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Objectives: Study objectives were to (a) understand juvenile justice staff members' experiences with engaging families in youth substance use services and (b) identify staff‐perceived barriers to family engagement across steps of substance use service provision. Background: Lack of family involvement in juvenile justice system substance use (SU) services is a key barrier to successful treatment of justice‐involved youth. Method: From June through November 2015, 33 focus groups were conducted at juvenile justice system probation sites across seven states. There were 263 participants, which included juvenile justice probation and behavioral health staff. Results: Strategies to engage families in services were highly variable across the 33 juvenile justice sites. Juvenile justice staff members identified barriers to family engagement in SU services including family discomfort, distrust of juvenile justice staff, lack of family service compliance, difficulties accessing SU services, lack of transportation, insurance and cost barriers, low perceived need for treatment, lack of SU education, and SU treatment stigma. Conclusion and Implications: Barriers to family engagement directly impact the success of SU service provision in juvenile justice settings. Implementation of strategies to engage families of justice‐involved youth (e.g., providing tangible, informational, and emotional support to families, and involving families in juvenile justice policy and care decisions) are critical to improving SU outcomes among this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Given high rates of substance use among justice-involved youth, justice systems have attempted to monitor use through drug screening (DS) procedures. However, there is discretion in deciding who is screened for substance use, as not every youth who encounters the system is screened. The aim of the current study was to examine factors associated with selection for and results of oral DS among justice-involved youth assigned to probation to better inform potential DS policy. Electronic court records from 4,668 youth with first-incident records assigned to probation in a midwestern urban county’s juvenile justice system between 2011 and 2016 were included in the analytical sample. Race/ethnicity, gender, age, number of charges and charge type for the current incident were included as independent variables. Results Multivariable hierarchical logistic regression analyses indicated that males were more likely to be assigned to DS (aOR = 0.40, 95%CI [0.34, 0.46]), and more likely to test positive for use (aOR = 0.43, 95% CI [0.34, 0.54]) than females. As age increased, youth were less likely to be assigned to DS (aOR = 0.91, 95% CI [0.87, 0.94]), with non-significant differences in DS results. Greater number of charges were associated with a higher likelihood of being assigned to DS (aOR = 1.55, 95% CI [1.43, 1.68]). Youth with violent offenses were more likely to be assigned to DS than those with other offense types (property offenses, drug offenses, statutory offenses, disorderly conduct, and all other offenses), but less likely to test positive for use. Conclusions Many factors were associated with differences in DS, but these factors were not always associated with differential DS results. Demographic or charge-based decisions may not be appropriate for DS assignment.

Background: Given high rates of substance use among justice-involved youth, justice systems have attempted to monitor use through drug screening (DS) procedures. However, there is discretion in deciding who is screened for substance use, as not every youth who encounters the system is screened. The aim of the current study was to examine factors associated with selection for and results of oral DS among justice-involved youth assigned to probation to better inform potential DS policy. Electronic court records from 4,668 youth with first-incident records assigned to probation in a midwestern urban county's juvenile justice system between 2011 and 2016 were included in the analytical sample. Race/ethnicity, gender, age, number of charges and charge type for the current incident were included as independent variables. Results: Multivariable hierarchical logistic regression analyses indicated that males were more likely to be assigned to DS (aOR = 0.40, 95%CI [0.34, 0.46]), and more likely to test positive for use (aOR = 0.43, 95% CI [0.34, 0.54]) than females. As age increased, youth were less likely to be assigned to DS (aOR = 0.91, 95% CI [0.87, 0.94]), with non-significant differences in DS results. Greater number of charges were associated with a higher likelihood of being assigned to DS (aOR = 1.55, 95% CI [1.43, 1.68]). Youth with violent offenses were more likely to be assigned to DS than those with other offense types (property offenses, drug offenses, statutory offenses, disorderly conduct, and all other offenses), but less likely to test positive for use. Conclusions: Many factors were associated with differences in DS, but these factors were not always associated with differential DS results. Demographic or charge-based decisions may not be appropriate for DS assignment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Juvenile probation can be a critical inflection point. As such, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners are interested in enhancing youths' success on probation, especially pertaining to reducing recidivism and promoting their success in education and employment. Informed by the risk–need–responsivity framework, the present study examined how theoretically derived familial/peer (e.g., social