Exploring Community-Based Options for Reducing Youth Crime

Kim Edmunds, Laura Wall, Scott Brown, Andrew Searles, Anthony P. Shakeshaft and Christopher M. Doran
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Kim Edmunds: Centre for Applied Health Economics, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
Laura Wall: School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
Scott Brown: School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
Andrew Searles: Health Research Economics, Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia
Anthony P. Shakeshaft: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW 2502, Australia
Christopher M. Doran: Cluster for Resilience and Wellbeing, Appleton Institute, Central Queensland University, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 10, 1-12

Abstract: BackTrack is a multi-component, community-based intervention designed to build capacity amongst 14–17-year-old high risk young people. The aim of the current study seeks to explore community value and preferences for reducing youth crime and improving community safety using BackTrack in a rural setting in Armidale, New South Wales, Australia. The study design used discrete choice experiments (DCEs), designed in accordance with the 10-item checklist outlined by the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research. The DCE was pilot tested on 43 participants to test feasibility and comprehension. A revised version of the survey was subsequently completed by 282 people over a 12-day period between 30 May 2016 and 10 June 2016, representing a survey response rate of 35%. Ninety per cent of respondents were residents of Armidale, the local rural town where BackTrack was implemented. The DCE generated results that consistently demonstrated a preference for social programs to address youth crime and community safety in the Armidale area. Respondents chose BackTrack over Greater Police Presence 75% of the time with an annual benefit of Australian dollars (AUD) 150 per household, equivalent to a community benefit of AUD 2.04 million. This study estimates a strong community preference for BackTrack relative to more policing (a community willing to pay equivalent to AUD 2.04 million) highlighting the clear value of including community preferences when evaluating community-based programs for high-risk young people.

Keywords: youth crime; community; preference; intervention; economic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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