Measuring What Really Matters: An Empirical and Theoretical Rationale for Balanced and Restorative Justice Performance Outcomes in Juvenile Justice Systems (draft).

Source: (-0001) Ft. Lauderdale, Florida: Community Justice Institute, Florida Atlantic University. Downloaded 12 August 2005.

In this project monograph we present a defensible foundation for developing a system of
performance outcomes and measures for juvenile justice as part of a project led by a
collaboration between the Community Justice Institute at Florida Atlantic University, the
American Prosecutor’s Research Institute, and the National Center for Juvenile Justice.
While measurement is not new to juvenile justice, too often data collected by juvenile
justice agencies have been unrelated to outcomes, and have seldom allowed the public to
assess performance in a meaningful way. Such data have not helped juvenile justice
systems and organizations determine the impact and cost-effectiveness of their
interventions. They have not provided input to juvenile justice professionals regarding
public awareness and support for these efforts. They have seldom provided citizens and
other government stakeholders with a sense of what it is juvenile justice systems and
agencies are really accomplishing or trying to accomplish. (excerpt)