bonds, parental monitoring), societal/community (e.g., labeling theory), and individual-level (e.g., impulsivity, procedural justice) factors were associated with youths' expectations for success on probation as well as more general life course outcomes. Within samples of youth starting probation (N = 301) and 6 months into probation (N = 253), we combined cross-sectional data from the jurisdiction's risk/needs tool with a self-reported survey from youth. Youths' perceptions of parental monitoring and procedural justice were consistently associated with their self-expectations for completing probation. However, for more general life course success, only perceptions of parental monitoring promoted self-expectations. Implications for theory, policy, and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite fundamental distinctions between the ideals of juvenile and criminal justice, little research has sought to establish the extent to which juvenile probation and parole officers' orientations differ from those of their adult counterparts. Further, of the few studies that have explored this area of study, none have examined the role that organizational context may play in predicting professional orientation. Thus, this study aims to fill the gap in the literature by utilizing a sample of probation and parole officers drawn from three different types of agencies: juvenile-only supervision, adult-only supervision, and combined supervision. The results show that the system within which officers work is associated with professional orientation. Distinctions, however, are not as large or consistent as would be expected from strict adherence to the traditional ideals of the juvenile justice system versus the criminal justice system. The implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few community-based substance use treatment programs are available or skilled in treating justice-involved youth, highlighting the need to equip juvenile probation officers with the skills to deliver evidence-based substance use treatment. Contingency management (CM) is evidence-based for treating substance use and shows promise for juvenile probation officers' successful uptake (positive opinions and trainability). However, research has not examined whether probation officers' positive beliefs and trainability generalize to target behaviors beyond those displayed by youth, but that nevertheless affect youth outcomes. This study examined probation officers' perceptions of using CM to engage caregivers and assessed probation officers' CM knowledge and CM delivery after training in a protocol-specific CM program for caregivers of substance-using youth on probation. Results showed probation officers were ambivalent about CM for caregivers. Results also showed that age, training format and how competency is assessed may be essential to consider. Implications for the dissemination of CM and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For more than a century, juvenile justice proponents have had a difficult time precisely defining the proper role of the juvenile probation officer while simultaneously stressing that the juvenile probation department is the "workhorse" of the entire system. Existing literature largely focuses on which aspects of policing and social work these officers should embody while ignoring the foundational moorings in state statutes. This Article offers both a historical account of the rise of the juvenile probation officer and a thorough analysis of each state's laws regarding peace officer status, employing authority, the power of arrest, and the power to carry firearms on duty. In this transformative time for the juvenile justice system, reformers must contemplate the proper role of statutory authority in realigning the scope of juvenile probation officers and their duties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-control and resiliency in juveniles are each thought to be relevant to the onset of delinquency and recidivism, and both are related to family environments and other childhood experiences. The general theory of crime is well established within the literature as an explanation for offending at all ages, and resiliency perspectives stress the importance of things like independence and morality to avoiding/desisting from deviance among juveniles. Here, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) are examined among 3604 juvenile probationers in the contexts of the general theory of crime and the compensatory, protective factor, and challenge models of resiliency theory. Results show that high ACE scores were associated with diminished self-control, and high PCE scores were correlated with better self-control. Policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of COVID-19 placed immediate pressure on the juvenile justice system to adapt to changes in case processing and decision-making practices. Juvenile probation agencies were tasked with quickly altering their policies and practice to abide by local public health measures. As probation supervision is the most common disposition in the juvenile justice system, there is both an empirical and practical need to understand the impact that COVID-19 has on a variety of issues surrounding the supervision and provision of services for juveniles. Using self-report survey data from juvenile probation directors across the United States, the current study examines (a) the biggest challenges faced by juvenile probation agencies during the pandemic, (b) the strategies implemented in response to these challenges, and (c) the most pressing issues currently facing the field of juvenile community corrections. Results have the