Juvenile justice-involved youth pose a challenge to their community. To address their needs and identify helpful interventions, we collaborate with organizations from diverse disciplines to evaluate juvenile justice programming and improve juvenile justice policies and practices.
Ohio's Behavioral Health/Juvenile Justice Initiative
July 2013 - present
Ohio’s Behavioral Health/Juvenile Justice (BHJJ) Initiative is a diversion program for juvenile justice-involved youth between the ages of 10-18 who experience from mental or behavioral health issues. In lieu of detention, the BHJJ program diverts youth into more comprehensive, community-based behavioral health treatment. The Begun Center provides research and evaluation support for the initiative.
Research Team: Jeff Kretschmar (Principal Investigator), Ashley Bukach (Research Associate)
Learn about Ohio's Behavioral Health/Juvenile Justice Initiative
Cuyahoga County Juvenile Drug Court
September 2014 - present
The Begun Center served as a research partner with Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court to enhance the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Delinquency Drug Court programming for youth and families in order to realize reductions in recidivism, incarceration and youth substance use while enhancing family strengths.
Funder: Department of Justice, SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
Research Team: Jeff Kretschmar (Principal Investigator), Ashley M. Bukach
Montgomery County, Ohio
Juvenile Drug Court
September 2017 - present
The Begun Center serves as a research partner with the Montgomery County Juvenile Court to evaluate the SAMHSA/CSAT (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration / Center for Substance Abuse Treatment) funded Juvenile Drug Court Expansion Project and provide data and outcomes relative to court activities and participant success.
Funder: Montgomery County Juvenile Court
Research Team: Jeff Kretschmar (Principal Investigator)
Family Treatment Court
October 2016 - September 2020
Funder: SAMHSA - Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
Research Team: Jeff Kretschmar (Principal Investigator)
Mental Health Treatment Court
September 2019 - September 2020
Funder: Department of Justice
Research Team: Jeff Kretschmar (Principal Investigator)
RECLAIM Ohio
July 2013 - present
Ohio provides funding for counties to implement programs designed to divert juvenile justice involved youths from residential services to provide treatment and services in the community that best serve the needs of the youth. The Begun Center serves as a research and evaluation partner to 17 counties across Ohio and provides support and expertise for their Competitive and Targeted RECLAIM projects.
Funder: Ohio Department of Youth Services
Partners: Various juvenile justice systems across Ohio
Research Team: Jeff Kretschmar (Principal Investigator), Fredrick Butcher (Co-Principal Investigator)
Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission
July 2016 - present
Funder: Ohio Department of Youth Services
IMPACT 25
In 2015 Cleveland was identified as a National Youth Forum City by the US Department of Justice which supported comprehensive planning to develop a comprehensive approach to youth violence prevention. Cleveland developed a plan utilizing a public health framework to focus on high risk youth perpetrators and victims of violence. The Begun Center served as evaluation partner for this approach to youth violence prevention along with several other partners to implement and support efforts to reduce crime and violence in Cleveland.
Funder: Department of Justice
Research Team: Daniel J. Flannery (Principal Investigator), Mark S. Fleisher
Publications
Butcher, F. and Kretschmar, J. (2020, February). Juvenile Justice Information Exchange.
Butcher, F., Tossone, K., Kishna, M., Kretschmar, J. and Flannery, D.J. (2019, October). Victims and Offenders, 15(1), 22-42.
Butcher, F. and Boyer, K. (2019, July). Juvenile Justice Information Exchange.
Kretschmar, J. and Tucci Teodosio, L. (2018, November). . Juvenile Justice Information Exchange.
Kishna, M. (2018, April). . MST Services Blog.
Kretschmar, J., Tossone, K., Butcher, F., and Marsh, B. (2018) . Children and Youth Services Review.
Tossone, K., Wheeler, M., Butcher, F., & Kretschmar, J. M. (2017). . Violence Against Women. doi: 10.1177/1077801217724921
Kretschmar, J.M., Capizzi, A., and Shafer, E. (2017). . Focal Point, 31, 22-24.
Butcher, F. (2016, October). . Juvenile Justice Information Exchange.
Kretschmar, J., Tossone, K., and Flannery, D. (2016, June). . Journal of Child Abuse and Trauma.
Kretschmar, J., Tossone, K., Butcher, F., and Harris, L. (2016). . Journal of Child and Family Studies.
Kretschmar, J.M., Butcher, F., Kanary, P., & Devens, R.. (2015). . American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 85(6), 515-521.
In the Media
. ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ Observer, February 2019.
. News 5 Cleveland, August 2018.
. Science CodEx, August 2018.
. USA Today via Memphis (TN) Commercial Appeal, July 2018.
. WCPN Sound of Ideas, June 2017
. WCPN Sound of Ideas, February 2017.
. Cincinnati Enquirer, February 2017.
WKSU Radio, December 2016.
. Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 2016
. Academic Minute, June 2016.