A study on the best way to handle juvenile offenders has received a $1 million grant from the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Led by Elizabeth Cauffman, a UCI professor of psychology & social behavior, the national study is tracking 1,000 first-time juvenile offenders to compare how they respond to formal court system punishment versus informal community service. The goal is to create a research database that could help guide decisions by juvenile justice professionals.