potential to inform future agency decision-making when adjusting juvenile probation policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Juvenile probation is the most common disposition for court-involved youth. Emerging frameworks for research-informed probation highlight the importance of intervention dosage, adolescent development, and cross-systems approaches, yet research examining these features is limited. Guided by ecological, developmental, and probation practice frameworks, we examined the relationship between microsystem supports (family, school, probation), therapeutic progress, and court reinvolvement among youths on probation. Method: Data were from a moderate-to-high risk sample of diverse youths (N = 3,678) who were administered a validated risk-and-needs assessment tool at probation entry and exit in one jurisdiction in Washington State. We used multivariate regression to examine the direct and indirect effects of family, school, and probation on measures of therapeutic change (motivation and social–emotional skills) and court reinvolvement. Results: Increasing supports across all three microsystems (family, school, and probation) were associated with positive gains in social–emotional skills and motivational processes; an increase in behavioral self-regulation was associated with reduced court reinvolvement. Behavioral self-regulation skill level at probation exit mediated the relationship between microsystem supports and reinvolvement. Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of adolescent development and cross-systems collaboration for promoting positive outcomes and reduced court reinvolvement for youths on probation. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dramatic growth of prison populations in the United States during the latter half of the twentieth century, as well as the problems of over-policing and police misconduct, have been well documented and decried.1 But the related expansion and problems of community supervision receive far less attention. Across the nation, reform efforts have increasingly included a focus on probation, especially juvenile probation, as an actor that both jails and polices youth in the community while also trying to rehabilitate them and promote their well-being. This Article studies the juvenile probation system, with a focus on California as one important system aiming to both surveil and care for individuals. It draws together two frameworks: 1) law and policy which describe the juvenile probation system as intended, and 2) juvenile probation practices and attitudes which reveal the day-today translation of the system’s formal intentions. Ultimately, where a system’s approach to rehabilitation and accountability become synonymous with or too reflexively able to adopt surveillance, containment, and punishment orientations, its ability to deliver meaningful help and support through that same system is improbable. Thus, this Article discusses the need in the United States to reform, dismantle, or replace probation with youth development-focused systems and uses Los Angeles as an example of a government already doing this important work. The dramatic growth of prison populations in the United States during the latter half of the twentieth century, as well as the problems of over-policing and police misconduct, have been well documented and decried.1 But the related expansion and problems of community supervision receive far less attention. Across the nation, reform efforts have increasingly included a focus on probation, especially juvenile probation, as an actor that both jails and polices youth in the community while also trying to rehabilitate them and promote their well-being. This Article studies the juvenile probation system, with a focus on California as one important system aiming to both surveil and care for individuals. It draws together two frameworks: 1) law and policy which describe the juvenile probation system as intended, and 2) juvenile probation practices and attitudes which reveal the day-today translation of the system’s formal intentions. Ultimately, where a system’s approach to rehabilitation and accountability become synonymous with or too reflexively able to adopt surveillance, containment, and punishment orientations, its ability to deliver meaningful help and support through that same system is improbable. Thus, this Article discusses the need in the United States to reform, dismantle, or replace probation with youth development-focused systems and uses Los Angeles as an example of a government already doing this important work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As juvenile justice systems across the country explore ways to best serve youth who have been commercially sexually exploited, challenges may arise between youths' clinically indicated needs and the probation‐driven requirements of CSEC specialty court involvement. This article explores some of the clinical‐probation dualities CSEC specialty courts may encounter, conceptualized as tensions related to issues of confidentiality, responses to behaviors that jeopardize youths' safety, and the timing of healing. Future directions for consideration to better meet the needs of youth involved in the justice system who have experienced sexual exploitation are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to examine if job stress and job satisfaction differed for juvenile detention officers compared to juvenile probation officers. Specifically, we assessed if there were different determinants (e.g., gender, education, supervisor/co-worker support, perceptions of dangerousness, and several role-related variables) of job stress