PbS measures and monitors facility practices by collecting and reporting data from administrative records and survey responses from youths, staff and families to provide a holistic picture of the conditions and quality of life in residential facilities, highlights the practices that are effective in promoting youths’ healthy maturation and identifies those that are not. PbS data is reported every April and October. PbS trains staff to use the information to change practices and support reforms implementing the adolescent development approach.
Research Report: PbS Data for Correction and Detention Facilities, 2004-2006
This research aims to understand whether and how the PbS system impacts safety, order and security within juvenile facilities. Every April and October, participating facilities submit to PbS general information about their populations; detailed information about every unusual incident that occurred during the month; information from the records of juveniles released during those periods; and surveys of current residents (youth climate surveys), staff (staff climate surveys) and residents released since the last data collection (youth exit interviews). Information from April and October data collection periods, 2004-2006, comprise this study’s data. The anonymity promised to participating facilities by PbS currently makes it impossible to link survey, incident or record data to specific youth. Therefore, it is possible to analyze how youth in a particular facility responded to the climate survey and to the exit survey, but it is not possible to compare any particular youth’s responses across these two files, or to the youth record file. To test the impact of the PbS system on safety, order and security within juvenile facilities, the researchers adopted a multi-stage analysis strategy.
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