Dr. Stephen Phillippi, Jr., associate professor in behavioral and community health sciences, and Dr. Debra DePrato, associate professor with the Institute for Public Health and Justice, at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Public Health, published an article this week entitled “Advancing Evidence-Based Practices for Juvenile Justice Reform Through Community Development” in the Taylor and Francis Journal of Community Practice.  Although there is general agreement in the literature regarding the efficacy of services that reduce delinquent behaviors in juveniles, that knowledge has not penetrated the policy-making and political venues, much less the general public. As a result, less than 10 percent of juvenile offenders are provided these evidence-based community services that could substantially reduce violence, substance abuse, mental health symptoms, and other areas of public health concern.