Many youth and young people, especially Black, Latinx, and other racially minoritized youth living in historically under invested communities are more likely than their white peers from more affluent neighborhoods to experience an arrest and juvenile justice involvement. Keeping youth and young people from entering the criminal legal system’s revolving door requires providing them with the services and supports necessary to live into their potential. Programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters do this through ongoing mentorship.

JSP is partnering with several chapters of Big Brothers Big Sisters in Ohio to evaluate the program’s activities, implementation, and outcomes. This work includes both a process evaluation and an outcome evaluation, drawing from data from participating school sites and direct engagement with students, their families, teachers, and school administrators. This collaboration seeks to identify effective strategies for supporting young people and preventing involvement in the juvenile justice system. By understanding the impact of mentoring programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters, stakeholders can implement evidence-based practices to promote positive community support for young people, reduce the number of system-involved young people, and help young people live into their potential.