Juveniles

SANDAG supports local law enforcement and human services agencies by evaluating juvenile crime prevention programs. 

Current Juvenile Projects  

Chula Vista Violence Reduction Project - CalVIP 

In 2022, the Chula Vista Police Department (CVPD) and SBCS (formerly South Bay Community Services) received funding from the California Board of State and Community Corrections through the California Violence Intervention Program (CalVIP) Grant Program. As part of this project, the CVPD and SBCS will implement strategies to interrupt cycles of violence and retaliation that include community outreach programs and focused deterrence strategies. SANDAG will serve as the outside evaluator and conduct a process and outcome evaluation to measure how the project was implemented and what effect it had on the target population. 

IMPACT Evaluation 

The Intensive Mentoring, Parent Advocacy, and Comprehensive Trauma-Informed (IMPACT) services project is a community-based system in North San Diego County that offers an alternative to detention/system involvement for youth. As part of the program, youth and their families receive long-term (up to 12 months) individual and family services to address each family’s unique needs. SANDAG has partnered with North County Lifeline to serve as the evaluation partner for this effort. 

Increasing Resiliency in High-Risk Youth - CalVIP 

In 2021, SBCS (formerly South Bay Community Services) received funding from the Bureau of State and Community Corrections to provide services to high-risk youth in the City of San Diego who participate in the CHOICE, Achievement Center, or Alternatives to Detention programs. These services include “3rd Wave” mindfulness-based mental health services and Credible Messenger Mentoring. SANDAG, as the evaluation partner, will be conducting the process and impact evaluation of the program. 

Juvenile Diversion Initiative (JDI) 

The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office Juvenile Diversion Initiative (DA-JDI) is a countywide pre-filing diversion program for youth charged with a misdemeanor or felony offense. The District Attorney’s Office has contracted with the national Conflict Resolution Center to implement and administer the program which involves a restorative justice approach. SANDAG will conduct a process and outcome evaluation using a mixed-method, quasi-experimental design. 

SANDAG JDI Annual Report 2023

SANDAG JDI Annual Report 2022

Reducing Racial and Ethnic Discrepancies (RRED) 

RRED is a post-hoc study of juvenile justice system contacts (e.g., referrals to probation, bookings, true findings) to evaluate if different races and ethnicities are disproportionately involved in the system. The purpose of this study is to inform future juvenile justice system management decisions in an effort to continue to eliminate racial/ethnic disparities. A legacy study—Disproportionate Minority Contact (2008)—was completed by SANDAG.

The Role of Race and Ethnicity in the San Diego County Juvenile Justice System - September 2020 

Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act

In 2001, the San Diego County Probation Department received state funding through the Schiff-Cardenas Crime Prevention Act of 2000 (now referred to as the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act, or JJCPA). Based on information compiled by a Technical Working Group, the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council recommended to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors that JJCPA funds be used to (1) continue existing and proven programs in which grant funds were expiring and (2) augment existing and proven programs to meet the needs/gaps in the identified communities.

SANDAG worked with the San Diego County Probation Department to identify programs that would qualify for JJCPA funds. The programs currently receiving JJCPA funds include two prevention programs (Community Assessment Teams [CAT] and Achievement Centers [AC]), two treatment programs (Substance Abuse Services [SAS] and Juvenile Forensic Assistance for Stabilization and Treatment [JFAST]), a diversion program (Alternatives to Detention [ATD]), and a supervision program (CHOICE).

For the evaluation component, SANDAG collects information from local criminal justice records related to new offenses and compliance with probation conditions for all JJCPA participants. Supplemental information, such as risk assessments and treatment intervention information, is collected for JJCPA participants only.  

JJCPA Summary FY 2022-2023 

Promise Neighborhoods

In January 2012, South Bay Community Services (SBCS) was awarded a one-year U.S. Department of Education, Promise Neighborhoods planning grant. This program aims to address significant challenges faced by students and families living in high-poverty communities by providing resources to plan and implement a continuum of services from early learning to college and career.  

For questions regarding any of these projects, please contact Octavio Rodriguez Ferreira, SANDAG Principal research Analyst, at 619.595.5342 or octavio.rodriguezferreira@sandag.org.  

For the Chula Vista project, SBCS contracted with SANDAG to conduct a comprehensive community needs assessment and segmentation analysis. The information was utilized to develop a strategic plan and inform the SBCS application for a Promising Neighborhoods implementation grant in the fall of 2012.

Chula Vista Promise Neighborhood

San Diego Promise Neighborhoods is the second Promise Neighborhood site in San Diego County. SBCS (formerly South Bay Community Services) is administering the grant funds as well as partnering with community organizations and schools in the target areas. This is a place-based “cradle to career” initiative implemented by local organizations in partnership with the schools in the San Ysidro and Barrio Logan neighborhoods. Data is the driving force for model design, program implementation, and monitoring. SANDAG will work closely with partners to ensure all data elements are gathered and analyzed to inform project partners and residents of progress.

San Diego Promise Neighborhood

InfoBits - The Hardest-Hit: Community Members Share COVID-19 Impacts

The Hardest-Hit: Community Members Share COVID-19 Impacts 

Past Juvenile Projects 

In January 2012, South Bay Community Services (SBCS) was awarded a one-year U.S. Department of Education, Promise Neighborhoods planning grant. This program aims to address significant challenges faced by students and families living in high-poverty communities by providing resources to plan and implement a continuum of services from early learning to college and career. For the Chula Vista project, SBCS (formerly South Bay Community Services) contracted with SANDAG to conduct a comprehensive community needs assessment and segmentation analysis. The information was utilized to develop a strategic plan and inform the SBCS application for a Promising Neighborhoods implementation grant in the fall of 2012.

Chula Vista Promise Neighborhood

In 2009, San Diego Youth Services (SDYS) received funding through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to enhance their Fostering Youth Independence Mentoring Program. This program seeks to engage youth in foster care with qualified mentors with the goals of reducing delinquency, improving school attendance, reducing placement disruptions, and developing skills and resilience to support successful transitions into adulthood and out of the foster care system. SDYS contracted with SANDAG to provide grant evaluation support, including creation of client surveys and tracking forms, assistance to SDYS staff with data cleaning, and analysis for biannual reports through June 2012.