Objective: This research study assesses the effectiveness of participation in a multimodal/holistic residential treatment program on changing deviant sexual interests and functional impairment among sexually abusive youth. Method: A one-group pretest posttest design was utilized to examine pretest (intake) and posttest (discharge) scores for 58 youth between the ages of 9 and 18. Outcome measures included Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS) and the Abel Assessment for Sexual Interest—Adolescent (AASI). Results: The results indicate significant improvement from pretest to posttest scores. Length of stay was not found to influence these impacts. Conclusions: The applications of these results to understanding the effectiveness of residential treatment for sexually abusive youth and the assessment of treatment outcomes for these youth are explored and discussed.

The late 1990s was a period of robust economic growth in America, and welfare reform resulted in a historically unprecedented drop in the welfare rolls. From 2001 to 2003, the economy slumped, however, leaving the policy community to speculate how this would impact welfare reform efforts. In this study, the authors constructed a logistic regression model to determine the extent to which economic climate and other factors influenced the employment status of Georgia's TANF population. The study's findings indicated that ownership of an operational vehicle predicted employment, while economic climate and the other tested variables played a negligible role. Key Words: Welfare reformeconomic climatetransportationemployment

The late 1990s was a period of robust economic growth in America, and welfare reform resulted in a historically unprecedented drop in the welfare rolls. From 2001 to 2003, the economy slumped, however, leaving the policy community to speculate how this would impact welfare reform efforts. In this study, the authors constructed a logistic regression model to determine the extent to which economic climate and other factors influenced the employment status of Georgia's TANF population. The study's findings indicated that ownership of an operational vehicle predicted employment, while economic climate and the other tested variables played a negligible role. (C) 2007 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

ABSTRACT This study examines a sample of 35 male children and adolescents involved with a northeastern district of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. Subjects who participated in wilderness adventure therapy programs are compared to those who participated in group home programs. The study examines the rates of recidivism among the subjects within each group. Pearson correlations, t-tests, and ANOVA were used in the data analysis. No significant differences were found in recidivism rates.

Generally, single-case designsreferto thosespecific research methodologies that social workpractitioners use to systematically evaluate a singleclient's or system's progress. Kazi has written a comprehensive and thorough book demonstrating the viabilityof usingsingle-case designsin evaluating socialworkpractice. Drawingon his experience as the directorof the Center for Evaluative Studiesof the Schoolof HumanandHealthSciences at theUniversity of Huddersfield intheUnitedKingdom, Kazi is also able to keenly address particularissues and questions associated with evaluative research. He accomplishes his task in an exemplary mannerby providing thereaderwithnumerous examples in a variety of settingsdepictingthe actualuse of single-casemethodology. Throughout the bookaregraphicillustrations highlighting the examples, whichhelpreadersunderstand the concepts associated with the use of single-subject designs. InchapterI, Kaziestablishes a foundation fortheunderstanding of thesingle-case designs with a clear explanation of the conceptual originof the methodology. More important, heemphasizes thesignificance ofthemethodology tosocialworkpractice, perhapsunderscoring the currentera of managed care. He states in the introduction that "The originsof thisbook lie in the growingdemandfromthe 1980sonwardfor social workers to demonstrate the worth and value of their practiceto both service users and employers" (p. 3). The following chapterprovides the readerwith a comprehensive analysis of the majorassumptions and underlying principles of evaluative researchstrategies using single-case designs. Noteworthy in thischapteris Kazi'sattention topurposefully differentiating betweenevaluative andexperimental research designsor,in otherwords, betweenthosemethods usedprimarily to monitorclientprogress and those that also attemptto illuminatea causallink. He emphasizes the formeras beingreadily'available and easilyused byjourneymansocial workers in the field. In thesubsequent threechapters, Kazifocuses on providing examples of theuseof single-case designsin education socialwork,probation services,andadultrehabilitation.Although eachof thesechapters highlights a specialized practicefieldanda wide varietyof single-case designsarecreatively used,theconsistent formatin whichthey are presented unifiesthe bookfor the reader. Eachchapterpresentsa briefoverview and a rationalefor the strategic application of single-case designswithinthe practice domain. For example,in the chapteron school social work,Kazidescribes the use of 125 differentapplications ofsingle-subject designswhiletrainingsocialworkers ina local

Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the validity of the First Offender Risk Assessment Index (FORAI) in predicting delinquent behavior. The measure comprises seven predictor variables: family's history of criminal involvement, school functioning, substance abuse, peer group associations, parental supervision, age at first court referral, and seriousness of the referring offense. Method: Longitudinal data on rates of recidivism were collected for 181 first offenders who, along with their parents, were previously administered the FORAI. Results: The data analysis indicated that the FORAI correctly classified the recidivism of more than 70% of the study sample and that four of the seven predictor variables in the measure were found statistically significant. Conclusions: The results suggest that the FORAI, as a composite measure, could provide a meaningful approach to the early identification of at-risk youth and is a valid predictor of recidivism among a first-offender population. Implications for social work practice are also discussed.

This article reviews the results of the effectiveness of counseling services provided by the Juvenile Counseling and Assessment Program (JCAP) of the Juvenile Court of Clarke County, Georgia. Individual and group counseling services were provided for 55 male and female adjudicated delinquent youths, ages 9 to 17, over a period of 4 to 6 months. The recidivism rates of the youths who had received counseling services were compared to the recidivism rates of a control group that had not received counseling services.

ABSTRACT Halfway houses are a unique correctional tool that may have the potential not only to relieve prison overcrowding, but also to provide services for offenders that may increase successful reintegration into the community. This investigation examined loneliness, social support, and locus of control as related to the successful readjustment of parolees living in a halfway house. The research questions were tested utilizing a single group pretest-post-test design evaluating changes in parolee's adjustment rated before entering and after completing residence in the halfway house program. Data were collected on 37 residents who participated in a halfway house program during an 11-month period in 1996-97. Results of the analysis indicated significant decreases in loneliness' and increases in the internal locus of control for the participants at the completion of the halfway house experience.

In an effort to curb the reported increases in violent juvenile crime, the growing trend of state legislatures is the removal of crimes specified as serious from the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. Having been legislatively waived, these offenses are placed within the jurisdiction of the superior court, and the offender regardless of age, is tried as an adult. This investigation reports on the deterrent effect of the Georgia legislative waiver passed in 1994. A quasi-experimental cohort design is used in a comparison of the mean arrest rates for juveniles arrested for the specified crimes before and after the law's enactment. The analysis of the data suggests that there were no significant reductions in the mean arrest rates for the offenses specified by the law. Findings are consistent with studies that evaluated the legislative waiver in other states and suggest that the law does not reduce serious juvenile crime.