WSIPP: Publication

Report Detail
Summary Report Appendix A Appendix B	July 2004
Benefits and Costs of Prevention and Early Intervention Programs for Youth Steve Aos, Roxanne Lieb, Jim Mayfield, Marna Miller, Annie Pennucci
Updated September 17, 2004 Does prevention pay? Can an ounce of prevention avoid (at least) an ounce of cure? More specifically for public policy purposes, is there credible scientific evidence that for each dollar a legislature spends on “research-based” prevention or early intervention programs for youth, more than a dollar’s worth of benefits will be generated? If so, what are the policy options that offer taxpayers the best return on their dollar? These are among the ambitious questions the 2003 Washington State Legislature assigned the Washington State Institute for Public Policy. This report describes our findings and provides an overview of how we conducted the analysis. The “summary report” link above contains a summary of findings. Appendix A contains a full description of our results and methods, and Appendix B lists the references used in the study. We publish updates whenever significant new results become available. Frequently Asked Questions Document ID: (04-07-3901)

Keywords: abuse and neglect, aggression replacement training, art, at-risk, at-risk youth, boot camps, bottom-line, child abuse data, child welfare, children, cost-benefit, cost-benefit analysis, cost-effective, cost-effectiveness, costs, crime reduction, dbt, delinquency, dialectical behavioral therapy, diversion program, dropout, early childhood, early intervention, educational attainment, effectiveness, evaluation, fft, functional family therapy, impact, intensive parole, intervention, intervention program, jra, juvenile court, juvenile crime, juvenile justice, juvenile rehabilitation administration, keeping kids in school, mentor, mentor program, mentoring, national research, out-of-home placements, parenting services, pregnancy, pregnancy services, pregnant teenagers, prevention, probation and parole, program, program effectiveness, program evaluation, public assistance, skipping school, smoking, social issues and programs, social services, support services, teenage births, teenage pregnancy, what works, quality control, mst, multi-systemic therapy, coordination of services, parenting, home visiting, teen pregnancy, suicide, teen suicide