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Youth courts are a diversion program steering first-time, justice-involved youth away from the juvenile justice system. A comparison of recidivism outcomes between Salt Lake Peer Court (SLPC) and Juvenile Court referred youth during 2010 – 2016, shows that individual characteristics affected recidivism more than legal factors after controlling for participation in and completion of the SLPC diversionary program. Also, the racially diverse samples allowed for an examination beyond the problematic White/Black binary. The varied significant effects for race/ethnicity suggest the potential of peer courts for unsettling diversion disparities among justice-involved youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding service providers' preferences and practices in diversion settings is an essential step for policy recommendations. This qualitative grounded theory study evaluated 21 service providers opinions about the impact of gender and culture at seven alternative-to-incarceration agencies for juveniles in New York City. Providers expressed less negativity toward working with girls than indicated in prior studies and favored gender, ethnic, and racial matches between service providers and juveniles, although such matches reduced identity discussions. While this study highlights a need for gender- and culturally informed training, further research should assess whether such frameworks improve program outcomes and reduce juvenile recidivism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the evaluation of Second Opportunity for Success, a 7-week psychoeducation diversion program for youth and their family in Northeast Texas. Between 2017 and 2019, 27 families participated in pre and post-intervention assessments, which included surveys, observation tasks, and interviews to track changes in youths' self-esteem, resistance to peer pressure and ability to resolve conflicts as well as parents' caregiving behaviors. Parents' scores on the use of corporal punishment decreased significantly and they expressed less anger during post program observation task. Pre and post-intervention assessments of the remaining parenting scales (e.g., involvement, disciplining) did not indicate a significant change. Youth scores on pre and post surveys did not indicate significant changes, but observations of their conflict resolution demonstrated improvements in their ability to resolve conflicts with parents. Interview data indicated that both youth and their parents perceived program benefits related to youths' personal growth, youths' ability to resist peer pressure, parenting skills, and youth-parent interaction. A 90-day follow-up of the participants indicated that 85% of youth were adjusting positively at home, in school, and in the community. Although based on a relatively small sample, our results demonstrate that participating in the 7-week program accrued important, albeit modest, participant benefits. Findings are discussed in the context of practice and research implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth adjudicated for sex offenses are frequently overridden to high-risk on general recidivism risk assessments. Little research supports this use of overrides. This study seeks to examine the extent to which those adjudicated for sex and non-sex offenses differ on recidivism rates in a sample of 1,380 sex and non-sex offending youth from a Midwestern state juvenile court. Propensity score matching was used to examine general recidivism rate differences between those adjudicated for sex and non-sex offenses. After matching youth on race, age, and eight criminogenic risk factors, youth adjudicated for sexual offenses recidivated at a significantly lower rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines human trafficking (HT) allegations and subsequent juvenile justice (JJ) involvement. We used longitudinal, statewide, linked administrative data from the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) to investigate predictors of JJ involvement following an HT allegation. We conducted (1) logistic regression models to identify youth characteristics, prior DCF experiences, and prior DJJ experiences that predict JJ referral following an HT allegation and (2) a survival analysis to identify time until JJ referral following an HT allegation. Significant predictors of JJ involvement following an HT allegation include being age 11–17, male, Black, and non-Hispanic; prior neglect, physical abuse, missing-child events, and a number of JJ referrals prior to the alleged trafficking. This research informs the JJ system’s approach to child trafficking victimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescents in vulnerable living contexts (e.g., foster care, juvenile justice facilities, and experiencing homelessness) may be at increased risk of adolescent dating violence victimization (ADV) due to unstable environments and trauma exposure. They may also experience different protective factors. Yet, research is limited on ADV in these contexts. This study assessed differences in ADV experiences among adolescents (10–21 years) in vulnerable contexts compared to adolescents at home utilizing data from a sexual health education program serving communities facing health inequities in California. Descriptive analyses compared adolescents in vulnerable contexts (n = 1,951) with those living at home (n = 10,682). Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of experiencing past year physical and/or sexual ADV by context, controlling for sociodemographic variables. We also examined two potential protective factors: meaningful communication with a parent/guardian and pro-social friendships. Significantly more adolescents in vulnerable contexts than at home identified as male (65.6% vs. 51.6%), 18 years or older (16.5% vs. 8.7%), non-Hispanic Black or African American (14.4% vs. 5%), and LGBTQ+ (15.3% vs. 10.8%). Among adolescents who dated in the past year, 21% in vulnerable contexts reported experiencing physical and/or sexual ADV, compared to 15% of those at home, and reported lower levels of protective factors. Adolescents experiencing homelessness/unstable housing and those in juvenile justice facilities had greater adjusted odds of ADV compared to adolescents at home (56% and 54% higher odds, respectively). It is critical to address systemic factors, which disproportionately impact the most marginalized and disadvantaged adolescents, in approaches for ADV prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, as elsewhere, there is consensus that new and more effective ways of responding to young people who commit crimes need to be identified and, when available, implemented and evaluated. In this paper we review youth justice legislation across each Australian jurisdiction and consider how it provides the mandate for service delivery. We contextualise this with an account of historical variations in how the