Researchers have called for a new intervention strategy that brings parole and probation officers closer to the families of serious youthful offenders. It is argued that simple supervision and enforcement have not reduced the rate of recidivism for young offenders. As such, a new paradigm that more concretely involves parole officers in the family lives of serious youthful offenders is a necessary step toward crime reduction. The authors describe the parole initiative known as the Growing Up FAST program, which was designed with this new intervention strategy in mind. The program strives to strengthen families through a two-step process. The first step involves the creation of a family definition of “successful adulthood.” The second level involves the application of this definition in the family’s everyday lives. A case study is presented of a female youthful offender who was referred to the Growing Up FAST program. The authors show how the program helps with competency development, accountability to the victim, and responsibility for public safety. In conclusion, the authors note that in many cases, intervention strategies are put in place without parole officers having the tools to make the strategies work in the field. The Growing Up FAST program represents a partnership between researchers and practitioners in the field. References