Developing evidence based practice skills in youth justice
| Published date | 01 August 2023 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/20662203231185088 |
| Author | Chris Trotter,Phillipa Evans |
| Date | 01 August 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Original Articles |
Original Article
European Journal of Probation
2023, Vol. 15(2) 147–161
© The Author(s) 2023
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DOI: 10.1177/20662203231185088
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Developing evidence based
practice skills in youth justice
Chris Trotter
Department of Social Work, Monash University, VIC, Australia
Phillipa Evans
University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Abstract
A number of studies have found that when probation officers, and others who supervise
young people and adults on community based orders, have good intervention skills their
clients are more likely to be engaged in supervision and to have low recidivism rates. The
skills include, role clarification, pro-social modelling, problem solving, cognitive and
relationship skills. Little research has been done, however, on the development of these
skills across whole organisations. This study aimed to examine the extent to which
training and coaching of probation officers, across two state youth justice departments in
Australia, improved the use of workers’skills. Audio-tapes of worker/client interviews
were provided to research staff before and after training and coaching. Analysis of the
audio-tapes found a significant increase in the overall use of worker skills following the
training and coaching. However, the increases in the skills applied largely to role clar-
ification, rather than pro-social modelling, problem solving and cognitive skills.
Keywords
Juvenile justice, practice skills, probation, supervision, youth, youth justice
Introduction
This paper focuses on the extent to which the practice skills of youth justice workers can
be enhanced through training and coaching in the use of those skills. Knowledge about
this issue can contribute to the growing literature on ‘what works’in criminal justice
community supervision and potentially influence practices aimed at developing effective
Corresponding author:
Phillipa Evans, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia.
Emails: p.evans@unsw.edu.au,christopher.trotter@monash.edu
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