Prepared by Independent Evaluator Jerome Evans, Ph.D.

Recent results from a three-year independent evaluation (2003-2006) shows that YouthZone programs are making statistically significant improvement in the following six measured areas:

1. decreased underage drinking.
2. decreased use of illegal drugs and delinquency.
3. increased school involvement.
4. increased resiliency.
5. increased social support.
6. increased resiliency to sexual/emotional/physical abuse.

Quotes From Evaluator Report

“Across Colorado, no youth-serving program has worked more successfully in the interests of their youthful clients and families. Not only is YouthZone able to say, ‘Here is who we have worked for and here is how hard we have worked,’ but equally important they are able to report, ‘And here is what we have accomplished together.’

“The most important conclusions from evaluative study of youth change with services are that clients of many types and backgrounds enjoyed gains through reduction of problem behavior and attitudes, substance abuse, and the promotion of developmental assets. Communities and families can have confidence that in approximately two-out-of-three instances, any youngster for whom they seek help is likely to be in a better position by the end of their services.”

Highlights from 2003-2006 Evaluation

• Survey presents key finds from an independent evaluator’s analysis of data collected by YouthZone from a statistical sample of 632 young people and their families during 2003-2006.

• With this new evaluation data, YouthZone has collected data from 1989-2006 with nearly 2,000 youth being administered a survey at intake and again about half this number taking a survey toward the end of their services.

• 74% avoided re-offending while an active client or following the end of their services.

• Across all service programs, boys were referred about twice as often as were girls.

• Average age of youth served was 15 years.

• 74% of youths seen by YouthZone are Anglo, 25% were Hispanic and 1% were other ethnicities. This is representative of the ethnic distribution in the surrounding communities.

• About 43% of the youth seen by YouthZone are being raised by both biological parents. Youth were somewhat less likely during 2003-2006 to be living in a two-biological parent home than they were in 1999-2002.

• 86% of young people come to YouthZone via courts or the juvenile justice system. Approximately 3 percent are from schools. Boys are more likely to be referred by the courts and schools, while girls are more likely to be self-referred.

• A youth’s city of residence did not affect his/her access to services.

• Possession of alcohol accounted for 1/3 of all referrals. A substance-related issue was involved in several of the top-ten referral reasons. Top ten referral reasons: possession of alcohol, petty theft, counseling services, assault and battery, criminal mischief, possession of a controlled substance, theft, possession of paraphernalia, criminal trespassing, harassment.

• Youth seen with legal offenses were likely to be younger than in the past.

• Anglo youth were significantly more likely than Latino clients to have alcohol or other drug involvement. The gap between ethnicities in this area is narrowing from past data in 1999-2002.

• Among Latino clients referred, significantly more had a history of serious legal problems (31.4% of all referred) compared with Anglos (16.1% of all referred).

• The average YouthZone client consumed 17.6 hours of service.