compared to job satisfaction, and then we established which group of variables (i.e., individual, job, or organizational) had a greater overall impact on these outcomes. Using data collected from nearly 300 juvenile probation and detention officers across the Midwest, the ordinary least squares regression analysis found that job stress and job satisfaction did not vary by job position, but there were different predictors for each outcome. Role conflict and role overload had significant effects on job stress, while perceived dangerousness, role overload, input into decision-making, and lack of opportunities were significant determinants of job satisfaction. Additionally, job perceptions had the strongest relative impact on job stress, while organizational factors were the most influential for job satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background This study examined the national availability of substance use prevention (SUP) within juvenile justice (JJ) and their primary behavioral health (BH) providers, and the relationships between the availability of SUP and agency-level measures of organizational structure, staffing, and youth characteristics. A three-stage national probability sampling process was used to select participants for a national survey that included, among other facets of community supervision (CS) and BH practices, questions on agency characteristics, youth characteristics, whether the agency/provider directly provided SUP services, and whether the agency/provider directly provided substance use and/or mental health treatment. This paper focuses on SUP services along with agency/provider and youth characteristics related to providing SUP. Results The response rate for both CS agencies (n = 195) and BH providers (n = 271) was 96%. Complex samples logistic regression initially examined univariate associations of each variable and identified candidates for a final multivariate model. Overall, only one-third of CS and BH providers reported offering SUP services, with BH providers being significantly more likely than CS agencies to provide SUP services. In addition, likelihood of SUP was significantly lower among agencies where the substance use distribution of the caseload was below the median. Controlling for master’s level staff and the substance use distribution, CS agencies were about 67% less likely to offer SUP when compared to BH providers. Conclusions Given the high rates of substance use among justice-involved youth and that substance use is an established risk for several negative behaviors, outcomes, and health conditions, these findings suggest that evidence-based prevention services should likely be expanded in justice settings, and perhaps included as part of CS programs, even when youth do not initially present with SU service needs.

This paper examines how frontline juvenile probation officers' (POs') perceptions of a risk/need assessment (RNA) evolved over the years following its introduction, and what subjective experiences shaped their adaptation. It does this by analyzing 86 qualitative interviews with POs conducted in five Pennsylvania counties several years after the introduction of the RNA. While line POs often experienced initial resistance to the RNA, views had tended to soften since, and they held a predominantly positive view of the tool at the time of the study. However, patterns of support and their change over time varied, with some line POs continuing to express resistant attitudes. Resistance to the tool during the period appeared anchored in concerns about workload, change, challenges to PO judgment, the tool's legitimacy, and the tool's purpose. Line POs' acceptance of the RNA appeared related to its fit with their preexisting orientations, their recognition of the tool's value through practice, a process of habituation, experiences of training, as well as pressure for compliance from managers and supervisors. Findings inform theory and guidance to future RNA implementation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of justice‐involved youth are placed on probation; however, many of those same youth struggle to comply with probation requirements and are subsequently confined. In Baltimore, 20% of newly committed youth were detained for violations of probation. While there are various reasons youth fail to comply with probation requirements, there have been recent calls to consider the impact of structural and spatial barriers to accessing probation programs and services. Centering the goals of community psychology, we aim to identify how existing structural barriers in Baltimore City may be contributing to social injustice through inequitable access to probation services for youth and their families. In this study, we take a novel, interdisciplinary approach to identify structural or spatial barriers facing justice‐involved youth in Baltimore, MD. Specifically, we explore transportation barriers (i.e., vehicle access) and spatial disparities between youth residences and probation office locations. Our findings suggest that there are several barriers facing Baltimore's justice‐involved youth that may impact access to and engagement with juvenile probation. Specifically, we found that 1 in 3 youths reside in areas with extremely low levels of vehicle access and where the median household income is 25% below the city median. We also find that the majority of youth live beyond walking distances; many would require lengthy transit commutes. These findings highlight the structural and spatial barriers facing justice‐involved youth that may impact access to and engagement with probation services. Highlights: A novel, interdisciplinary approach