An Examination of Reading Skills and Reading Outcomes for Youth Involved in a Crime Prevention Program

ABSTRACT

This study examined the incidence of reading impairments, the reading profiles, and the outcomes of a reading intervention for youth involved in a comprehensive crime prevention program. Rates of reading impairments were between 55% and 61%. Reading profiles for participants with reading comprehension impairments showed deficits in phonological decoding and word reading similar to a comparison group without behavioral risks. A subset of the prevention program participants and an age- and reading level–matched comparison group received a phonology- and word-focused reading intervention. Following the intervention, both groups showed reliable and academically meaningful improvements on word- and text-level reading outcomes. The comparison group tended to have higher scores on reading comprehension; however, both groups made significant gains in this area. The reading profiles and positive outcomes in this study suggest that word-focused reading remediation will be effective for youth at imminent risk for antisocial conduct and involvement with the criminal justice system.