Juvenile Detention Research Articles

Mental Health Care of Detained Youth Within Juvenile Detention Facilities.

Mental health treatment of juvenile offenders and undocumented immigrant youth in detention provides a unique opportunity for treatment providers. Although the work may be challenging, the clinical needs and opportunities for early and meaningful interventions are significant. One of the best clinical experiences a psychiatrist can have is working with extremely high-risk youth to help them find safer and better developmental pathways. Few settings can offer such an opportunity to leverage clinical skills to improve the lives and futures of children and adolescents as are afforded to those professionals lucky enough to work in juvenile justice settings.

An Exploratory Study of Guidance Systems in a Mindfulness Program at a Youth Detention Center

An Exploratory Study of Guidance Systems in a Mindfulness Program at a Youth Detention Center

Tikkun Olam

Do what extent are we responsible for improving the world? To what extent are those that do evil in the world responsible for their actions? In this work of philosophical short story fiction, Roz is a retired lawyer who is assigned as a volunteer case work for Deshaun, a trouble teenager who has been in and out of foster homes his whole life and was recently released for juvenile detention for getting into a serious fight. Roz attempts to help Deshaun, but he seems unwilling to trust anyone, and views Roz only as a resource to be exploited. Deshaun runs away from his group home while on detention and is at risk of being in violation of his probation. Roz contacts him and he asks her to pick him up. She feeds him and takes him to her place to sleep for the night. The next morning he is gone, along with her family Menorah. Some time later he contacts her, now in prison for other crimes, they meet and he apologizes for not accepting her offers of help.

소년원 임시퇴원제도의 정비를 위한 정책적·입법적 개선방안

In the Juvenile Act, there is a protective disposition for resocialization from an educational point of view that helps juvenile offenders grow into healthy adults. The reason why we are preparing a juvenile criminal justice policy separately from the criminal justice policy for adults is that we believe that juvenile offenders have a higher potential for education and improvement than adult offenders. It is necessary to help juvenile grow into healthy adults rather than stigmatizing them as criminals and punishing them even if they commit crimes. The Juvenile Reformatory provides education such as subject education, vocational competency development training, and certification exam so that juvenile in protection can be nurtured so that they can return to society as healthy juveniles. Among juveniles detained in Juvenile Reformatory, if it is recognized that the purpose of correction has been achieved because of good correctional grades, they are subject to ‘Release on Parole’ or ‘Release’ pursuant to Article 44 of ‘Act on the Treatment of Protected Juveniles’. Protective juveniles imposed with disposition No. 9 will be ‘Release on Parole’ from the Juvenile Reformatory with about one month remaining. Upon release on parole, the juvenile will be charged with probation for six months. Because of the situation in which they will receive probation for a period that is about six times the remaining period, juvenile in probation often think that release on parole is rather unfavorable treatment. In principle, it is reasonable that the probation imposed along with Release on Parole should be for the remainder of the confinement period. For the judgment of Release on Parole, it is necessary to make a specific evaluation using various currently developed recidivism risk assessment tools. If necessary, it is also necessary to actively review the development of a tool to evaluate the recidivism risk of children in protection.

Criminal liability and the motivational background of socially unacceptable behaviour of youth

The article presents an analysis of the results of research carried out among minors residing in social rehabilitation centres and adolescents from upper secondary schools complying with the legal norms. The aim of the conducted research was to analyse the previous criminal record of the respondents and to analyse the existing diff erences in the type of the declared motivational background in undertaking behaviours that violate legal and social norms among the examined adolescents. A total of 133 minors from juvenile detention centres and 133 students from upper secondary schools were examined. The diagnostic survey method was used. The results of the analysis show that in the group of girls from juvenile detention centres, the motive of getting things (money) that they do not have and imitating their colleagues dominates relatively more often. In turn, among boys from rehabilitation centres, the most frequently indicated motive was repaying someone for the harm done and willing to teach someone a lesson. Among girls from upper secondary schools, the motive of imitating friends turned out to be the dominant motive for behaviour that violates social norms. No signifi cant motive was found among boys from this group.

소년원의 코로나19 대응 현황

The covid-19 pandemic influences all the aspects of society including operations of juvenile correctional facilities in South Korea. The purpose of the current study is to examine changes in population, regular programs, and extracurricular activities of the juvenile correctional facilities. According to the results, there was no significant changes in the total number of inmates, admissions, and the ratio of early releases among the total releases since the outbreak of covid-19, indicating that reducing the population of facilities was not considered to limit the spread of covid-19. Regular programs, such as education, vocational/training, and character-based (rehabilitation, social skills) programs operated during the pandemic because the programs were managed by residential staffs. However, activities run by non-residential staffs or outside facilities, such as religious services and community activities were almost stopped since February 2020. Face-to-face visitations were limited, while phone calls significantly increased since the onset of covid-19. Discussions and implications of the results are provided.

