Pilot Evaluation of a Conservation Corps Program for Young Adults

Abstract

Education and employment programs may be effective at reducing problem behaviors among at-risk young adults. This pilot study evaluated whether participants in a Conservation Corps program (N = 100) showed changes in antisocial behavior, gang membership, and substance use during the program. Participants were young adults between 18 and 24 years who were predominantly male (60%) and ethnic minority (62% Latino; 31% African American). Over the course of the 22-week program, participants showed significant decreases in self-reported antisocial behavior and gang involvement, and approximately 28% earned a high school diploma. However, only 61% completed the program, and subgroup analyses suggested that decreased gang membership and antisocial behaviors were mostly driven by program completers. These limited pilot results suggest that the Conservation Corps offers vulnerable young adults opportunities for education advancement and a possible pathway to criminal desistance. However, education and employment programs should make retention a priority. © The Author(s) 2019.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Vocational training education antisocial behavior gang membership

Index Keywords

female human male Humans adolescent young adult Vocational education education program evaluation self report pilot study Pilot Projects ethnic group School dropout Student Dropouts problem behavior California Ethnic Groups Los Angeles

Author Affiliations

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States

University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States

Funding & Acknowledgements

Fahs-Beck Fund for Research and Experimentation

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Fahs-Beck Fund for Research and Experimentation at the New York Community Trust and the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues.

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Pilot Evaluation of a Conservation Corps Program for Young Adults

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