to explore systemic disparities impacting system involved youth.We use GIS methods to explore structural and spatial barriers that may hinder youth responsivity.Justice‐involved youth are faced with various spatial and structural barriers to probation services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satisfied employees are essential to an organization, as they are often the primary means for meeting organizational needs. Job satisfaction is particularly important among criminal justice agencies, specifically probation agencies that largely rely on personnel for the supervision and rehabilitation of individuals. Yet, the correlates of job satisfaction among juvenile probation staff are largely unknown. Following organizational climate theory, the current study utilizes baseline data from the Juvenile Justice–Translational Research on Adolescents in the Legal System (JJ-TRIALS) initiative, a project conducted in seven states with 36 participating juvenile probation agencies. Factor analysis and structural equation modeling were utilized to examine the latent structure of organizational characteristics and potential mediating effects. Regression analyses were utilized to examine the direct relationship between job satisfaction and personal and organizational factors. Results highlight the importance of workplace factors and suggest efforts toward improving job satisfaction should focus on the improvement of organizational characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although interorganizational relationships (IORs) are essential to the effective delivery of human services, very little research has examined relationships between juvenile justice agencies and behavioral health providers, and few studies have identified the most critical organizational and individual-level characteristics influencing IORs. Across 36 sites, juvenile probation officials (n = 458) and community behavioral health providers (n = 91) were surveyed about characteristics of their agencies, themselves, and IORs with each other. Generalized Linear Mixed Models were used to analyze the data. The strongest predictors included Perceived Organizational Support and individual Adaptability. Implications for research, theory and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used a statewide survey to test hypotheses about the predictors of juvenile probation officers' adherence to the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) risk/need assessment (RNA) tool, focusing on (1) the consistency and quality with which officers completed the tool, and (2) the extent to which they used it in decisions. While some hypotheses had been tested in prior quantitative studies, others were based on insights from case studies. Results showed that leadership and climate variables were consistently important in predicting adherence, though these tended to operate indirectly through their effects on other facilitators. Probation officer attitudes, either toward the YLS/CMI or to evidence-based practices, were also important across adherence measures. Although inconsistent in their effects across dependent variables, quality assurance of officer decision-making, external office relationships, and county YLS/CMI policies also predicted adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probation plays a central role in the juvenile justice system, and probation officers are often involved in numerous decisions made in juvenile courts. This study examines the views of probation staff from 23 jurisdictions, some of which participated in an Annie E. Casey Foundation–funded juvenile justice reform effort intended to safely and significantly reduce the use of out-of-home placements, especially for youth of color. We survey juvenile probation staff members at two waves and describe changes in reported practices and principles relating to individualized case planning, youth engagement, family and community engagement, and racial and ethnic equity and inclusion as well as beliefs about the purposes of out-of-home placement. Reform sites reported slightly more frequent use of practices and principles addressing community engagement and racial and ethnic equity and inclusion in the second wave than in the first wave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examined the national availability of substance use prevention (SUP) within juvenile justice (JJ) and their primary behavioral health (BH) providers, and the relationships between the availability of SUP and agency-level measures of organizational structure, staffing, and youth characteristics. A three-stage national probability sampling process was used to select participants for a national survey that included, among other facets of community supervision (CS) and BH practices, questions on agency characteristics, youth characteristics, whether the agency/provider directly provided SUP services, and whether the agency/provider directly provided substance use and/or mental health treatment. This paper focuses on SUP services along with agency/provider and youth characteristics related to providing SUP. Results: The response rate for both CS agencies (n = 195) and BH providers (n = 271) was 96%. Complex samples logistic regression initially examined univariate associations of each variable and identified candidates for a final multivariate model. Overall, only one-third of CS and BH providers reported offering SUP services, with BH providers being significantly more likely than CS agencies to provide SUP services. In addition, likelihood of SUP was significantly lower among agencies where the substance use distribution of the caseload was below the median. Controlling