The effects of correctional education on juvenile delinquents and the factors for their overall changes: Focusing on academic performance and family‐type environment

Abstract

AbstractThis study aimed to explore the effects of correctional education on juvenile delinquents at a children's self‐reliance support facility in Japan, which provides delinquents with familial environments and multidimensional, comprehensive education. The purpose of this study was to compare the youth's academic performance and resilience from the time of admission to discharge and to identify which interventions improved participants' academic performance and resilience. We examined juvenile database records and “juvenile diaries” of 283 male youth. Participants were categorized into either an Improvement Group (IG) or a No‐Improvement Group (No‐IG) based on their outcome at discharge. The results showed that their academic performance and resilient characteristics were significantly higher at discharge than at admission. Employing single logistic regression, we found that the length of stay, academic performance, and the number of visits by family and social workers were characteristics associated with membership in the IG. These findings can guide future clinical practices and measures implemented for juvenile delinquents.