seemingly competing goals of welfare and justice have been balanced. This is followed by an overview of contemporary understandings of child development and human rights which are increasingly recognised as both relevant and important to the way in which the community works with justice-involved children and young people. The analysis illustrates how youth justice agencies are still expected to achieve multiple and, at times, conflicting legislated objectives which results in a lack of coherence in policy and practice. This serves only to limit effectiveness. We conclude that legislative reform will be necessary to realise any new vision for youth justice, especially if one of the overarching purposes is to protect vulnerable children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluations of juvenile and criminal legal system programs typically focus on outcomes related to program impacts, or effectiveness. However, implementation outcomes – which relate to the processes underlying program execution – are equally as critical to determining program success. Adding to the burgeoning interest in applying implementation science principles to legal system interventions, the current study examined implementation outcomes of the Philadelphia Police School Diversion Program – a school-based, alternative-to-arrest program that has already demonstrated promising effectiveness outcomes. Through qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with 11 school and police stakeholders and quantitative analysis of police data for 2,047 school-based arrests in Philadelphia that occurred during the first five years of program operation, we explored outcomes related to Diversion Program adoption, appropriateness, acceptability, fidelity, penetration/reach, and sustainability, as well as stakeholder thoughts about program expansion and replication. Results revealed several important components of program implementation that contributed to its widespread adoption and sustained operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPrevailing narratives of the early U.S. juvenile court described children as malleable and amenable to personal transformation. However, prior research suggests that delinquent children were not all viewed equally. Using comparative-historical methods, we systematically analyze a database of more than 1500 articles published between 1924 and 1932 to interrogate how dominant opinion-setters envisioned the “delinquent child” in the early twentieth century. We find that, in this critical period of transition from community-based to institution-based sanctions, dominant discourses were shaped by regional differences and perspectives around nature versus nurture. Among religious leaders who emphasized the role of nature, those in the Northeast and Midwest focused on immigrant children, while those in Southern and Western states focused on Black children. Denominational leaders who emphasized nurture focused on society’s failings. Broader implications include how we understand race, immigration, geography, and disadvantage in the genesis of the juvenile justice system and its narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within forensic populations, exposure to traumatic experiences is high. These experiences are associated with multiple mental and physical health problems later in life. Forensic services would therefore ideally adopt a trauma-informed approach. The aim of this scoping review is to identify trauma-informed training or education for staff within forensic mental health care. A database search of English or Dutch language articles from PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science was performed. Researchers reviewed 6,386 articles and nine were included for final analysis, all in justice-involved youth populations. Results show that training in trauma-informed care may facilitate the relationship between staff members and residents and create safer treatment units. Besides this, a reduction in post-traumatic stress symptoms and greater clinical improvement in depression, anxiety, hope and optimism among justice-involved youth was noted. Trauma-informed staff training may also lead to a decrease in incidents taking place as well as a decrease in use of restraints and seclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk-needs assessments (RNAs) assist correctional staff in assigning supervision and programming. While gender is a well-known predictor of crime, for decades contemporary RNAs have claimed "gender-neutrality" or risk prediction equality for males and females. Unfortunately, females are frequently overclassified, relegated to a category higher than their risks indicate. Using ridge and mixed effects regression methods, we sought to enhance the predictive accuracy of the Modified Positive Achievement Change Tool (MPACT) comparing three common assessment development methods via a 10-state sample of youth (N = 241,596) across multiple justice settings. Findings demonstrated recidivism rates vary substantially by gender and bias/overclassification is likely for assessments using a "gender-neutral" approach. Tools that oversample females, or attempt "equally weighting," have similar issues. However, "gender-specific" methods create prediction parity, rooting out overclassification. Study takeaways include the need to evaluate tools for overclassification, methods of eliminating gender bias, while achieving strong predictive validity in development of the MPACT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a strong body of literature underscoring the potential of sport programs to contribute to broad health benefits and positive youth development (PYD) for young people. However, benefits are dependent on a variety of factors including the purpose, structure and setting of programs. Justice settings provide potentially critical spaces for realizing the benefits of sport, but barriers in access among justice-affiliated youth persist, and little is known about programs in this setting. This paper describes a qualitative study exploring juvenile justice administrators' perceptions of programs in their facilities. We find that administrators believe their programs contribute to positive relationships and other important aspects of youth development. Further, programs provide opportunities to practice treatment skills and support re-entry. We conclude that while individual PYD features are reflected in administrators' perceptions of sport, programs also served a broader role for families, facilities, and communities with implications for social justice through sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The criminalization of school discipline and its resulting consequences for students, particularly students of color, has been widely studied. While results from previous research have shown racial and gender differences in punitive school experiences like suspension, school-based arrest, and school-based referrals