Microsystem Supports, Therapeutic Progress, and Court Reinvolvement: Implications for Juvenile Probation

Abstract

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.