While proponents claimed Response to Intervention (RtI) improved student learning and prevented failure, there was an absence of research in effectiveness. Applying action research within a case study, there was an investigation into the process of reforming and improving RtI within a short-term juvenile detention center in the Midwest of the…

Project With is an innovative, literary-based curriculum designed for justice-involved youth. The curriculum has 12 lessons in which youth read a literary selection, such as a short story or poem; discuss the literary work with their peers and a facilitator; and participate in an activity aligned with the lesson's main idea. Project With can be…

Few juvenile justice group experimental and quasi-experimental literacy-focused studies document fidelity of implementation (FOI). Even fewer of those studies consider the psychometric properties of the FOI instrumentation used. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a brief FOI instrument used with English language…

Compared to typical schools, implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) remains in its early stages with juvenile justice and alternative education settings, whether residential or day programs. As interest and support grows for implementation within juvenile justice and alternative education settings, the creation of…

Mentoring programs for incarcerated youth have shown promising outcomes with researchers suggesting that this population can benefit from mentoring relationships. A mentor provides guidance and support to youthful offenders. Having a caring adult involved in the life of a youth at risk may help them overcome adversity and develop the skills…

The positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) framework has been applied for over two decades in public schools throughout the country. More recently it has been adopted, or is being considered for adoption, by an increasing number of states and facilities providing residential or secure care for juvenile offenders. During…

The success of positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) in typical schools has led to interest in applying PBIS in alternative settings, including secure care programs for incarcerated juveniles. PBIS holds promise for positively impacting youth behavior in this context. In this discussion article, we describe unique characteristics…

In this study, we assessed the feasibility and social validity of an adapted approach to positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) implementation in secure juvenile facilities. The authors developed a comprehensive model of facility-wide positive behavior interventions and supports (FW-PBIS) for use in secure juvenile correctional…

While facility-wide positive behavioral supports and interventions (FW-PBIS) has begun to be implemented within secure juvenile care settings, in a 24/7 model, there is a need to gather the perspectives of agency-stakeholders to better understand the feasibility and sustainability of FW-PBIS within these settings. To date, only two studies have…

In order to define her educational philosophy, the author created the following action research project. Through it, she became aware of how all interactions and experiences each one has, no matter at what stage in life, impacts the way one thinks, feels, and acts differently. She challenged herself to create an environment for the children to…

Despite the prevalence of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) for addressing student behavior in public schools, little information exists on the extent and consistency of implementation efforts in secure juvenile justice (JJ) schools. Reports of fidelity to core PBIS processes and components are needed to determine the ubiquity…

This report presents findings from a feasibility evaluation of the Bridges to Pathways (Bridges) program. Bridges was a program for young men in Chicago between the ages of 17 and 21 years who were involved with the criminal or juvenile justice system and lacked a high school credential. The program offered intensive mentoring and case management,…

The pace of implementation of PBIS in restrictive settings for juvenile offenders is accelerating. Recommendations for future research include the following: examine effects of PBIS on preventing entry into the school-to-prison pipeline, identify factors that influence PBIS implementation, develop the capacity of restrictive settings to engage in…

This article provides a rationale and guidelines for the adoption and implementation of positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) in secure juvenile justice settings, including benefits for youth and staff members. The rationale for extending PBIS to juvenile justice settings based on the authors' collective work in numerous states and…

Many youth in detention facilities come from vulnerable home environments where factors such as economic pressures, abuse, neglect, and parental incarceration are constantly operating within the family system. A vast majority of these youth have not had positive school experiences and many of them experience special needs and mental health issues.…