to juvenile justice systems, existing literature has primarily focused on the experience of Black boys or used aggregate data to examine school-level correlates of referral-rates and has been limited in its examination of referrals for more subjective offenses like disorderly conduct. Informed by Critical Race Feminism, this study sought to examine whether Black girls experience increased odds of referral to the juvenile justice system for disorderly conduct involving school-based offenses in Florida. Our findings suggest that Black girls experience a higher risk of referral for school-based disorderly conduct as compared to other youth referred to the juvenile justice system, suggesting they are more likely to experience this form of school-based criminalization as compared to other youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractLong-term placement could be stressful for youth, who may exhibit problem behaviors such as non-compliance in facilities. This study demonstrates that the consistent involvement of staff in modifying the youths’ behaviors, through a reward system featuring plus points and minus points as responses to particular behaviors, significantly influenced the likelihood of readmission. Furthermore, the research revealed that post-release contact with staff lowered the risk of readmission for non-student youths, highlighting the supportive staff-youth relationships in mitigating recidivism, particularly for the majority of youths detached from educational systems. These findings emphasize the importance of reinforcement and supportive interactions within youth corrections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe delivery of high-quality case work is central to efforts to reform youth justice systems around the world. Youth justice practitioners can be the most effective agents of change when the focus of their casework practice is on listening to justice-involved young people, helping them to feel safe and to avoid re-traumatization, and working in ways that promote positive childhood experiences. It is argued that developing ‘practice-based evidence’ in this way can help to unite the field, to close the policy implementation gap, and simultaneously contribute to the personal wellbeing of young people and the broader agenda of public safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past research suggests that diverting young people away from the criminal justice system and into mental health services can reduce subsequent reoffending, but the impact of such programs on the rates of timely mental health service contact are largely unknown. In this study, we examined a sample of 523 young people who were deemed eligible for mental health diversion between 2008 and 2015. Around half (47%) of these young people were granted diversion by a Magistrate. Overall, the levels of timely mental health service contact after court finalization, even for those who were granted diversion, appeared low given that the purpose of diversion is to facilitate such contact for all those diverted. Specifically, only 22% of those who were granted community-based diversion and 62% of individuals granted inpatient-based diversion had mental health service contact within 7 days of court finalization. Rates of health contact were much lower for those who were not granted either type of diversion (8% and 23%, respectively). Diversion was associated with a significant reduction in reoffending rates, but the impact of early mental health service contact was less clear. There is a need to understand the reasons why many young people are not accessing appropriate mental health services following diversion in order to improve outcomes and fully realize the intended benefits of mental health court diversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continued existence of racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system is of critical importance. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to determine how effectively systems-level interventions have reduced disproportionate minority contact in the juvenile justice system. Eleven identified studies assessed the effectiveness of systems-level interventions and met the inclusion criteria for this review. Implementing a risk assessment tool was the most common strategy in the literature. Although several articles described strategies that decreased juvenile detention and other negative outcomes overall, few strategies were associated with reducing disproportionate minority contact. Local attempts to influence how decisions are made seem to work, but jurisdictions must focus these efforts specifically on disproportionality to combat the intractable issue of disparities in juvenile justice system outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the evolution and implementation of Balanced and Restorative Justice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, an area that has not been explored in the literature. Specifically, we examine how accountability was defined by Pennsylvania's juvenile justice system, how it was measured, and what impact it had, which has to date not been explored in the Commonwealth. Pennsylvania operationalizes accountability in terms of community service, restitution, and victim awareness training. Over 15 years, there was a 6.04% increase in community service hours performed, no change in the amount of restitution paid, and a less than 1% increase in victim awareness training completed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the often observed higher scores on psychopathology in detained girls compared to boys from a maladaptive trait perspective, as conceived by age-specific criterion B assessment of the Alternative Model of Personality Disorders. Participants were detained youth (N = 237; 122 boys; 115 girls, mean age = 15.8 years) from two youth detention centers in Belgium, who completed self-reports on maladaptive traits and psychopathology. Results confirm that the higher rates of psychopathology in incarcerated girls extend to the maladaptive trait level, with particularly higher levels of Emotional Instability and Oddity. In addition, a stronger co-occurrence of psychopathology with maladaptive traits was found for girls, especially for anxious-depressed, angry-irritable, and post-traumatic symptoms. These findings suggest that mental health problems in detained girls appear to be much more related to personality difficulties compared to detained boys, and advocate the inclusion of comprehensive maladaptive trait assessment and gender-sensitive intervention programs for mental health problems in detained youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of addressing youth violence through criminal justice reform has been extensively studied in the Western world, particularly the United States. However, research investigating similar efforts in China has been relatively limited, with few normative studies being the exception. This