Steve Lerch, Jim Mayfield - December 1999

This report analyzes the welfare and employment outcomes of clients in the WorkFirst program, Washington State’s implementation of the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.  WorkFirst clients are more likely to gain employment, have higher earnings, work more hours, and leave the caseload when compared to similar clients under Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Jobs, Opportunities, and Basic Skills (AFDC-JOBS).

Roxanne Lieb - December 1999

The 1999 Legislature passed legislation concerning investigations of alleged child sexual abuse.  In addition to statutory changes to the investigatory process for allegations of child sexual abuse, the law established a multidisciplinary group to create statewide guidelines for these investigations.  This document details the state guidelines, including both minimum state requirements for county protocols and advisory comments to guide local decision-making.  Prosecutors are to use these guidelines in leading local efforts for county protocols; those protocols were put into place July 1, 2000. 

Mason Burley, Steve Lerch, Jim Mayfield - December 1999

To examine the impact of WorkFirst activities and services on employment and welfare outcomes, it is necessary to understand the characteristics and patterns of client participation in the program over time. While in WorkFirst, clients may participate in a variety of activities and receive numerous services. This paper describes general WorkFirst program elements, illustrates the complex links between program elements using a client activity flow chart, and then summarizes general trends in client activity during the implementation phase of WorkFirst (August 1997 through December 1998).

Robert Barnoski - November 1999

In 1997, the Washington State Legislature determined that the system for transitioning the highest-risk youth from state institutions to parole did not provide adequate rehabilitation and public safety. The Legislature found that intensive supervision, as described in the intensive parole model of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) was a promising strategy for reducing recidivism rates for these juvenile offenders. JRA contracted with the Institute to evaluate the program's implementation, determine whether the program reduces recidivism, and analyze its costs and benefits to taxpayers and crime victims. This report describes the implementation of intensive parole to date.

Sue Anderson, Edie Harding - October 1999

Washington and 40 other states have instituted one or more "alternate routes" to teacher certification.  This report examines two nationwide alternative certification programs as well as programs in Washington and other states.

Edie Harding, Barbara McLain, Sue Anderson - August 1999

In the spring of 1998, the Board of Directors for the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (Institute) requested staff to examine whether teachers are obtaining the knowledge and skills they need to help students meet the state's new academic standards. The Institute selected three teacher preparation and development programs covering the early stages of a teacher's career to examine in-depth: 1) Pre-service Teacher Preparation (Residency Certificate); 2) Beginning Teacher Assistance; 3) Professional Certification.

The Institute relied on case studies, surveys, and interviews to obtain information on Washington's teacher education programs, beginning teacher assistance programs, and pilot projects for professional certification. Surveys were conducted of all new teachers hired in public schools between 1996 and 1998 and all principals in public schools. The Institute also reviewed research literature on teacher quality, analyzed data on certification and employment of teachers in Washington's public schools, and summarized activities related to teacher quality in other states.

Steve Lerch, Jim Mayfield, Mason Burley - June 1999

An analysis of outcomes associated with Job Search services provided by the Washington State WorkFirst program. After statistically controlling for client characteristics, local economic conditions, and other factors, this analysis shows that females participating in WorkFirst Job Search have higher employment rates, higher earnings, and lower welfare use than females with no recorded WorkFirst activity. The report is part of a legislatively mandated evaluation of WorkFirst prepared by the Institute under contract with the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee. 

Steve Aos, Polly Phipps, Robert Barnoski, Roxanne Lieb - May 1999

This report describes the "bottom-line" economics of various programs that try to reduce criminal behavior. We identify the types of programs that can, as well as those that apparently cannot reduce criminal offending in a cost-beneficial way. Among other uses, this information can assist decision-makers in allocating scarce public resources.

Various Authors - April 1999

Risk Level Classification Form of the State of Washington, Department of Corrections, Revised 1999.