Responding to adolescent family violence: Findings from an impact evaluation

By Haylely Boxall, Anthony Morgan, Isabella Voce and Maggie Coughlan

Despite growing recognition of the prevalence of and harms associated with adolescent family violence, our knowledge of how best to respond remains underdeveloped. This paper describes the findings from the outcome evaluation of the Adolescent Family Violence Program. The results show that the program had a positive impact on young people and their families, leading to improved parenting capacity and parent–adolescent attachment. However, there was mixed evidence of its impact on the prevalence, frequency and severity of violent behaviours. The evaluation reaffirms the importance of dedicated responses for young people who use family violence, and the potential benefits, and limits, of community-based programs.

Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, no. 601. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2020. 18p.