paper presents China's approach to tackling youth violence by examining the nation's criminal justice reform initiatives in recent years. Specifically, this study examines China's implementation of a lower age of criminal responsibility and the Supreme People's Procuratorate's system for approving the prosecution of juvenile offenders. These measures do not necessarily contravene the best interests of children. Rather, they are implemented to address public concerns and to prevent unjust outcomes in individual cases. Furthermore, China's criminal justice system continues to emphasize the importance of forgiveness and care for young offenders. Thus, it is crucial to approach the issue of youth violence from a multidisciplinary perspective, incorporating considerations of pedagogy, criminology, and psychology, in addition to legal measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Justice-involved youth have a high risk of reoffending after release, indicating the need for evidence-based reentry programming. This paper presents the results of a two-year post-release non-randomized comparison study. The study examined the impact of enhanced transition programming, delivered through Reentry Intervention and Support for Engagement by Integrating Technology (RISE-IT), on recidivism by comparing two groups, youth who received enhanced vs. traditional transition services in a secure care facility. Enhanced services included: enhanced reception, assessment & classification, transition planning, vocational preparation, merging two worlds curriculum, and 30-day aftercare support. Results indicate that youth who received enhanced services through RISE-IT had significantly lower rates of recidivism. Limitations and implications for practice, as well as future research, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the juvenile justice system is an ongoing social justice issue. Here we report on our latest research project within an ongoing industry partnership between staff at The Lighthouse and social work researchers from a regional Queensland University. The Lighthouse is a diversionary service provided by the Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service (TAIHS) that supports young people who are at risk or high risk of offending. The primary aims of this study were to explore the experiences of young people using The Lighthouse diversionary service; and to recruit young people as peer researchers in discussions about the services provided to them. Key results revealed high priorities for participants were physical, emotional, and cultural safety, feeling supported and not judged, and having strong connections at the service so they felt they were among mates, friends, and family. We note lessons learned about undertaking peer research with young people, and highlight the distinctive role undertaken by Indigenous workers. Findings can contribute to informed social work practice and to available literature on engaging young people as peer researchers. IMPLICATIONS Young people at risk of offending want services where they feel safe and not judged. Participatory peer research with at-risk young people can contribute to informed, evidence-based social work. Greater recognition is needed that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers play a distinctive role in maintaining cultural safety in practice and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early scholarship on community corrections officers suggested that officers' perceptions of their professional role influences how they carry out supervision. While some research has supported this contention, the studies examining the relationship have provided minimal attention to juvenile probation and parole, rarely considered actual as well as intended supervision behaviors, and analyzed samples with limited generalizability. The present study sought to fill this gap. Data were collected through the use of an online questionnaire from a sample of juvenile and adult probation and parole officers employed in seven different agencies in five states during spring 2015. The study found client type to be a significant predictor of both officer actual and intended behaviors, with juvenile PPOs preferring more frequent surveillance techniques and less frequent rewards for probationer progress toward goals. Professional orientation was also a significant predict of both types of behavior. Implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immigration disparities are associated with strict school climates and juvenile justice. Place also matters concerning school strictness and disproportionate minority contact for minority youth. What remains unknown is the relationship between school strictness, immigration, and punishment along the Texas-Mexico border. Drawing from the Texas Education Agency's (TEA) Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), we address two questions regarding the relationship between school strictness and juvenile justice referrals in border and non-border schools. First, do the relationships between school strictness and juvenile referrals differ between border and non-border schools? Second, does school strictness moderate the children of immigrants' juvenile justice referrals at border and non-border schools? Findings indicate border and non-border distinctions regarding both strict and lenient school disciplinary practices and the relationships with juvenile justice referrals. This study contributes to juvenile justice research by investigating potential links between school strictness, immigration, juvenile justice referrals, and place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, both the Gosford Training School for Boys in New South Wales and the Westbrook Farm Home for Boys in Queensland were well-established institutions. Both were state-run facilities that ostensibly existed to incarcerate, educate and reform boys convicted of criminal offences. Gosford and Westbrook had total responsibility for the boys under their care during their periods of incarceration. They were responsible not just for the formal education of the boys within them, but also for ensuring that those boys learned how to become good citizens and valuable members of their future communities. This article focuses on how institutional and government authorities communicated and displayed techniques of reformative learning. It examines how this learning was displayed to local communities, arguing that the work of demonstrating that the boys were learning to be good citizens was an important part of institutional governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children who have 'early contact' with youth justice (YJ) are a group of significant policy interest. Understanding circumstances which precede or co-occur with YJ contact can support the development of preventive investments and inform debates about systemic reform, such as 'raise the age'. Using whole-of-population