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» Home SDRG Mission Director's Welcome Communities That Care Survey Research Division Staff List Projects Publications Presentations Interventions News Resources Contact Us	Improving lives... For over 30 years the Social Development Research Group (SDRG) has sought to investigate and promote healthy behaviors and positive social development in youth and adults. SDRG is a recognized leader in the field of prevention research. Our efforts to understand how risk and protective factors influence development have resulted in hundreds of articles in peer-reviewed journals and led to the development of tested and effective interventions. SDRG interventions are designed to strengthen bonds between families, schools, and communities with the goal of improving youth outcomes and preventing problem behavior. SDRG’s work has enriched lives, influenced policy, and strengthened communities across the world. Featured News & Publications The prepublication summary of the April 1-2, 2014 workshop on Scaling Effective Family-Focused Preventive Interventions to Promote Children’s CAB Health has been released SDRG's Founding Director, David Hawkins, led the planning of the workshop summarized in this report. learn more... International Youth Development Study (IYDS) research on school suspension cited in Dear Colleague letter from the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education The Dear Colleague letter offers guidance to public elementary and secondary schools in meeting their obligations under Federal law to administer student discipline without discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin. Lead author Sheryl Hemphill from Catholic University in Melbourne, Australia with coauthors from both sides of the Pacific found that school suspensions led to higher rates of problem behavior and substance use both in Victoria and Washington State. IYDS research has had impact on other health policies including guidance to parents on adolescent substance use. learn more... CTC Highlighted as Effective Crime Prevention Tool Prevention systems like Communities That Care should be used to help at-risk youths before they enter the system say researchers in an article published this week in the journal Pediatrics, and featured on NPR. Read the full article here< ...through research