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We report the results of an expanded study of the predictors of recidivism to a Juvenile Assessment Center in Hillsborough County, Florida, involving over 5200 youths processed at the center during the period May 5, 1993 through December 31, 1994. Significant relationships were found between the youths' demographics, their dependency referral factors (physical abuse and neglect) and delinquency referral history variables (property, violence, and public disorder offenses), and their recidivism to the Juvenile Assessment Center. The service delivery and policy implications of these results are discussed.

Screening data, including information obtained from the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services Detention Risk Assessment Instrument and the Problem Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers developed by NIDA, on arrested youths processed at the Hillsborough County, Florida Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC) in November 1993 are analyzed. The results provide support for the effectiveness of the Detention Risk Assessment Instrument in differentiating among youths released to the community unsupervised, youths placed on home detention and those placed in secure detention. Youths placed in secure detnetion evidence the highest rates of problems in regard to self-reported marijuana and alcohol use in the past year, and experiencing potential problems in the areas of leisure and recreation and family relations. Unsupervised release youths evidence the lowest rates of problems in these domains, and youths placed on home detention reflect an intermediate rate of these problems. The service deliv...

Screening data, including results of the Problem Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers (POSIT) developed by the NIDA, on arrested youths processed in May 1993 at the Hillsborough County, Florida Juvenile Assessment Center are analyzed. High rates of potential psychosocial functioning problems were obtained. Relationships were found between the youths' POSIT results, their dependency and delinquency referral histories, self-reported alcohol and marijuana/hashish use and their claimed involvement in mental health or substance use treatment-for which problems they were seriously underserved. The service delivery and policy implications of our findings are drawn.