administrative data from the SA Better Evidence Better Outcomes Linked Data (BEBOLD) platform, we examine differences between children who have early (i.e. between the ages of 10 and 13 years) versus late (i.e. at age 14 or older) YJ contact, relative to the general population. Children born 1991–2022 were followed from birth to age 18 (N = 249,995). Compared to the late-contact group, children with early contact experienced more serious YJ contact (91% versus 59% experienced custody); were more disadvantaged at birth (e.g. 66% versus 45% born into jobless families); had more serious child protection contact by age 10 (26% versus 12% experienced out-of-home care); and experienced mental health-related hospitalisations from ages 12–18 (43% versus 34%). Relative to the general population, both groups were characterised by significant social and economic disadvantage, child protection contact and mental health challenges. The need for investment in early prevention to divert children from the justice system is clear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the associations between family and school factors, and their relationship to criminal risk among post-adjudicated diverse young women. Cross-sectional data were collected through the Positive Achievement Change Tool using seven measures of family and school factors (n = 365). After controlling for age, this model (Family incarceration, Running away from home, School suspension or Expulsion, Abuse, Neglect and Special education need) emerged as significant predictors of criminal risk (p ≤.001). However, only family incarceration and special education needs (learning, behavioral or ADHD/ADD) were predictive of higher levels of criminal risk for Black young women while running away from home was predictive for Hispanic young women. Interventions should be gender-specific and culturally responsive in addressing family and school factors that impact diverse young women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A substantial body of literature documenting the "school-to-prison-pipeline" identifies the adverse effects of punitive school discipline policies and how they have increased the contact students have with the juvenile justice system. This literature tends to position school policies and the broader education system as a significant contributor – both directly and indirectly – to incarceration. Relying on data from California, our paper first argues that there is little evidence of a direct "school-to-prison pipeline," as school discipline policies are rarely directly responsible for juvenile incarceration. Drawing from an extensive secondary literature on mass incarceration and data on incarceration and crime rates, the paper then argues that there is little reason to believe that school policy is a substantive indirect driver of incarceration rates. Finally, we show that activists and policymakers have adopted the STPP framework in ways that incorrectly suggest that changes in school policy are key to addressing incarceration. While the metaphor has proven to be morally evocative and catchy, attracting the attention of activists and politicians across the political spectrum, it ultimately obfuscates the complex realities of what drives punitiveness in schools and in society writ large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Family First Prevention and Services Act (FFPSA) has created a major policy shift in how services are delivered in the US child welfare system. There is now an increased emphasis and incentive for states to focus on preventing children from entering the foster care system and the juvenile justice system. In addition, the FFPSA has created rigorous standards for evidence around these prevention services. We analyzed juvenile justice outcome data for the Family First parenting program for youth who started Families First between 2007 and2012. Youth in the program were matched to a comparison sample of court-supervised youth in the same time period using a propensity score-matched pair design. We found that youth enrolled in Families First had significantly fewer misdemeanor and felony charges than youth in the comparison group 12 months after the start (54% less) and end of the program (55% less). There were mixed findings for reductions in status and technical offenses. Our results suggest that the Families First model can be an effective intervention strategy for reducing recidivism in youth that are involved in both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from the Pathways to Desistance Project, this study examined the bi-directional and longitudinal relationship between mental health symptoms and connectedness among 561 system involved Black youth. Higher mental health symptom scores at baseline increased connectedness scores one year later. Connectedness scores increased for two consecutive years until the transition to adulthood when participants were on average 19–20 years-old. During the transition to adulthood, mental health symptom scores worsened, highlighting the transition to adulthood as a key timepoint to administer supportive interventions addressing the mental health needs of Black youth who interact with the juvenile justice system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States hosts more immigrants than any country in the world and has been referred to as a nation of immigrants. While there has been a persistent focus on immigration in America, the focal point has typically been on the criminality of those who have migrated to the US. Overtime, negative rhetoric in the media and politics has stereotyped immigrants as criminals. Despite these negative perceptions, there is a dearth of literature on how immigrants are processed in the criminal justice system. Most research thus far assessing this relationship is limited to adult defendants, while paying little to no attention to how immigration status impacts juvenile justice outcomes. To add to the limited body of knowledge on immigrant status and court processing, this study uses a limited sample of adjudicated youth from the Pathways to Desistance study (N = 414) to explore how immigration status impacts dispositional outcomes in juvenile court. In comparison to non-immigrant youth, we find that first-generation immigrant status is positively associated with receiving an incarcerative sanction (i.e., detention). However, no significant effects were observed for second-generation immigrants. Implications for policy and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a study investigating both predictors of resilience on a group of educators of the juvenile justice system and effects of group training on this construct. Results showed that (a) self-efficacy in managing positive and negative emotions and positive attitude are predictors of resilience and (b) the comparison of pre-post values revealed an impact of training affecting the balance between self-efficacy in managing positive