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This Campbell systematic review examines the impact of interventions to reduce exclusion from school. School exclusion, also known as suspension in some countries, is a disciplinary sanction imposed by a responsible school authority, in reaction to students' misbehaviour. Exclusion entails the removal of pupils from regular teaching for a period during which they are not allowed to be present in the classroom (in-school) or on school premises (out-of-school). In some extreme cases the student is not allowed to come back to the same school (expulsion). The review summarises findings from 37 reports covering nine different types of intervention. Most studies were from the USA, and the remainder from the UK. The evidence suggests that school-based interventions are effective at reducing school exclusion immediately after, and for a few months after, the intervention. Some specific types of interventions show more promising and stable results than others, namely those involving mentoring/monitoring and those targeting skills training for teachers. Implications for policy, research, and practice arising from the results of this study are discussed. [A list of references to studies included in the study, studies that were excluded, journal articles, studies awaiting classification, and additional studies is provided.]

Sparked by high-profile cases involving children who commit violent crimes, public concerns regarding child delinquents have escalated. Compared with juveniles who first become involved in delinquency in their teens, child delinquents (offenders younger than age 13) face a much greater risk of becoming serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) formed the Study Group on Very Young Offenders to explore what is known about the prevalence and frequency of very young offending, investigate how very young offenders are handled by various systems (e.g., juvenile justice, mental health, and social services), and determine effective methods for preventing very young offending. The Study Group identified particular risk and protective factors that are crucial to developing early intervention and protection programs for very young offenders. This Bulletin, the first in OJJDP's Child Delinquency Series, offers valuable information on the nature of child delinquency and describes early intervention and prevention programs that effectively reduce delinquent behavior. (Contains 94 references.) (Author)

This Bulletin describes the strength and duration of changeable risk and protective factors for youth violence at points in youth development when they appear most salient. These predictors are potential targets for prevention and intervention. The quantitative results of a large number of studies were synthesized using meta-analysis procedures. The 66 studies all involved juveniles living in the community. The factors identified are grouped into these headings: (1) individual medical and physical factors; (2) individual psychological factors; (3) family factors; (4) school factors; (5) peer-related factors; (6) community and neighborhood factors; and (7) situational factors. Multiple predictors and the strength of prediction are also discussed. Among the school factors explored are academic failure, low bonding to school, truancy and dropping out of school, frequent school transitions, and a school with a high delinquency rate. (Contains 63 references.) (SLD)

Concludes that the anonymous, self-report questionnaire is inadequate in determining bullying behavior among incarcerated delinquents, and that more complete information can be obtained by interviews. Results of a preliminary study on individual interviews revealed that most residents in a small sample (n=20) were involved in bullying or victimization. (JPS)

This document presents two articles on the topic of the existence of genetic predisposition for delinquent behavior. In the first article, "The Individual Offender," Richard J. Herrnstein reviews the rich and rapidly growing body of research literature on the relationship between genes and the predisposition for certain social behaviors. He makes a strong case for continuing to study genetic structure in the quest to understand the development of human personality traits and in the effort to prevent juvenile delinquency through changes in social policy. He discusses changes that could be made in underlying assumptions about education. In the second article, "Psychobiological Factors in the Explanation and Reduction of Delinquency: Genetics, Intelligence, Morality and Personality," David P. Farrington indicates that the search for genetic answers to juvenile delinquency holds less promise for understanding individual offending than do more detailed study of neurotransmitters and more comprehensive neuropsychological studies. Farrington presents a preference for intervention programs leaning towards those that are aimed at changing the offender's thinking. He specifically cites the work of Robert Ross and his Reasoning and Rehabilitation Program in Canada. (ABL)

The article focuses on preventing the transition from juvenile delinquency to adult crime in the U.S. It mentions about juvenile justice system in the country which focuses on best interests of the child, rehabilitation, and programming; and effectiveness of interventions with juvenile offenders in preventing them from continuing to offend. It also mentions about U.S. National Institute of Justice's study on the same, and account of adult criminal justice system of the country.

The article discusses the basic concepts of multi-axial classification (MAC), a new architecture for making sense of complex case data and how it may be adapted for corrections as illustrated by preliminary results of a pilot test classifying inmates in the Michigan prison system. MAC examines a range of different classifications integrated into a comprehensive assessment based on several different types of data called "axes". Implications of MAC are also discussed.

The article discusses the use of multi-axial classification (MAC) system in corrections. In MAC, large human services agencies like prisons and jails can balance their multiple goals and services through designing specific offender classifications aligned to each purpose. It integrates classifications into a comprehensive assessment based on several data called axes for managing and understanding offenders. Information on how the MAC is structured in Michigan prisons is also offered.

The article discusses the impact of obesity among correctional managers, inmates, and staff on corrections and means to address them. It emphasizes that health care costs for obese inmates are likely to increase as they have increased rates of chronic illnesses. It stresses that overweight staff can also affect the operations of a correctional facility. It asserts that such disease can be addressed creating an environment that encourages better lifestyle choices in a correctional system.