This article presents the results of a study that examined the 18-month recidivism of juvenile felony offenders who were placed into an intensive supervision program in lieu of commitment to an institution. The study used a quasi-experimental design to compare the outcomes of intensive supervision program (ISP) participants with those of youth who were incarcerated and then released to parole, and with a group of felony offenders who were handled on regular probation. Results show that, although not a panacea, intensive supervision clearly is an effective alternative to incarceration. However, ISP cost-effectiveness is difficult to achieve without large-scale diversion.
Significant Achievement Awards: The Nathaniel Project—An Effective Alternative to Incarceration