and negative emotions and positive attitude. Ultimately, this study seems to indicate the need to promote targeted training experiences on emotion management for supporting the educators in the juvenile justice system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, research has focused on the scale-level properties of juvenile risk assessments, such as their predictive validity across populations. Although these studies are valuable, they provide little item-level information to inform future developments in assessment strategies. Item-level information, including the difficulty and discrimination parameters of the items that comprise the scale, provides insight into patterns of endorsement across risk levels. The current study examines the item-level characteristics of the Ohio Youth Assessment System-Disposition Tool (OYAS-DIS) in a sample of 459 justice-involved youths across a Midwestern state. Using the two-parameter logistic model of Item Response Theory, discrimination and difficulty parameters were estimated for each item that comprises the OYAS-DIS. A test information curve was also examined to determine the levels at which the OYAS-DIS provides the most information. Results indicated that prosocial decision-making items had low difficulty, meaning that even low-risk youths endorsed them. Overall, OYAS-DIS provides the most information for low- to high-risk youths, but additional items should be created to examine prosocial decision-making, as these items may be characteristic of justice-involved youths as a group and not an indicator of greater recidivism risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared the relationships between incarcerated youths' injustice perceptions and demographic variables and personal and vicarious experiences with the justice system using indexes of injustice derived from Matza and Tyler. The two injustice frameworks represent different academic traditions in ways that raise different prospects. Matza contextualizes his formulation of injustice in group processes that emphasize shared neutralization of regulating norms because of injustice. That emphasis is absent in Tyler. Tyler's work has led to an invariance claim across demographics that is not postulated by Matza. We analyzed data from the Florida Faith and Community-Based Delinquency Treatment Initiative. We found nonwhite youths perceived more injustice as measured by both indexes. In a boys-only subsample, younger boys perceived more injustice measured by the Tyler index. Vicarious exposure via friends' experiences with police related to higher perceived levels of injustice only on the Matza index. We encourage researchers to be precise in their operationalizations and measurement of injustice perceptions and to consider the theoretical grounding of their research in making injustice measurement choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on racial disparity within the juvenile justice system have demonstrated continued disproportionate minority contact (DMC) and racial and ethnic disparity (RED) issues throughout each decision point, especially at earlier stages. Yet, most research has centered on urban areas, with minimal attention given to youth-of-color in rural jurisdictions. As such, the current study utilized juvenile intake and assessment data from a rural Midwestern state, focused on racial and ethnic disparities prior to and per-COVID-19. Using data from a rural state, we examine the monthly counts of juveniles assessed at juvenile intake centers with an interrupted time-series design to explore whether the pandemic's impact differed by race or ethnicity. Our findings do not support the claim that the pandemic has exacerbated racial or ethnic disparity. Yet, trends suggest white and non-Hispanic youth, as well as youth in rural jurisdictions, are presenting at juvenile intake centers at less reduced rates than their youth-of-color and urban counterparts, per-COVID-19. The results show the pandemic has radically reduced assessments to the juvenile justice system, though this impact is not equally distributed. While intersectional comparisons are not possible at this time, policy implications and future directions are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a significant gap in research examining the prevalence of problem behaviors among youth involved in the juvenile justice system in rural areas. The current study sought to address this gap by exploring the behavioral patterns of 210 youth who were on juvenile probation in predominantly rural counties and who were identified as having a substance use disorder. First, we examined the correlation among 7 problem behaviors representing different forms of substance use, delinquency, and sexual risk-taking and 8 risk factors related to recent service utilization, internalizing and externalizing difficulties, and social support networks. Then, we used latent class analysis (LCA) to identify distinct behavioral profiles based on the observed problem behaviors. LCA identified a 3-class model representing distinct groups labeled Experimenting (70%), Polysubstance Use + Delinquent Behaviors (24%), and Diverse Delinquent Behaviors (6%). Finally, we assessed differences (i.e., ANOVA, χ2) in each risk factor across the behavioral profiles. Important similarities and differences in the association among the problem behaviors, behavioral profiles, and the risk factors were revealed. These findings underscore the need for an interconnected behavioral health model within rural juvenile justice systems that is able to address youths' multidimensional needs including criminogenic, behavioral, and physical health needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined parent acquiescence to attorney recommendations in plea bargain decisions, and the effect of racial similarity between an attorney and their juvenile client's parent. Scholarship indicates that youth are vulnerable to the influence of authority figures in plea-bargaining, leading to a reliance on parental and attorney input for plea decisions. Parents read a vignette with attorney's race manipulated, imagining they are participating in the plea-bargaining process and the attorney is giving them recommendations regarding how to plea. Results show White parents were more likely to take a plea and had more trust in the attorneys. Black attorneys were found to be most trustworthy, especially for White parents. Parent race impacted plea advice acquiescence more than attorney/parent racial similarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minors under the age of 18 involved in prostitution, or commercial sex acts, are defined as victims by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. However, state and local justice systems continued to arrest and incarcerate minors for prostitution after the passage of the TVPA despite widespread agreement that youth involved in commercial sexual exploitation are victims, not offenders. Most