Implementing Response to Intervention (RtI) in a Juvenile Detention Center Using Action Research

While proponents claimed Response to Intervention (RtI) improved student learning and prevented failure, there was an absence of research in effectiveness. Applying action research within a case study, there was an investigation into the process of reforming and improving RtI within a short-term juvenile detention center in the Midwest of the United States for students in grades 5-12. Using the conceptual framework of adaptive leadership, there was an analysis of policies and procedures, observations, interviews, and student work. RtI as a stand-alone program revealed many teachers lacked evidence-based instructional methods and alternative teachers lacked content knowledge, making implementation difficult. Within the action research method, role ambiguity caused problems with fidelity, with the need to infuse strategic leadership with action research when teachers’ sense of self and professional were challenged.

Trust of Socially Vulnerable Groups on Criminal Justice System of Pakistan

The present research analyzed the trust of juvenile and women prisoners in the criminal justice system of Pakistan with a focus upon the perceived legitimacy and effectiveness of justice institutions for procedural and distributive fairness. Data were collected from both under-trial and convicted juvenile and women prisoners from Borstal Institute and District Jail Faisalabad respectively. Although larger proportions of the respondents recognized and accepted the authority of various justice institutions for rule of law, a significant number of respondents viewed that justice institutions protect the interests of powerful people and do not represent moral authority. Police lacked the trust of the respondents for procedural fairness in terms of respect, impartiality, and fair treatment. However, courts have been trusted for impartiality and fair treatment compared to police and other justice institutions. The logistic results indicated educational attainment, age, prison status, and income level differently influenced experiences of the prisoners towards procedural and distributive fairness of justice institutions. Younger, illiterate, and under-trial prisoners with relatively low household income levels had low perceived legitimacy of justice institutions and less trust in the criminal justice system. Low scoring on socio-economic variables seemed to be related to increased vulnerability of the prisoners, in turn, less trust in the criminal justice system.

Mental Health Interventions in Juvenile Detention Institutions: A Systematic Review of What Works

Background: Incarcerated adolescents within the juvenile justice system are more likely to be diagnosed with poor mental health compared with their non-incarcerated peers. Conducting clinical trials on mental health interventions among an incarcerated adolescent population is challenging due to the nature of detention facilities. Objectives: This systematic review examines available literature on Randomized Clinical Trials (RCT) done to assess mental health interventions among incarcerated adolescents globally and to determine the type of intervention that would best work in this setting. In this study, a systematic review was conducted to search, identify, and recommend effective interventions best suited to preserve and improve the mental wellbeing of incarcerated adolescents within the detention institution setting. Method: The search was performed in Medline via Ovid, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science databases to retrieve related publications released between 1970 and March 2021. The principal inclusion criteria were RCT articles issued in English that reported any mental health interventions performed in juvenile detention centers involving delinquent adolescents aged 10 to 19 years old. Results: The search discovered 10 related articles that fulfilled the required inclusion criteria. In total, there were seven different types of mental health interventions used in all the studies. The three major themes identified among the selected studies are the interventions for coping strategies, risky behavior, and attention disorder among incarcerated adolescents. The efficacy of the interventions was dependent on the level of intelligence, duration of incarceration, risk of treatment diffusion, and depression symptoms among incarcerated adolescents. Conclusions: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention that is simple, brief, unique, and targets depressive symptoms, has the potential to be most efficacious in improving mental health among incarcerated adolescents.

The 2021 Joseph St Geme, Jr, Leadership Award Address: The Role of Structural Racism in Injuries to Children and Adolescents.

The 2021 Joseph St Geme, Jr, Leadership Award Address: The Role of Structural Racism in Injuries to Children and Adolescents.

Mortality and Cause of Death Among Youths Previously Incarcerated in the Juvenile Legal System

