Addressing the Health and Social Needs of Justice-Involved Young Adults

Addressing the Health and Social Needs of Justice-Involved Young Adults

Involvement with the criminal justice system increases markedly during the transition from youth to adulthood in the United States. Providing targeted services and supports to vulnerable emerging adults during this transition may be an effective way of reducing the conditions and behaviors that lead to incarceration and its adverse health effects.  The research team led by Texas A&M University uses a randomized trial to test the effectiveness of the Transformative Justice (TJ) program in reducing criminal justice recidivism and improving health outcomes by coordinating health and social services for justice-involved young adults.  The program assigns a multi-sector case management team to individuals following their arrest for lower-degree felony offenses, connecting them to mental health, legal assistance, education, employment training, transportation, and housing services. The research team collaborates with the Access to Justice Lab at Harvard Law School, the University of Texas Health Science Center, the Lone Star Justice Alliance, and multiple local non-profits and county agencies to conduct the study.

Principal Investigators

  • Georges Naufal, PhD
    Assistant Research Scientist 
    Public Policy Research Institute
    Texas A&M University
     
  • Emily Naiser, PhD, MPH
    Project Director
    Public Policy Research Institute
    Texas A&M University

     

 

Project Details

Year: 
2019
Status: 
Active
Primary Investigator: 
Georges Naufal