youth charged with prostitution have an extensive history of victimization experiences and detaining them often exacerbates their problems, delays appropriate therapeutic responses, interrupts their education, exposes them to youth who commit more serious offenses, and increases justice system costs. The purpose of this study is to describe the characteristics and risk factors (e.g., victimization histories, drug/alcohol use, gang involvement, home type) of justice-involved youth charged with prostitution in the United States. Given that males and females have different pathways to crime/arrest, this study will also test for gender differences in these risk factors using a nationally representative sample of incarcerated youth (Survey of Youth in Residential Placement; Sedlak, 2003). Results indicate this population of incarcerated youth have several risk factors, including extensive victimization experiences during childhood, and that these experiences vary by gender. I conclude with the implications of this research and give several policy and future research recommendation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses a gap in the literature on youth justice in England and Wales by examining disaggregated patterns of juvenile court processing (i.e. proven offences) and custody. It provides new evidence to show that gendered effects are best observed over time. Looking at juvenile justice data over time allows us to see the effects of policy that are obscured in the short-term. This is especially important when considering small and specific populations, such as girls. It is often assumed that policy impacts smaller groups in the justice system (in this case, girls) in the same way as the larger group (in this case, boys), with boys' experiences representing the norm. In this paper, we call into question that assumption by considering female and male proven offences and juvenile custody over time in England and Wales and show why gendered impacts should be given proper consideration. We also examine changes in the gender gap in proven offences and juvenile custody over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to substance use (SU) and substance use disorders (SUD). However, this relationship has yet to be tested among justice-involved children (JIC), and it is unclear if racial/ethnic differences exist. This study aimed to determine: (1) whether ACEs are associated with increased risk of SU and SUD among JIC; and (2) if the effects of ACEs on SU and SUD are moderated by race/ethnicity. Methods: Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to examine a statewide dataset of 79,960 JIC from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. Marginal odds were estimated to examine how race moderates the relationship between ACEs and SU and SUD. Results: Results showed higher ACEs scores were linked to SU and SUD. Black JIC were 2.46 times more likely, and Latinx JIC were 1.40 times more likely to report SU than white JIC. Specifically, Black and Latinx JIC with a higher average ACEs score were more likely to report SU but less likely to have ever been diagnosed with a SUD when compared to white JIC with equivalent ACEs. Conclusions: Study results highlight the need to develop trauma-informed and culturally appropriate interventions for SU and SUD among JIC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine how often evidence-based practices (EBPs) were used in a detention facility in the rural Deep South and to examine barriers that might interfere with their implementation. Mixed methods were used including an anonymous online survey and three in-depth interviews with juvenile justice workers. Findings showed inconsistencies among workers regarding their reported use of EBPs, specifically regarding mental health, substance abuse treatment and parental involvement. Qualitative findings using thematic analysis indicated that the major barriers were limited resources and lack of family engagement. The varied responses regarding the types and frequency of EBPs were surprising given that only one facility was examined. Qualitative findings demonstrated some inconsistencies with prior research regarding the challenging nature of implementing EBPs. This study highlighted a gap between evidence-informed research and practice in a rural justice system in the Deep South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the neighborhood context of offending for Asian American youth. The current study differentiates between coethnic neighborhood types and considers if residence in ethnoburbs–a more recently conceptualized coethnic neighborhood–is associated with more serious arrests (for substance, property, weapon, or violent offenses). Asian youth in ethnic enclaves had lower odds of a violence arrest relative to youth in non-coethnic neighborhoods. Youth in ethnoburbs had higher odds of a weapons arrest, but this association is attenuated after adjusting for individual-level covariates. Implications for future research include exploring mechanisms for place-based targeted intervention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to identify substance use disorders among youth who enter the juvenile justice system using a validated screener, such as the Texas Christian University Drug Screen 5 (TCU DS 5), so that necessary services can be provided to youth in need of treatment. While the TCU DS 5 is a valid, evidence-based screener, the use of an Item Response Theory model may better differentiate between mild, moderate, and severe forms of substance use disorders. The current study analyzed the feasibility and incremental value gained in using an Item Response Theory model to compute drug use severity scores as compared to its current scoring methodology. Results showed that while Item Response Theory may not be worthwhile as the standard method of scoring, item level analyses revealed there are benefits to using Item Response Theory to determine which items on a screener are most suggestive of severe substance use problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

