Juvenile Alcohol and Drug Use : The ROCS Program Evaluation

Purpose: A strong correlation exists between substance abuse and juvenile delinquency (West Virginia Division of Juvenile Services, 2000). A major reason for this correlation is the lack of transitional support from the juvenile detention center back into the community. Re-entering Our Community Successfully (ROCS), a SAMSHA funded four-year grant, is part of SAMHSA's program to target funding into areas where there is a high level of juvenile recidivism. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the ROCS program on juvenile alcohol and drug use. Methods: The primary objective of the ROCS program was to reduce recidivism by providing mentoring, substance abuse and case management services to incarcerated youth immediately on release to aid into a normal successful life. The participants included 80 juveniles who have both an intake and a 6-month follow-up interview. Sixty-seven (83.7%) of the participants were male and 13 (16.3%) were female. Thirty-nine (48.7%) of the participants were 15-17 years old and 41 (51.3%) were 18-21 years old. Analysis/Results: Two paired samples t-tests were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the ROCS program on alcohol and drug use. The results indicated that the mean for initial alcohol use (M = 3.79, SD = 6.96) was significantly greater than the mean for alcohol use at the 6-month follow-up (M = 1.91, SD = 4.16), t(80) = 2.44, p < .05. The mean for initial drug use of participants (M = 7.78, SD = 12.10) was significantly greater than the mean for drug use at the 6-month follow-up (M = 4.93, SD = 9.15), t(80) = 2.00, p < .05. Conclusions: Based on the study, results indicated the methods utilized in the ROCS program were effective at changing alcohol and drug related behavior in juveniles. This study suggested the need for additional programs which target incarcerated juveniles and substance use.