Benefits and costs of prevention programs for youth

Abstract

This study, commissioned by the Washington State Legislature, reviews over 3,500 research studies of prevention and early intervention strategies pertaining to crime, substance abuse, educational outcomes, teen pregnancy, child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, and suicide. It arrives at net benefit estimates for 22 different programs based on benefit-cost calculations that consider both quantified and unquantified benefits. The findings of the review are mixed. There is credible evidence that investing in some evidence-based prevention and intervention programs generates more benefits than costs, but also that some such programs fail to generate more benefits than costs, and that there is insufficient evidence at this time to determine whether benefits exceed costs for a number of programs. The study also finds that research-based programs work when implemented with fidelity. Finally, the study offers several recommendations to the Washington State Legislature intended to ensure that future investments in prevention and early intervention programs yield a good return for taxpayers. – AI-generated abstract.