What Works, Wisconsin is a project of the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s School of Human Ecology and the University of Wisconsin–Extension’s Family Living Program. Initiated in 2004 with funding from the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Commission, the What Works project focuses on distilling the latest scientific knowledge on effective policies, practices, and programs, including “evidence-based programs,” for youth and their families, schools, and communities. In addition to disseminating this information to practitioners and policymakers, the What Works staff provide technical assistance on program design, improvement and evaluation. Through publications, presentations, workshops and individualized technical assistance, the What Works team provides practitioners and policymakers with the tools to develop effective programs and evaluate and improve existing programming based on state-of-the-art knowledge of what makes programs effective.

What Works, Wisconsin: What Science Tells Us about Cost-Effective Programs for Juvenile Delinquency Prevention
This report from 2005 synthesizes the latest research on what works in preventing and reducing juvenile delinquency. Released by UW-Madison and UW Extension with funding from the Governor's Juvenile Justice Commission, the report highlights some of the most effective, proven programs in a number of program areas ranging from home visiting for mothers and infants to community-based programs for juvenile offenders. In plain language, the authors synthesize three decades of original research, program evaluations, research reviews, and program registries to promote understanding of evidence-based programs, cost-benefit analysis, and what makes programs effective.

Research to Practice Briefs

Issue 1: Culturally Appropriate Programming (January 2007)
In this brief, we review the research on whether evidence-based programs are equally effective for youth from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

Issue 2: Strategies for recruiting and retaining participants in prevention programs (February 2007)
This brief offers strategies based in research and practice for making a program attractive and worthwhile to youth and families, recruiting participants, and keeping them involved.

Issue 3: Guidelines for selecting an evidence-based program (March 2007)
There are several important considerations when selecting an evidence-based program for implementation. With questions to ask yourself and a list of online program registries, this brief gives you the tools you need to assess whether a program is the right one to implement in your community.

Issue 4: Program fidelity and adaptation (April 2007)
In this brief, we review the types of changes that are often made to programs when they are implemented, and the effects these changes can have. We also suggest strategies for maintaining program effectiveness while ensuring that the program is appealing to participants and meets local needs.

Issue 5: Finding effective solutions to truancy (July 2007)
Taking a developmental, ecological approach, we examine the roles of students, parents, schools, and communities in truancy. We describe two critical components of truancy reduction approaches: Familes, schools, and communities need to work together to set rules for school attendance and to enforce the rules quickly and consistently; and schools need to be places where students want to be.

Issue 6: Evidence-based programs: An overview (October 2007)
Discussions of evidence-based programs typically assume a certain level of familiarity with the subject. This brief describes what it means for a program to be "evidence-based," the advantages and disadvantages of adopting and implementing evidence-based programs, and where you can learn more about evidence-based programs.

Issue 7: Girls in the juvenile justice system: Toward effective gender-responsive programming (January 2008)
Professionals at all levels of the juvenile justice system are struggling with how to effectively meet the needs of female juvenile offenders. In this brief, we examine the characteristics of girls in the juvenile justice system and suggest some promising strategies for creating a more gender-responsive juvenile justice system.

Evidence-informed program improvement

Evidence-informed program improvement manual
This manual introduces a process of program assessment and improvement called evidence-informed program improvement. The process can be used with most child, youth and family prevention and intervention programs. The manual includes an overview of what we have learned from evidence-based programs; a program assessment tool structured around 12 common principles that characterize most effective programs; and an action plan template for planning improvements to your program.

Program Improvement Action Plan Template

What Works, Wisconsin Fact Sheets

Each of these fact sheets provide a brief summary of what research tells us about effective programming in a specific program area.They can be used as part of the evidence-informed program improvement process discussed in the Program Improvement Manual or simply as a way to learn more about what the research says about effective practices and strategies for particular types of programs.

Juvenile offender interventions

Mentoring programs

Out-of-school time programs

Parenting education programs

Truancy prevention and intervention

Additional Resources

Evidence-based Program Registries
This document lists 12 on-line registries, or lists of evidence-based programs that have met specific criteria for effectiveness. The registries listed cover a range of areas including substance abuse and violence prevention as well as the promotion of positive outcomes such as school success and emotional and social competence.

An Introduction to Cost-Benefit Analysis
This series of 30 slides defines cost-benefit analysis and illustrates how it works, using actual data from the Chicago Child-Parent Center Study.

Contacting the What Works team
Stephen Small
Professor of Human Development & Family Studies
1430 Linden Drive, 201 HDFS Building
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI 53706-1575

E-mail: sasmall@wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 263-5688