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ObjectiveThis hypothetical vignette-based experiment was designed to better understand judges' and probation officers' interpretations and use of juvenile risk assessment tools in their decision-making around restrictive sanctions and confinement of youths on the basis of the youths' risk level and race.HypothesesWe expected that estimates of the probability of juvenile recidivism would significantly mediate the relationship between a categorical risk descriptor and decisions regarding the ordering confinement of youths. We also hypothesized that youths' race would serve as a significant moderator in the model.MethodJudicial and probation staff (N = 309) read a two-part vignette about a youth who was arrested for the first time; in this vignette, race (Black, White) and risk level (low, moderate, high, very high) of the youth were varied. Participants were asked to estimate the likelihood that the youth would recidivate in the following year and their likelihood of ordering or recommending residential placement.ResultsAlthough we found no simple, significant relationship between risk level and confinement decisions, judicial and probation staff estimated higher likelihoods of recidivism as risk-level categories increased and ordered out-of-home placements at increased rates as their estimations of the youth's likelihood of recidivation increased. The youth's race did not moderate the model.ConclusionThe greater the probability of recidivism, the more likely each judge or probation officer was to order or recommend out-of-home placement. However, importantly, legal decisionmakers appeared to apply categorical risk assessment data to their confinement decisions using their own interpretations of risk category rather than being guided empirically on the basis of risk-level categories. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Anecdotal evidence suggests Black caregivers tend to engage in a sociocultural practice called 'the Talk,' in which they equip youth with knowledge to facilitate successful navigation of police encounters. Yet, little empirical research exists examining this practice and the factors that may influence the transmission of messages from parents to youth. This study examined the types of messages parents deem important for children to understand about police, whether racial differences exist, and whether parents' police legitimacy attitudes play a role in perceived importance. Exploratory factor analysis of survey responses from 1,056 parents identified four constructs inherent in The Talk: messages about Police Role, Compliance, Police Behaviors and Safety Behaviors. Using survey data from 948 Black and White parents, multiple regression analyses revealed that parent race was significantly related to the importance parents placed on communicating specific types of messages about the police and that legitimacy attitudes moderated these relationships. Consistent with prior findings of racial differences in legitimacy attitudes, Black parents reported less trust in the police than White parents. Black parents also placed less importance on communicating positive socialization messages about police and greater importance on communicating messages related to compliance, expectations of negative police behaviors, and maintaining personal safety during police encounters. Although legitimacy attitudes significantly moderated the relationship between parent race and message content, Black parents' legitimacy attitudes were a weaker driver of parents' messages than White parents' attitudes, suggesting that additional factors (e.g., expectations of differential treatment) may motivate Black parents' socialization practices., Author(s): Keisha April [sup.1] [sup.2] , Lindsey M. Cole [sup.3] , Naomi E. S. Goldstein [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.166341.7, 0000 0001 2181 3113, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, [...]

Although adolescents' understanding and appreciation of Miranda rights have been examined with community youth and youth in the legal system, Miranda waiver capacities have not been compared between these populations, a comparison critical to elucidating relationships between rights comprehension, age, and IQ. This study compared Miranda comprehension between 108 juveniles in residential pre- and post-adjudication facilities and 43 students in a high-achieving private school. The juvenile justice sample had significantly lower Miranda comprehension, attributable to differences in verbal IQ. The relationship between age and verbal IQ and Miranda comprehension differed for the two samples, suggesting relationships between these variables may be more complex than previously thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduced a novel laboratory false confession paradigm to research on true and false confession. Participants were 91 undergraduates who were given the opportunity to cheat on a research task. All were ultimately accused of cheating. Of participants innocent of cheating, 17.9% confessed. Results suggest that the current paradigm complements existing paradigms. In addition, this paradigm has useful strengths. With appropriate modifications, it can be used to study rates of false confession among youth and allows for manipulation of paradigm-specific factors so that future research can study which of these factors lead to true confessions but minimize false confessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female juvenile offenders exhibit high levels of anger, relational aggression, and physical aggression, but the population has long been ignored in research and practice. No anger management treatments have been developed specifically for this population, and no established anger management treatments are empirically supported for use with delinquent girls. Thus, to alleviate anger and reduce the frequency and severity of aggressive behaviors in this underserved population, we developed the gender-specific, Juvenile Justice Anger Management (JJAM) Treatment for Girls. This cognitive-behavioral intervention was adapted from the Coping Power Program (Lochman & Wells, 2002), a school-based anger management treatment for younger children that has established efficacy and effectiveness findings with its target populations. This paper describes how the content of JJAM was developed to meet the unique needs of adolescent girls in residential juvenile justice placements. It also traces the process of developing a manualized treatment and the steps taken to enhance efficacy and clinical utility. An overview of the treatment, a session-by-session outline, an example session activity, and an example homework assignment are provided. A randomized controlled trial is currently being conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the JJAM Treatment for Girls. (Contains 1 table and 2 figures.)

This article describes the psychometric properties of the "Miranda Rights Comprehension Instruments", the revised version of Grisso's "Miranda" instruments. The original instruments demonstrated good reliability and validity in a normative sample. The revised instruments updated the content of the original instruments and were administered to a sample of 183 youth in pre- and postadjudication facilities. Analyses were conducted to establish the psychometric properties of the revised instruments and included similar analyses to those conducted by Grisso, as well as additional calculations (e.g., standard errors of measurement, intraclass correlation coefficients, Kappa coefficients). Results revealed sound psychometric properties, similar to those observed for the original instruments. (Contains 15 notes and 6 tables.)

The legal files of 144 juveniles charged as adults in one Pennsylvania county were reviewed to investigate whether trauma-related information was included in evaluations of amenability to treatment and how that information related to legal decisions to keep youth in criminal court or decertify them to the juvenile system. Potentially traumatic experiences (PTEs) were noted in more than 71% of evaluations. Youth with any PTE documented were more likely to remain in criminal court, have more prior arrests, report regular marijuana use, and have mental health diagnoses associated with offending behaviors. Youth with direct (versus witnessed) exposure to PTEs were more likely to have been placed out of home and to be diagnosed with other mental health disorders. However, only 6% of the evaluations specifically recommended treatment for trauma-related issues, and documentation of PTEs was not associated with the ultimate legal decision except in cases involving severe injury.

This study examined whether aggression is contagious in day care classrooms. In a low-income, urban day care center, it was hypothesized that aggression was more likely to occur immediately following an aggressive act than when no aggression occurred. The prediction was tested using a newly developed randomization process and the hypothesis was supported. (Author)

Growing recognition of the school-to-prison pipeline and its associated detrimental effects has spurred efforts aimed at reducing the rate of school-based arrests across the United States. One such initiative, the Philadelphia Police School Diversion Program, has demonstrated promising findings related to reduced numbers of school-based arrests and improved school outcomes among youth. However, without information about the financial costs and benefits associated with program operation, stakeholders may be hesitant to implement similar programming in other localities. Therefore, we conducted a cost–benefit analysis of the Philadelphia Police School Diversion Program. Results indicated that this diversion program produced approximately $1.6 million in inflation-adjusted net benefit in its first year of operation and approximately $1.9 million in inflation-adjusted net benefit in its fifth year of operation. Findings may inform decisions about program replication in other jurisdictions where stakeholders seek alternative school policing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]