More than 50 000 youths are incarcerated in the United States on any given day, and youth incarceration has been linked to lasting adverse outcomes, including early mortality. Improving our understanding of the factors associated with early mortality among incarcerated youths can inform appropriate prevention strategies. To examine mortality rates and causes of death among youths previously incarcerated in the juvenile legal system. This retrospective longitudinal population-based cohort study compared mortality rates between youths aged 11 to 21 years incarcerated from 2010 to 2017 with same-aged nonincarcerated Medicaid-enrolled youths in the state of Ohio. Data from January 2017 to December 2019 were collected from juvenile incarceration, Medicaid, and death certificate information in Ohio. Incarceration in the state of Ohio's juvenile legal system. Number, characteristics, and causes of deaths. Poisson regression incidence rate ratios (IRRs) compared mortality rates between previously incarcerated and Medicaid-enrolled youths. Among 3645 incarcerated youths, 3398 (93.2%) were male, 2155 (59.1%) Black, 1307 (35.9%) White, and 183 (5.0%) other race and ethnicity. Overall, 113 youths (3.1%) died during the study period. Homicide was the leading cause of death in formerly incarcerated youths (homicide: 63 [55.8%]; legal intervention [ie, death due to injuries inflicted by law enforcement]: 3 [2.7%]). All-cause mortality rates were significantly higher among previously incarcerated youths than Medicaid-enrolled youths (adjusted IRR [aIRR], 5.91; 95% CI, 4.90-7.13) in every demographic subgroup. Compared with Medicaid-enrolled youths, mortality rates for previously incarcerated youths were highest for homicide (aIRR, 11.02; 95% CI, 8.54-14.22), overdose (aIRR, 4.32; 95% CI, 2.59-7.20), and suicide (aIRR, 4.30; 95% CI, 2.22-8.33). Formerly incarcerated Black youths had a significantly higher risk of homicide (aIRR, 14.24; 95% CI, 4.45-45.63) but a lower risk of suicide (aIRR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.04-0.89) and overdose (aIRR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.10-0.99) than White youths who were incarcerated. Previously incarcerated youths aged 15 to 21 years were significantly more likely to die than youths aged 22 to 29 years, irrespective of cause of death (aIRR for youths aged 22-29 years, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.06-0.14). In this study, youths with a history of incarceration were significantly more likely to experience early mortality compared with nonincarcerated Medicaid-enrolled youths. Delinquency and violence prevention strategies that incorporate a culturally informed approach and consider sex and developmental level are critical.

“Is Restorative Justice Greek to Me?”: Exploring Its Applicability in Greek Youth Detention Centres

Abstract Justice systems around the world are constantly working to balance reform/rehabilitation/re-entry and punishment in response to juvenile delinquency. In recent years, there has been a strong emphasis on the notion of restorative justice as an alternative approach to criminal justice, yet there continues to be a dearth of information on the interrelation between restorative justice, religion and imprisonment, especially among youth. The present research seeks to explore the applicability and possible future implementation of restorative justice programmes for late adolescent and young adult male offenders (18–21 years old) held in the Special Detention Institutions of Greece. It also aims to identify any links between restorative justice and religion in youth custodial settings among the large migrant population hosted in these institutions. A self-administered quantitative study was distributed to achieve this aim. The data analysis provided no statistically significant relationships between the inmates’ willingness to meet with their actual/surrogate victims and ask for forgiveness/restore relationships with them. Equally insignificant was found the inmates’ eagerness to get involved in restorative mediation with their capacity to acknowledge the harm that their illegal actions inflicted on others, and to make amends.

Young Offenders on the Camino de Santiago—Theoretical Background of the Learning Walks

Delinquent behaviour is predominantly an expression of adolescent developmental phases, but at the same time a possible entry into criminal careers. Where socio-educational measures and admonitions no longer help, society reacts with youth detention and imprisonment as a last resort, in doing so it brings the young people into an environment of violence and power. The concept of the socio-educational pilgrimage as an alternative measure to imprisonment takes the young people out of this context and offers space for reflection and self-efficacy. In this article, different concepts of Learning Walks for young offenders are discussed and theoretically analysed.

Connection and Caring Through a Therapeutic Juvenile Corrections Model: Staff and Youth Resident Perceptions of Structural and Interpersonal Dimensions.

This mixed-method exploratory inductive study examined incarcerated youths' and staff members' perceptions of a new community-focused therapeutic model in a large youth prison. Via 18 focus groups (N = 141) and facility-wide surveys (N = 248), both youth and staff shared perceptions of specific structural components of the model designed to change their relationship to one another, such as consistent staffing, higher staff-resident ratios, and program features designed to enhance rapport. Both groups also provided rich descriptions of the altered interpersonal dynamics related to connection and caring, two of the five C's of Positive Youth Development (PYD), that were facilitated through those structural changes. Findings suggest the model's intentional redefinition of resident-staff relationships directly contributed to meaningful resident and staff experiences. Perceptions of those relationships-rarely explored in the extant literature-were examined and illustrated through focus group data. This study illuminates the subjective experiences of both groups as they put the model into practice and reveals key insights about therapeutic correctional programs based on PYD in secure facilities that have important implications for juvenile correctional theory, research, practice, and policy.

