Mentoring Program for Juvenile Delinquency

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Illinois at Chicago

Disqualifiers: Severe intellectual disability, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 4 years

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial examines the effectiveness of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring (CBM) program in preventing crime and behavior issues in young people. Researchers will randomly assign approximately 2,500 youths, aged 10-16, to either participate in the CBM program or not, and then track their progress over four years. Good candidates for the trial are those aged 10 or older who meet the initial eligibility criteria set by the program staff. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the chance to contribute to valuable research that could positively impact youth development and community safety.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants must stop taking their current medications.

What prior data suggests that the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring Program is safe for youth?

Research has shown that the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) Community-Based Mentoring Program is safe and well-received by young people. Several studies have found positive results without negative effects. For instance, one study found that youth in the BBBS program were 54% less likely to be arrested after 18 months. Another study showed that only 29.6% of the youth in the program engaged in violent behavior, compared to 43% of those not in the program. These findings suggest that the program is safe and helps reduce the risk of delinquency. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring Program because it offers a unique approach to addressing juvenile delinquency. Unlike traditional interventions that often focus on punitive measures or therapy, this program emphasizes positive, one-on-one mentorship. By pairing young people with caring adult mentors, the program aims to foster personal development, build self-esteem, and encourage better decision-making. This approach not only targets the root causes of delinquent behavior but also provides a supportive environment that can lead to long-lasting positive changes in a young person's life.

What evidence suggests that the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring Program is effective for preventing juvenile delinquency?

Research has shown that the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring Program, which participants in this trial may receive, can greatly reduce juvenile delinquency. One study found that young people in the program were 54% less likely to be arrested compared to those not in the program. Another study found that only 29.6% of mentored youth engaged in violent behavior, compared to 43% in a group without mentors. The program also reduces substance use and improves overall well-being. These findings suggest that the mentoring program effectively lowers crime and delinquency among young people. ^{1 2 4 5 6}

Who Is on the Research Team?

David L DuBois, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Illinois at Chicago

Carla Herrera, PhD

Principal Investigator

Herrera Consulting Group, LLC

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for youth aged 10-16 who may benefit from the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program. They must be able to speak and read English or Spanish, have not been previously matched with a mentor through BBBSA, don't have severe disabilities as reported by parents, and aren't siblings of current participants.

Inclusion Criteria

Youth is likely to be eligible for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring program as determined by initial assessment of program staff

Youth is 10 years of age or older

Exclusion Criteria

Parent does not both speak and read either English or Spanish

Youth has been matched with a Big Brother/Sister through one of the affiliate's programs in the past

Youth belongs to a group that the affiliate is excluding from study participation based on previous agreement with the research team

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

Enrollment

Participants are enrolled and randomly assigned to either the CBM program or control group

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants in the treatment group engage in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring Program

4 years

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for outcomes related to crime and delinquency through surveys and official records

4 years

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring Program

Trial Overview The study tests if the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring program can prevent crime and delinquency in young people. About 2,500 participants will be randomly placed into either the mentoring program or a control group without treatment.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: BBBS Community-Based Mentoring Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring Program

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Not eligible to participate in a Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program, but may participate in other mentoring programs.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Illinois at Chicago

Lead Sponsor

Trials

653

Recruited

1,574,000+

Laura and John Arnold Foundation

Collaborator

Trials

13

Recruited

30,500+

Herrera Consulting Group, LLC

Collaborator

Trials

3

Recruited

2,300+

National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

1,400+

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Collaborator

Trials

2

Recruited

2,200+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Mentees in foster care experienced shorter mentoring matches and were more likely to have their matches close prematurely compared to those not in foster care, indicating a need for targeted support in these relationships.

The study found that the implementation of benchmark program practices was associated with longer match lengths for mentees in foster care, suggesting that structured mentoring practices can enhance the stability of these relationships.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Supporting Mentoring Relationships of Youth in Foster Care: Do Program Practices Predict Match Length? Stelter, RL., Kupersmidt, JB., Stump, KN.[2019]

Citations

1. bbbs.org bbbs.org/impact/

Impact - Big Brothers Big Sisters of America - Youth ... Evidence shows that being matched through Big Brothers Big Sisters can make a big difference in how a child performs in school and how he or she feels about ...

2. arnoldventures.org arnoldventures.org/stories/the-results-are-in-big-brothers-big-sisters-makes-a-real-difference-for-mentees-and-communities

The Results Are In: Big Brothers Big Sisters Makes… A 4-year randomized controlled trial finds BBBS mentoring cuts youth delinquency and substance use.

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740922003784

Effects of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America ... Randomized controlled trial supports BBBSA community-based mentoring improving youth's well-being and decreasing their problem behaviors.

4. publichealth.uic.edu publichealth.uic.edu/news-stories/new-study-finds-mentorship-lowers-rates-of-youth-crime-and-delinquency/

New study finds mentorship lowers rates of youth crime and ... After 18 months, youth in Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) mentoring programs were 54 percent less likely to have been arrested and 41 percent less likely to ...

5. evidencebasedmentoring.org evidencebasedmentoring.org/making-sense-of-a-groundbreaking-new-evaluation-of-big-brothers-big-sisters/

A Groundbreaking New Evaluation of Big Brothers Big Sisters Violence-related delinquent behavior occurred in 29.6% of the treatment group compared to 43.0% of the control group, recurring substance use ...

6. afterschoolalliance.org afterschoolalliance.org/afterschoolsnack/Thirty-years-of-data-reveal-the-long-term-impact-of-youth_07-22-2025.cfm

Thirty years of data reveal the long-term impact of youth ... The study finds that mentorship at an early age not only has profound influences on young people's educational, social, and economic outcomes.