Evidence Based Practice (EBP) Evaluation

The Washington State Community Juvenile Accountability Act (CJAA) instructs a regular analysis of Evidenced Based Programs (EBPs) by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy, which produces meta-analytical reports delineating the cost-benefits of employing EBPs in the juvenile justice probation system. However, program-specific effectiveness evaluations have not been conducted since 2004. The Washington State Center for Court Research (WSCCR), with funding from The MacArthur Foundation, recently evaluated two of the six EBPs offered through state probation services: Aggression Replacement Training (WSART) and Family Functional Therapy (FFT). This recent evaluation affirms the effectiveness of WSART and FFT in reducing recidivism among offending youth when compared to other offered services. The WSCCR reports additionally provide recommendations with respect to EBP management and data management practices. You may read the WSCCR report on WSART in a probation setting here.