MULTISYSTEMIC THERAPY - AN EFFECTIVE VIOLENCE PREVENTION APPROACH FORSERIOUS JUVENILE-OFFENDERS

This article provides an overview of a treatment approach, Multisystem ic Therapy (MST), that has demonstrated long term reductions in crimin al activity and violence among youth at high risk for perpetrating vio lence. Importantly, central aspects of MST are consistent with the rec ent public health agenda of violence prevention in the United States. Moreover, as demonstrated from the findings of controlled clinical tri als evaluating MST with serious juvenile offenders, the viability of t he public health approach is supported. (C) 1996 The Association for P rofessionals in Services for Adolescents