for master's level staff and the substance use distribution, CS agencies were about 67% less likely to offer SUP when compared to BH providers. Conclusions: Given the high rates of substance use among justice-involved youth and that substance use is an established risk for several negative behaviors, outcomes, and health conditions, these findings suggest that evidence-based prevention services should likely be expanded in justice settings, and perhaps included as part of CS programs, even when youth do not initially present with SU service needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of our study is to extend the existing literature by assessing the predictors of burnout among juvenile justice staff. We assess the impact of individual, job/role-related, and organizational factors on burnout among juvenile probation and juvenile detention officers. Also, given recent research in the institutional and community corrections field, we evaluate which set of variables (e.g., individual, job/role related, and organizational) has a greater impact on burnout. Results indicate that the only individual-level variable affecting burnout is contact hours, and only for emotional exhaustion. Role overload is also significant only for emotional exhaustion, whereas work–family conflict is significant for both emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Furthermore, input into decision making and lack of opportunities are both significant for depersonalization and personal accomplishment. Finally, job characteristics appear to have a greater impact than organizational variables on both emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, but organizational variables have a stronger influence on personal accomplishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to extend the existing literature on the workplace experiences of staff who work with juvenile offenders. We do this by assessing the extent of secondary trauma among a sample of juvenile detention officers and juvenile probation officers, and examine whether or not predictors of secondary trauma differ by position. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression results based on a survey of 298 staff reveal that secondary trauma is relatively low among both juvenile detention officers and juvenile court/probation officers. Additionally, results indicate predictors of secondary trauma differ for each of these job positions. Experiencing threat or harm from offenders increased secondary trauma for detention officers but not for probation/court officers. However, having a higher level of education and input into decision-making decreased secondary trauma for probation/court officers, but not for detention officers. Greater support from coworkers led to decreased secondary trauma for both detention and probation/court officers. Implications for detention and probation agencies include efforts to improve supervisor and coworker support, as well as debriefing sessions after threat of harm incidents have occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines storytelling in mediation, including narrative interventions to overcome obstacles and blockages in the mediation process. Topics discussed include Hanna Milling Storytelling in mediation Narrative interventions to overcome hurdles and blockages in mediation process, clarification to finding solutions and aftercare, and the conflicting parties on the rocky road through conflict management to accompany and hurdles and blockages in the mediation process to overcome.

This pilot study compared the recidivism risks of older, high-risk juvenile probationers exposed or unexposed to an experimental case-management intervention to further the development of a supportive community intervention. The experimental intervention targeted unmet basic needs before and after the exposed group aged out of the juvenile justice system to prevent transition to adult crime. A prospective-cohort design compared the recidivism risks of the intervention group (n = 29) with a randomly selected comparison group (n = 114) stratified by gender, race, and risks/needs. We followed both groups for 3 years after members turned 18. The results of this pilot study showed no effects on recidivism risks, but statistically significant effects on the timing to recidivism for the group exposed to an innovative intervention. The study also revealed that the intervention was able to recruit and maintain the probationers and members of their family for the duration of the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Juvenile probation officers (JPOs) play an important role as decisionmakers for adolescents under their supervision in the community. While some research has examined how individual and organizational characteristics may affect their decision-making, this is the first study to examine the role of social networks that naturally occur within the juvenile probation department workplace. Specifically, demographics, attitudes about participation in the workplace, and burnout were examined as predictors of social support and consultation networks within the workplace. The current study was exploratory in nature. Participants were JPOs who supervised adolescents in the United States within one state. JPOs who felt more involved in workplace decision-making processes reported receiving more social support from their colleagues. JPOs with some graduate education or a Master's degree were less likely to provide consultation to others on tough cases or to be rated by others as providing social support. Implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite high rates of mental health problems