Opportunity-Based Probation (OBP)
Overview
The National Research Council of the Committee on Law and Justice recently called for a translation of adolescent brain and developmental science into effective programs within the juvenile justice setting. In response to this call to praxis, Pierce County has partnered with the Annie E. Casey Foundation to develop and implement the Opportunity-Based Probation (OBP) program. OBP expands on adolescent development research by leveraging adolescents’ drive towards independence as well as their heightened receptivity to rewards. In collaboration with their probation officers, youth create meaningful goals and incentives that reward the development of prosocial behavior. Probation officers scaffold prosocial behavior by reinforcing success and constructively addressing probation violations and problem behaviors. Pierce County has partnered with the UW CoLab team (previously SAJE), to facilitate the creation and implementation of OBP. UW CoLab will be assessing the acceptability, implementation, and preliminary effectiveness of the OBP model.
Funding
Funding for this research is provided by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Relevant Presentations and Publications
Walker, S., Valencia, E., Miller, S., Pearson, K., Jewell, C., Tran, J., & Thompson, A. (2019). Developmentally-grounded approaches to juvenile probation practice: A case study. Federal Probation, 83(3), 33-41.
SAJE Center. (2019). Opportunity-Based Probation (OBP): A Brief Report. Seattle, WA.
OBP Overview (PowerPoint): Using the Science of Adolescent Development and Behavior Change to Support Youth Accountability and Achievement