Because serious crime has widespread negative effects on communities, families and our nation\u27s young people--we must make our go to responses--such as policing, probation and incarceration--more effective. The current study will examine an intervention that aims to reduce recidivism through support and supervision of serious youthful offenders who live in high-crime urban neighborhoods. The program aims to bridge a critical tension faced by probation--the dueling goals of social control and social welfare (i.e., punishment and rehabilitation). Specifically, this research will aim to 1) determine the extent to which the program causes decreases in recidivism and 2) explore if level of contact with program staff (street workers) is related to recidivism outcomes. The information gleaned from this study will be useful to both researchers interested in serious and persistent youthful offenders and to practitioners and policy makers aiming to reduce serious crime and optimize community corrections
