Research Into Intensive Supervision Program: Report for Juvenile Justice, New South Wales

The New South Wales Department of Juvenile Justice (JJNSW) has piloted the Intensive Supervision Program (ISP) in Werrington and Newcastle. The program adheres to the international evidence-based Multisystemic Therapy (MST) approach. The ISP targets chronic juvenile offenders and seeks to empower caregivers to enhance parenting as well as advocate for the young person with schools/vocational institutions, community organisations and peers. The program structure allows discretion to design programs for individuals and families while closely following the MST model. The program works in the home with the family and provides 24/7 support. Many of the families had previously experienced unsuccessful outcomes with other programs. The aim of the research project, carried out by a team from Western Sydney University, was firstly to consider the impact of the ISP beyond the young person's reoffending and upon his or her life as a whole, and secondly to investigate the economic effect of life changes brought about by the impact of the ISP. The methodology of the research is influenced by the perspective of Critical Best Practice (CBP), which aims to focus on aspects of practice that have been successful, to critically analyse this practice, and then to seek to replicate it.