Advancing the Evidence-Based Era

Abstract Since the 1990s, the Washington State Legislature has made significant investments to develop an “evidence-based” juvenile justice system, and research evidence has been central to this effort. Through collaboration between the research community, policymakers, and practitioners, Washington State has experienced significant shifts in its juvenile justice population. The Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) has produced numerous nonpartisan reports for the legislature on the juvenile justice system over the past several decades. This chapter provides an overview of the evolution of juvenile justice policies, populations, and related WSIPP research. It examines the successes, challenges, and lessons learned in Washington and concludes by offering pathways forward for the broader research community. Recent findings in Washington suggest that a new era of juvenile justice research is needed to identify how changes in justice-involved populations and court practices may affect the long-term effectiveness of evidence-based programs.