Child Maltreatment, Placement Strategies, and Delinquency

Abstract

The current study examined the criminal justice experiences of foster care youth living with relatives, foster families, and living in congregate care; dependents receiving in-home care; and non-dependent youth. Specific attention was directed at uncovering whether form of maltreatment, placement type, and/or placement instability were related to delinquency. A prospective analysis of official record data followed children in Los Angeles County from the time of a first admission to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to potential involvement in the criminal justice system (N = 1,235). The study also utilized a matched control design in which DCFS cases were compared to non-dependent controls (N = 1,235). The most consistent predictors of delinquency were placement instability and age at placement. Youth who were older at placement and youth with at least one placement change were more likely to be arrested for violent and non-violent crimes as well as be charged by the district attorney than younger youth with no placement changes.