 28 10.1982 15.0735 1.9273 2.8490 Comparison: Pre YSR Problems Post YSRL Problems 52.7097 49.2258 31 10.7213 12.4008 1.9256 2.2273

Figure 5: YSR Problem Scale, Comparison of Means

Table 10: YSR Problem Scale, Paired Samples Test Mean t df Sig. (2-tailed) Treatment: Pre - Post YSR Problems 9.5000 3.862 27 .001 Comparison: Pre - Post YSR Problems 3.4839 1.880 30 .070

There is a statistically significant (p < .05) decrease in detrimental behaviors for minors in the treatment group on the Youth Self-Report (YSR).

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