TY - JOUR A1 - Engel, Christoph A1 - Goerg, Sebastian A1 - Traxler, Christian T1 - Intensified support for juvenile offenders on probation: Evidence from Germany JF - Journal of Empirical Legal Studies N2 - This paper studies a probation program in Cologne, Germany. The program, which has a clear rehabilitative focus, offers intensified personal support to serious juvenile offenders over the first 6 months of their probation period. To evaluate the program's impact on recidivism, we draw on two research designs. Firstly, a small-scale randomized trial assigns offenders to probation with regular or intensified support. Secondly, a regression discontinuity design exploits a cutoff that defines program eligibility. The results suggest that the program reduces recidivism. The effect seems persistent over at least 3 years. Our evidence further indicates that the drop in recidivism is strongest among less severe offenders. KW - youth crime KW - recidivism KW - probation KW - randomized control trial KW - regression discontinuity design Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/jels.12311 VL - 19 IS - 2 SP - 447 EP - 490 ER -