among juvenile justice-involved youth, mental health stigma among juvenile probation officers (JPOs) is under-studied. This cross-sectional study examined effects of job burnout and workplace participatory atmosphere on mental health stigma among JPOs across Indiana (n = 226). Participatory atmosphere moderated the relationship between JPO burnout-related cynicism and mental health stigma (interaction β = − 0.14, p = .04); burnout was related to greater mental health stigma at low levels of participatory atmosphere. Findings suggest participatory atmosphere mitigates effects of burnout on mental health stigma among JPOs. Organizational-level interventions might help to reduce mental health stigma and combat negative effects from burnout among JPOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication between probation officers and juvenile offenders is essential, clarifying the nature and cause of possible disorders and providing insight into the chances of recidivism and/or recovery. Forensic social work, however, is complicated as it is both oriented toward collecting information for the court (forensic aims) and aimed at helping the juvenile's improvement (social work aims). This paper examines two unique cases of probation officer-juvenile interaction that utilize a board game intended to foster disclosure. As any disclosure may be used against the juvenile in court, the juvenile must be compliant enough without disclosing too much. Using a combination of frame analysis and discourse analyses of delicacy, we describe how the game is used to encourage disclosure as well as how the game allows juveniles to appear compliant ultimately without disclosing much personal information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors of the original Balanced Approach, Dennis Maloney, Dennis Romig, and Troy Armstrong, outlined a philosophy of balanced attention to the principles of community protection/public safety, youth accountability, and competency development through individualized assessment and treatment and holding the system accountable to the community and the youth served. A majority of states' juvenile code purpose clauses reflect this approach, later known as Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ). Presented here are excerpts from the 1988 Juvenile & Family Court Journal issue 39 (3) that first presented the Balanced Approach and a brief overview of key features of juvenile justice at the time to lay a foundation for the other articles in this special issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated gender and the effect of intensive supervision programs (ISPs) on juvenile probation outcomes. Logistic regression and propensity score matching analysis was conducted using a sample of 10,478 juvenile probationers supervised by a large juvenile probation agency located in a Southwestern state between 2010 and 2013. Results of propensity score matching analyses suggested that being in the intensive supervision program increased the likelihood of boy and girl probationers being found to have violated probation and being found to have committed a new offense. Results also showed that the criminogenic effect of intensive supervision programs on probation outcomes was stronger for boys than girls. Policy and theoretical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Juvenile probation officers (JPOs) are increasingly using risk/needs assessments to evaluate delinquency risk, identify criminogenic needs and specific responsivity factors, and use this information in case planning. Justice-involved youth are exposed to traumatic events and experience traumatic stress symptoms at a high rate; such information warrants attention during the case planning process. The extent to which JPOs identify specific responsivity factors, in general, and trauma history, specifically, when scoring risk/need assessments is understudied. In the current study, 147 JPOs reviewed case vignettes that varied by the adolescents' gender (male vs. female), traumatic event exposure (present vs. absent), and traumatic stress symptoms (present vs. absent), and then scored the YLS/CMI and developed case plans based on that information. JPOs who received a vignette that included trauma information identified a higher number of trauma-specific responsivity factors on the YLS/CMI. Despite an overall high needs match ratio (57.2%), few JPOs prioritized trauma as a target on case plans. The findings underscore the importance of incorporating trauma screening into risk/needs assessment and case planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One emphasis of juvenile justice reform has been implementation of risk assessment instruments to improve case planning. This study examined the ability of juvenile probation departments to apply the risk-needs-responsivity (RNR) framework into case planning following a comprehensive implementation protocol. Data were collected on 385 adolescent offenders across three probation departments following implementation of the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk for Youth (SAVRY) and an RNR-related case planning policy. As expected, as risk levels of youth increased, probation departments assigned more services and addressed more criminogenic need areas in their case plans. Most case plans (86%) adhered to the policy to limit the number of needs addressed at one time. The quality of service-to-need matching varied by criminogenic need area, risk level, and site. Implications to juvenile courts' and probation officers' case planning and the challenges of research on service-to-need matching are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]