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Pathways to Prevention Project: Doing Developmental Prevention in a Disadvantaged Community

NCJ Number
215278
Author(s)
Ross Homel; Kate Freiberg; Cherie Lamb; Marie Leech; Sam Batchelor; Angela Carr; Ian Hay; Rosie Teague; Gordon Elias
Date Published
August 2006
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This paper presents results on the effectiveness of the Australian Pathways to Prevention project aimed at a broad set of planned interventions in the prevention of anti-social behavior, targeting 4 to 6 year old children.
Abstract
Results are promising with results indicating that boys improved significantly in terms of being prepared for school with reduction in difficult behavior. This is encouraging as boys tend to experience more difficulties at school and become enmeshed in the justice system more frequently. Strong evidence was seen that multilayered interventions in school and community settings could influence developmental pathways. The Pathways to Prevention project has proven influential. Studies of the pathways to antisocial behavior have identified persistent conduct problems, oppositional behavior, and physical aggression in the preschool and early primary school years are among the strongest predictors of adolescent aggression, delinquent behavior, and later adult offending. The Pathway to Prevention project which began in 2001 focuses on the transition to school. It involves the integration of family support programs with preschool and school-based programs in seven schools within a community development framework. This paper outlines the ongoing objectives, design, and program content of the project. It presents findings for the first phase of the project, along with achievements and challenges. Tables, references