The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s (OJJDP’s) Model Programs Guide contains information about evidence-based juvenile justice and youth prevention, intervention, and reentry programs. It is a resource for practitioners and communities about what works, what is promising, and what does not work in juvenile justice, delinquency prevention, and child protection and safety.

The Model Programs Guide uses expert reviewers and CrimeSolutions.ojp.gov’s program review process, scoring instrument, and evidence standards. The two sites also share a common database of juvenile-related programs. Users who select a program on the Model Programs Guide will see the CrimeSolutions.ojp.gov profile open in a new window.

The Model Programs Guide is an easy-to-use program database that helps practitioners, policymakers, and communities identify and implement programs that can make a difference in the lives of children and families. It addresses a range of issues, including child victimization, substance abuse, youth violence, mental health and trauma, and gang activity.

In addition to providing program profiles, the Model Programs Guide contains literature reviews, implementation information, and links to additional resources that practitioners, policymakers, and communities can use to improve the effectiveness of interventions, enhance accountability, ensure public safety, and reduce recidivism. The tools are specifically designed for juvenile justice-oriented practitioners and policymakers.

The Model Programs Guide is a widely recognized resource for valuable information on the effectiveness of many juvenile programs; however, the programs may not be appropriate for or meet the needs of all individuals and communities or for all circumstances. When selecting what will work best for you or your community, you should understand that the information in the Model Programs Guide is just one resource to consider among many. Read more: How To Use the Model Programs Guide.

The Model Programs Guide is not an exhaustive list of all juvenile justice-related programs, and a program’s inclusion on this site does not constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice. Read more.

More information about the history of this resource, the types of information on the site, and the processes for reviewing and including research findings are available in the following sections:

Model Programs Guide Program Review Process and Evidence Ratings

The Model Programs Guide uses expert study reviewers and CrimeSolutions.ojp.gov's program review process, scoring instrument, and evidence ratings. The two sites also share a common program database.

For details of the full CrimeSolutions.ojp.gov program review process and evidence standards, visit https://crimesolutions.ojp.gov/about/how-we-review-and-rate-program-start-finish.

For the CrimeSolutions.ojp.gov Program Evidence Scoring Instrument, visit https://crimesolutions.ojp.gov/scoring-instruments.

Based on the reviewers’ assessment of the evidence, programs included in the Model Programs Guide and CrimeSolutions.ojp.gov are rated as either Effective, Promising, or No Effects.

Evidence Ratings
Evidence Rating	Icon*		Description
	One Study	More than One Study
Effective			Programs have strong evidence indicating they achieve their intended outcomes when implemented with fidelity.
Promising			Programs have some evidence indicating they achieve their intended outcomes. Additional research is recommended.
No Effects			Programs have strong evidence indicating that they did not achieve their intended outcomes when implemented with fidelity.

* A single study icon is used to identify programs that have been evaluated with only one study. A multiple studies icon is used to represent a greater extent of evidence supporting the evidence rating. The icon depicts programs that have more than one study in the evidence base demonstrating effects in a consistent direction.

Read more about: https://crimesolutions.ojp.gov/about/how-we-review-and-rate-program-start-finish.
 

History of the Model Programs Guide

In 2000, OJJDP published a print version of the Model Programs Guide as one of the first comprehensive resources to identify evidence-based programs in delinquency prevention. OJJDP developed the Model Programs Guide to support the Title V Prevention Grants program. OJJDP later transitioned the Model Programs Guide to an online database with programs across the continuum of youth prevention, intervention, and reentry services. The Model Programs Guide continues to be a widely recognized and used resource on evidence-based programs for practitioners and communities. In June 2011, the Office of Justice Programs launched CrimeSolutions.ojp.gov, which builds on and expands this previous work using a more rigorous review process and enhanced online interface to present evidence for programs within juvenile justice, adult criminal justice, and crime victim services.

At that time, OJJDP re-reviewed all programs in the Model Programs Guide using the CrimeSolutions.ojp.gov evidence standards and criteria, and in 2013, relaunched the Model Programs Guide with juvenile justice and youth prevention, intervention, and treatment programs that have been reviewed using CrimeSolutions.ojp.gov’s evidence standards and criteria. The two sites now share a common database of juvenile-related programs. The new Model Programs Guide provides users with an updated, user-friendly website that features information about evidence-based programs and a variety of implementation tools and resources tailored to the needs of the juvenile justice field. 
 

Model Programs Guide Literature Reviews

The Literature Reviews on the Model Programs Guide summarize research and practice information across broad topical areas. They follow a systematic process to identify and synthesize this information.  
 

Model Programs Guide Implementation Guides (I-Guides)

The I-Guides provide 10 steps that practitioners should take before they identify or implement an evidence-based program or practice and that supplement the program and literature review information on the Model Programs Guide. The 10 steps are based on the research literature about successful implementation efforts and applied to common problems in juvenile justice and related fields.  
 

How To Use the Model Programs Guide

The Model Programs Guide is intended to be a central, reliable, and credible resource to help practitioners and policymakers understand what works in juvenile justice-related programs and practices. Its purpose is to gather information on specific juvenile justice-related programs and review the existing evaluation research against standard criteria to assist practitioners in practical decision making and program implementation.

It is important to note the Model Programs Guide website does not constitute an endorsement of particular programs, nor does it conduct original research. The programs reported upon favorably are recognized for their accomplishments in support of the mission of the Office of Justice Programs. Furthermore, it is not intended to replace or supersede informed judgment and/or innovation. The Model Programs Guide recognizes that rigorous evaluation evidence is one of several factors to consider in justice programming, policy, and funding decisions. The Office of Justice Programs also recognizes the importance of encouraging and supporting innovative approaches that may not yet have extensive evidence of effectiveness.

Important Notes About How To Use the Information Provided on the Model Programs Guide

• The Model Programs Guide rates the quality of evaluation research supporting a program’s outcomes. Consequently, its ratings do not necessarily reflect a program’s effectiveness in every possible scenario or situation. Users should be careful to review the program record to understand each program’s target population, demographics, setting, and the research results for each program outcome.
• Review of programs and their posting on the Model Programs Guide does not constitute an endorsement, promotion, or approval of these programs by the Model Programs Guide, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office of Justice Programs, or the U.S. Department of Justice.
• It is inappropriate to use the Model Programs Guide as an exhaustive list of juvenile justice-related programs, since the Model Programs Guide has not reviewed all programs in existence.
• Policymakers and funders are discouraged from limiting their selection of potential contractors and/or grantees to only those programs that appear on the Model Programs Guide.
• Users are permitted to download publicly available articles and research via the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) or order copies for a nominal fee. However, users are asked to contact individual study authors for permission to duplicate original studies, as these studies are not the property of Model Programs Guide.
• The U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention fund the Model Programs Guide, and Development Services Group, Inc. manages its evidence reviews. The views expressed on this website do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Justice.