Exploring Probation Completion Among Justice-Involved Youth in a Community-Based Intervention Program

• Author / Creator

  Holmstrom, Kathleen M

• Structurally marginalized justice-involved youth on probation (JIYP) subject to community service hours are a particularly underserved population. This is due to numerous barriers to experiencing success, including risk factors related to reoffending, structural barriers such as finances and transportation, and reduced access to educational achievement. Considering the numerous factors that contribute to successful completion of probation, it is imperative to utilize creative and potentially unconventional intervention strategies to help guide these youths toward healthier outcomes. One such community-based intervention strategy, employed by Edmonton’s Inner City High School (ICHS), supports JIYP by working alongside municipal police to allow registered students to complete their probationary hours through prosocial activities offered through their after-school Outreach program. The current study sought to understand: (1) the proportion of JIYP who completed their probation hours through ICHS’s after-school Outreach program; (2) characteristics of the JIYP who did and did not complete their probation hours; and (3) documented participant engagement in available supports offered. Analysis involved descriptive exploration of program-collected data. Results revealed that 10 participants (30.3%) completed their probation hours. Additionally, review of participant characteristics showed that completers were generally older, more likely to be self-identified female, and more likely to have earned higher total credits compared to non-completers. Completers also typically had fewer charges/crimes committed and completed less Outreach hours. Participant engagement in two overarching program types, structural and legal supports, revealed that transportation, housing, mental health, addictions, and medical supports were among the most frequently accessed structural supports. Legal support utilized most often included assistance with contacting probation officers, court attendance, and contacting other criminal legal professionals. Implications for the program and those akin to it, study limitations, and future research directions are included.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • justice-involved youth
  • juvenile probation
  • community-based intervention
  • wraparound programs

• Graduation date

  Fall 2024

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Education

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-b28s-0972

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Library with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.