Some children and youth become involved with the juvenile justice system because they are accused of committing a delinquent or criminal act. Other youth encounter the system for status offenses—actions that are illegal only because of a youth’s age—such as truancy, underage drinking, and running away from home. Not all of these cases, however, are formally processed through the courts. Show
What do we know about youth involved in the juvenile justice system?
Figure 1: Percent of Juvenile Court Involvement Charges by Type for Youth Between the Ages of 12 and 17 in 2018
Adjudicated Youth While many youth cases do not get processed formally through the court, the majority of youth that are processed through the juvenile court are adjudicated (i. e., declared by a judge to be) delinquent, for most offenses.
Limiting incarceration as a punitive measure for youth when applicable has strong potential to mitigate some of these negative circumstances that occur in or are exacerbated by various out-of-home placement settings. Gender, Race, and Ethnicity Considerable variability by gender and deep disparities by race and ethnicity exist in both pre-adjudication detention and post-adjudication residential placement. Gender
Race and Ethnicity
In response to significant racial and ethnic disparities present at all stages in the juvenile justice process, many states have begun implementing reforms to make the system more equitable. Recent policy suggestions for states, organizations, and community partners seeking to enact change include:
Repeated Involvement Recidivism,6 as measured by various levels of reinvolvement with the justice system (e.g., rearrest, probation violations, reincarceration), is fairly high for youth under the age of 21. However, according to a follow-up study on previously incarcerated youth, most youth who committed serious offenses reduced their offending over time regardless of interventions, and (92%) experienced decreased or limited illegal activity during the first three years following their encounter with the juvenile justice system. The only two factors that played notable roles in rearrest rates in this seven-year study were:14
Additionally, studies show that academic measures are predictive of chances of recidivism.
Educational Status and Outcomes Many youth who encounter the juvenile justice system have experienced academic failure, disengagement from school, and/or school disciplinary challenges. Academic outcomes for these youth are generally less positive than those of youth who do not encounter the system, suggesting that academic interventions may be a strong avenue for serving youth at risk of entering the juvenile justice system.
Considering the substantial correlation between academic failure and/or truancy and involvement with the juvenile justice system, academic interventions and truancy reduction programs provide promise for improving youth outcomes. Mental Health and Substance Use Youth involved with the juvenile justice system often have mental health23 and/or substance use disorders. These typically affect their academic performance, behavior, and relationships with peers and adults.
Despite the exceedingly high proportion of youth within the juvenile justice system who experience mental health disorders, referral rates for mental health treatment within justice facilities remain low.33 Targeted trainings for juvenile correctional facility professionals regarding mental health screening and treatment referrals would point more youth toward the necessary treatment for their unique needs. Particularly, mental health diversion initiatives and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which helps patients adjust their thinking and behavior patterns have shown positive results in reducing delinquency and recidivism among justice-involved youth.34 Resources for Justice-Involved Youth and Their FamiliesRespect Youth Stories: A Toolkit for Advocates to Ethically Engage in Youth Justice Storytelling (PDF, 15 pages) Improving Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities in Juvenile Corrections Model Programs Guide: Substance Abuse National Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk (NDTAC) Roadmap to Behavioral Health—A Guide to Using Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services (PDF, 25
pages) Transition Toolkit 3.0: Meeting the Educational Needs of Youth Exposed to the Juvenile
Justice System (PDF, 60 pages) Vulnerable Population: Incarcerated Youth You Got This! Educational Pathways for Youth Transitioning from Juvenile Justice Facilities (PDF, 12 pages) Resources for Community PartnersEasy Access to the Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement, 1997-2019 Fact Sheet Template: Complex Trauma in Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth (PDF, 7 pages) Intersection between Mental Health and the Juvenile Justice System (PDF, 13 pages) Education for Youth Under Formal Supervision of the Juvenile Justice
System (PDF, 18 pages) Model Programs Guide: Substance Abuse Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk (NDTAC) Resources for PractitionersAddressing the Mental Health Needs of Racial and Ethnic Minority Youth: A Guide for Practitioners (PDF, 28 pages) Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach (PDF, 27 pages) Practical Tips for Juvenile Drug Treatment Courts to Implement (PDF, 13 pages) Child Abuse Training for Judicial and Court Personnel In Focus: Children's Advocacy Centers (PDF, 1 page) Tool Kit for Creating Your Own Truancy Reduction Program (PDF, 229
pages) Understanding Child Trauma Wraparound Process Literature Review (PDF, 7 pages) References1 Puzzanchera, 2021 Which of the following are family issues associated with increased delinquency?Family characteristics such as poor parenting skills, family size, home discord, child maltreatment, and antisocial parents are risk factors linked to juvenile delinquency (Derzon and Lipsey, 2000; Wasserman and Seracini, 2001).
Which theory states that there are different areas of social knowledge and reasoning including moral?In contrast to global stage theories outlined by Lawrence Kohlberg, in which morality is viewed as a series of hierarchical stages, moral domain theory proposes that moral reasoning is distinct from other forms of social knowledge, such as societal and psychological knowledge.
Which of the following is an example of practical example of the criticism of mismatch?Which of the following is an example of practical example of the criticism of mismatch between moral thought and moral behavior in Kohlberg's theory? Many terrorists believe that their behavior—the killing of others—is ultimately moral in nature.
How many US states currently have mandates to include character education in school curriculum?Together, 30 states and the District of Columbia already have statutes and regulations that encourage or require SEL or character education programs in schools.
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