Evidence-Based Practices in Utah Juvenile Court
The Utah Juvenile Court is committed to using evidence-based practices, or began using methods that are proven to work. These methods are designed to help youth in a fair and helpful way. Furthermore, the court’s ongoing goal is to use these proven methods correctly throughout every part of the juvenile court system. Therefore, the court ensures that each step of the process follows these good practices.
Since 1998, there have been ongoing efforts to follow evidence-based practices. First, Utah made a change by creating new tools to help them know how best to work with youth who are referred to the juvenile court. The first tool was the Pre‑Screen Risk Assessment, or PSRA. It helps figure out if a young person is at a higher risk of getting in trouble again. If the risk is moderate or high, officials use a longer tool called the Protective and Risk Assessment, or PRA. This second tool finds ways to make the risk of getting into trouble again lower.
Utah juvenile probation uses two main tools to understand a young person's needs: the Protective and Risk Assessment (PRA) and the Behavioral Analysis Worksheet (BAW). While the PRA helps find ways to make the risk lower, the BAW allows the youth to reflect on their own behaviors. These tools are combined to create a personalized case plan.
Utah also created a Case Planning Model that focuses on four things: Risk, Need, Responsivity, and Program Integrity. More than thirty years of research show that programs work better when they follow these important principles. Utah’s Juvenile Court works hard to be sure that the probation staff learned how to use the Case Planning Model that focuses on these things. They train probation officers and leaders so they know how to use it well.
Along with using assessment tools and a case planning model, Utah juvenile probation uses special tools to help understand the mental health needs of young people. One of these tools is called the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument, or MAYSI-2. This tool helps to see if a young person might need extra help from a mental health professional. It also looks for things like past traumatic experiences that should be considered when making a plan to help the youth.
Utah’s Juvenile Court also started a process to keep getting better. They check how well their programs and services are working. Then they share the results with probation officers and managers. This helps everyone improve what they do.
Training
Probation officers in Utah learn many important skills to help young people in trouble. They are trained in the laws that apply to youth, how to make case plans to help them, and how to use tools that show what help is needed. They also learn how to talk to young people in a way that helps them learn new skills that will help them make better choices.
Officers are taught how the brain develops in young people, how to understand and help with mental health problems, and how to support youth who may be involved in gangs or have other serious issues. They also learn how to treat everyone fairly and understand different cultures.
Finally, officers learn how to be good leaders and communicators. They are taught how to guide others, solve problems, and talk to young people and their families in a way that helps everyone work together.
All these skills help probation officers build trust with young people, support them in making better choices, and reduce the chances they will get into trouble again.