U.S. states have made a good deal of progress in reducing the number of youths incarcerated in residential facilities in recent decades. While this is a positive development, racial and ethnic disparities (RED) persist in which youths are being placed in these facilities. That incongruence means that youths of color are still poised to experience the downsides of those custodial experiences. Juvenile risk and needs assessment (JRNA) has been endorsed as one means of reducing RED in the juvenile justice system, but the literature on performance across race and ethnicity subgroups is limited and mixed to date. This study uses data from 680 youth in juvenile residential facilities in a Western U.S. state, including large subsamples of White and Hispanic youths, to investigate the performance of a JRNA tool, the Ohio Youth Assessment System. The analyses focus on race and ethnicity differences in prevalence of risk and needs; predictive validity across groups; and measurement invariance between White and Hispanic youths. The discussion focuses on key findings and their implications for addressing RED in juvenile justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Victim-offender conferencing programs have expanded the type of victims involved in restorative rituals. However, little research has examined how variations in victim presence might impact these interventions. The aim of this study was to examine whether conferences involving actual victims resulted in higher reparation completion and how surrogate characteristics might impact reparation outcomes. Using regression modeling, we estimated how the variables of interest predicted reparation completion. Conferences with surrogates had a higher probability of completion than those with actual victims. Using surrogates may be a promising strategy to expand restorative justice practices when actual victim participation is not possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Music has been welcomed to juvenile justice institutions as a transformative practice supporting the rehabilitation of youth offenders to citizens. However, acknowledging that such institutions are not neutral instruments of the law but political arenas within which notions of ideal citizenship are imposed and contested, the transformative work of music in these settings is related to profoundly ethical questions of who incarcerated young people are, who we hope they become, and the kind of society we are striving towards. This article reports a qualitative metasynthesis of contemporary research on music in juvenile justice settings, examining how such transformative work might reinforce or disrupt the existing social order and enable young people to enact their own subjectivities through music. Arguing against music as a form of coercive correction, this article suggests that an engagement with the politics of music programmes might better support the realisation of a shared humanity underpinned by ideals of equity and relationality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing datasets can be especially useful in counseling outcome research. Institutional or governmental resources such as electronic medical, educational, social services, and criminal justice records hold valuable information about our clients' lives (e.g. systemic issues, barriers to treatment, advocacy needs). Unfortunately, these datasets often exist in silos so tracking an individual across multiple datasets is a complex challenge. In this article, we describe our approach to linking individuals across an existing statewide K-12 student discipline database and a statewide juvenile justice database. We also describe data security safeguards and strategies for success utilizing archival data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth offending has received significant attention in recent years in Queensland and across Australia. While the voices of young people who are offending or at risk of offending are evident in some studies, other reports do not identify them as key stakeholders. A recent university–industry research collaboration sought to prioritise the voices of young people engaging with The Lighthouse, a diversionary service within Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Heath Services (TAIHS), through the use of qualitative, photovoice methods. The primary aim of this photovoice project was to capture the perceptions and needs of young people currently at risk of offending in order to help shape local service delivery. A thematic analysis enabled the identification of four key themes. Participants felt unsafe and under surveillance in public spaces; they wanted more amenities where they could enjoy being in the community with their peers; they reported that peers and family were very important to them; and they appreciated services on offer at The Lighthouse and acknowledged these services supported behavioural change. The findings provide a unique contribution to policy and service delivery focused on young people at risk of offending and to the literature on the use of photovoice methodologies. IMPLICATIONS Photovoice is a creative, participatory method that value adds to research outcomes through participant skill development. Young people participating in, or at risk of, offending can contribute to research, in turn informing policy and practice to better meet their needs. Seeing through the eyes of young people provides a unique perspective on community inclusion, safe spaces, and transformative practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influenced by Dr. Michael Leiber, a body of juvenile justice research explores how legal, extralegal and institutional decision-making factors racialize the process of punishment. While this scholarship has indirectly considered the role of school-related factors for unequal court outcomes, an interdisciplinary body of work explores the relationship between schooling and criminal justice institutions directly, often under the framework of the school-to-prison pipeline. Building on juvenile justice research, and departing from the pipeline framing, we utilize the analytic framework of the school-prison nexus – which theorizes schools and the criminal justice system as fundamentally and symbiotically linked – to examine the role of school referral source and school enrollment status on differential court outcomes. Our findings highlight the structural and institutional processes behind the relationship between school enrollment and incarceration, and have implications for the ways in which the nexus between schools and juvenile courts entrench broader systems of inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth involved in the juvenile justice system are at elevated risk for suicide and co-occurring mental health symptoms. This study aims to examine the suicide risk and treatment needs of court-involved, non-incarcerated (CINI) youth, and to understand the acceptability and effectiveness of implementing a mental health screening procedure at time of first court contact. By embedding a forensic mental health screening tool into the intake process of a family court diversionary program, a total of 891 youth (aged 12–18) were assessed using the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-2 (MAYSI-2). Analysis of screening responses revealed 12.5% of youth indicated risk for suicide with risk levels differentiated by youth sex, race and ethnicity. Suicide ideation was also significantly associated with flagging, an indication of clinical risk, on all other scales of the MAYSI-2, as well as subsequent referrals to treatment. Screening for suicide at first point of court contact within an existing diversionary program may serve as a critical and effective point of intervention for youth in need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]