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Intervention program may keep youths out of prison

A research-based approach to confronting inner-city youth violence showed that hospital-based peer intervention programs may reduce future involvement in the criminal justice system for youths ages 12 to 20, according to a November 12, 2007, news release from the American College of Surgeons. Intentional violent trauma is the second Leading cause of death among youths between the ages of 15 and 24.

A retrospective, comparative, double cohort study included 75 patients ages 12 to 20 who were treated for intentional violent trauma at a university-based urban trauma center in Alameda County, California. This group was compared with a control group of 79 patients who were selected based on age, gender, race, type of injury, and year of hospitalization. Follow-up review for both groups was conducted over a period of 18 months after the date of their initial hospitalization and injury to determine three outcomes

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* whether they had died,

* had been rehospitalized for another intentional violent injury, or

* had been involved or reinvolved with the criminal justice system.

Participants in the hospital-based peer intervention program had a reduced risk of criminal justice involvement six months after completing the one-year program. Risk of subsequent violent criminal behavior among youths in the treatment group was reduced by 7% compared to the control group (P = .15).

Hospital-based intervention programs also may prove to be more cost-efficient compared with the cost of a stay in a juvenile detention center. Participation in the program costs approximately $60,000 Less per patient than the cost of incarceration in the juvenile detention system for one year.

Study quantifies cost-benefit of hospital-based peer intervention program designed to keep youth out of prison [news release]. Chicago, IL: American College of Surgeons; November 12, 2007.http://www.facs.org/news /jacs/peerinterv1107.html. Accessed December 26, 2007.

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Intervention program may keep youths out of prison

AORN Journal, Feb, 2008

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