A FAMILY EMPOWERMENT INTERVENTION FOR FAMILIES OF JUVENILE-OFFENDERS

This paper presents a summary of the Family Empowerment Intervention ( FEI), a family systems intervention delivered in the home by well-trai ned, nontherapists. The effectiveness of this service-based interventi on is being evaluated in a randomized trial of 720 families of juvenil e offenders in Tampa, Florida. Beside the intensive intervention perio d of three weekly family visits over 10 weeks, FEI includes monthly ph one contact and a standardized protocol for further interventions bein g delivered by telephone or at home, plus an extensive service linkage component. We discuss the theoretical framework of this intervention, its goals, stages, and phases of implementation. Staff selection, tra ining, and supervision are addressed, as well as are crisis interventi on and staff safety issues.