For more than a decade, the National Resource Center for the Transformation of Youth Justice (NRC) has partnered with state and local jurisdictions to enhance youth justice system performance and outcomes through its Probation and Youth Justice System Review (PYJSR). The PYJSR is a comprehensive, research-driven, and collaborative technical assistance process that supports jurisdictions in examining policies, practices, and critical decision points throughout the youth justice system to determine alignment with evidence-informed and research-based principles and practices.
Working alongside jurisdiction stakeholders, the NRC helps identify and sustain system strengths while prioritizing opportunities for positive reform. This proven framework has supported nearly 40 state and local jurisdictions in achieving practical, sustainable, measurable, and replicable improvements in system performance, youth outcomes, and community safety. Our work is guided by adolescent development science, evidence-based practices, positive youth development, family engagement, and continuous quality improvement.
This video highlights how the NRC partners with communities to advance youth justice system improvement through our research-driven System Review process grounded in adolescent development science and best practices. Learn more about our collaborative approach to helping jurisdictions identify strengths, prioritize opportunities, and support sustainable reform.
What We Do & Who We Work With
On-the-Ground Technical Assistance Initiatives
The NRC’s comprehensive Probation and Youth Justice System Review initiatives are tailored to the unique strengths, challenges, and goals of each jurisdiction. Conducted over approximately 12 months, the process combines on-site visits, stakeholder engagement, policy and practice analysis, data review, and implementation planning.
Working through a collaborative System Review Leadership Team, the NRC consultant team partners with local stakeholders to assess youth justice system operations and identify opportunities to strengthen policies, practices, and outcomes. The review culminates in a comprehensive set of findings and recommendations that serve as a blueprint for action, helping jurisdictions prioritize reforms, develop implementation strategies, and sustain positive system change.
Who We Work With
While PYJSR initiatives are often initiated by probation, court, or youth justice leadership, successful reform depends upon broad stakeholder participation. We encourage jurisdictions to involve a variety of partners, including:
- Probation Leadership and Staff
- Court Leadership and Judges
- Prosecutors and Public Defenders
- Child Welfare Representatives
- Behavioral Health Providers
- Law Enforcement Partners
- Education Representatives
- Community-Based Service Providers
- Data and Research Staff
- Youth and Family Representatives
- State and Local Policymakers
Benefits of Taking on a Probation and Youth Justice System Review
The PYJSR provides jurisdictions with the opportunity to assess current policies and practices against research and evidence-based approaches proven to improve youth outcomes and system performance. Participating jurisdictions often achieve:
- Enhanced collaboration among key stakeholders through research-based methods and approaches
- Stronger operational policies, practices, and workforce development strategies
- Improved case management approaches that promote family engagement, positive behavior change, and successful completion of probation
- Expanded diversion opportunities that prioritize youth accountability, victim considerations, and community safety
- Greater consistency in decision-making and case processing practices
- Increased fidelity to validated risk-needs-responsivity assessments and evidence-based practices
- Improved data collection, performance measurement, and continuous quality improvement efforts
- Stronger alignment with adolescent development science and positive youth development principles
- Reductions in recidivism and improvements in youth and family outcomes
Communities We Have Served
The NRC’s Probation and Youth Justice System Review framework has been successfully implemented in nearly 40 state and local jurisdictions nationwide. These partnerships have resulted in measurable improvements in youth justice system performance, strengthened collaboration among stakeholders, and positive outcomes for youth, families, and communities.
See the map and list below of jurisdictions that have undertaken a Probation and Youth Justice System Review.
Resources
Please visit our Online Resource Library to access the following publications and tools, developed to support jurisdictions undertaking youth justice system reform efforts:
- Probation and Youth Justice System Review Guidebook
- Keys to Youth Justice Improvement: Demonstration of Practical, Sustainable, Measurable, and Replicable Solutions
- Diversion and Alternatives Reform Team Guidebook
- Developmental Reform in Juvenile Justice: Translating the Science of Adolescent Development to Sustainable Best Practice
Learn More
For more information, please contact John A. Tuell, Executive Director, at jtuell@rfkcommunity.org or Jodi Martin, Deputy Executive Director, at jmartin@rfkcommunity.org.