Film Pedagogy to Encourage Reflection of Juvenile Offenders Serving their Sentence in Juvenile Correctional Facilities

Introduction. The article is aimed at characterizing reflection as a mechanism for social rehabilitation of juvenile offenders serving their sentence in correctional institutions; justifying the possibility of boosting this process by educational means; proving the expediency of using film pedagogy as a tool for the formation of self-reflection in juvenile convicts in correctional facilities. The purpose of this study is to identify the dynamics in the development of reflection of juvenile convicts under the influence of film pedagogy. Methods: theoretical analysis of the research problem, theoretical analysis of statistical data and normative documents, survey, experiment, methods of mathematical statistics, and an interpretative method. Results: after analyzing the statistical data reflecting trends in the penal enforcement policy in relation to juvenile convicts, the author forecasted the effectiveness of awareness-raising work stimulating the development of reflexivity in adolescents by means of film pedagogy. During theoretical description of a special film program, key ideas, pedagogical conditions and methodological solutions for its implementation were outlined; in further experimental study during the real pedagogical process, they were confirmed. The critical indicator of the proposed film program effectiveness was the level of reflexivity in juvenile convicts; positive dynamics in its development was determined with the help of the reflexivity diagnostic method developed by A.V. Karpov. The information obtained in the course of this study can serve as a basis for using the means of film pedagogy in solving a wide range of educational work with convicts in places of deprivation of liberty

Порівняльно-правовий аналіз позбавлення волі як виду покарання, що призначається неповнолітнім, за законодавством України, Республіки Польща та Литовської Республіки

A comparative analysis of imprisonment as a type of punishment imposed on minors in Ukraine, the Republic of Poland, and the Republic of Lithuania was conducted in the article. The term of applying the punishment in these states was compared. It was stated that life imprisonment was not applied to juveniles in all three states, and the terms of punishment were milder than in the same sentence for adults. It was determined that the age from which imprisonment was imposed in Ukraine and Lithuania were identical. However, this age differed in Poland, where it was one year higher. The purpose of punishment in the form of imprisonment was analyzed. It was noted that the key place was given to the correction of convicts and crime prevention, as the main purpose of this type of punishment. Institutions where juveniles were serving sentences of imprisonment were compared. It was determined that in all these states, juvenile convicts were kept in specialized penitentiary institutions for juveniles, where they were kept separate from other categories of convicts. It was determined that in Lithuania convicts could be left in correctional facilities for juveniles until they reached the age of twenty-one, and in Ukraine for a year longer, which provided an additional opportunity to consolidate the correctional influence. Polish law stipulates that convicts will serve a sentence of imprisonment in juvenile correctional facilities until they reach the age of twenty-one and provides for the possibility of remaining there after reaching the age of twenty-one. It was concluded that in Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania imprisonment as a type of punishment imposed on minors is quite similar, but each of these states has its own characteristics and rules of law that could improve national legislation. The proposals were presented taking into account the positive foreign experience in improving the national legislation in the field of execution of imprisonment for minors. Key words: juvenile convicts; imprisonment; comparative analysis; Republic of Poland; Republic of Lithuania.

Mental health correlates of substance use behaviors among a nationally representative sample of juvenile offenders

PurposeThis paper aims to extend previous findings by identifying the mental health correlates of both acute and chronic substance use behaviors among a large nationally representative sample of juvenile offenders.Design/methodology/approachSurvey of Youth in Residential Placement interview data from 6,920 juvenile offenders (76% male) detained in 290 US facilities were analyzed to determine bivariate relationships between two indicators of substance use (acute and chronic) and seven mental health domains (depression/isolation, anxiety, anger, trauma, inattention, hallucinations and suicidality).FindingsPrevalence rates of above average indications for all seven mental health domains were significantly higher among offenders under the influence of a substance at the time they committed their instant offense compared to those not under the influence. Offenders with above average indications in the seven studied mental health areas reported a higher level of chronic effects of substance use relative to those with average or below mental health indications.Practical implicationsThe results have important implications for the assessment and treatment of co-occurring mental health issues among juvenile offenders with substance use issues. Juveniles with above average mental health indications may be more prone to experiencing a number of substance-related problems. Observed results may guide the implementation of routine assessment procedures at the juvenile detention level. Intake specialists should screen and administer comprehensive mental health assessments for juveniles who report substance intoxication at the time of their instant offense. Juvenile offenders who report clinical levels of mental health symptoms should receive a comprehensive assessment of substance use and related problems.Originality/valueAlthough the co-occurrence of substance use and mental health issues among juvenile justice involved populations is well documented, previous research studies in this area have included a number of limitations. Relatively small offender sample populations, often from a single facility, warrant further work with a large, nationally representative sample of juvenile offenders. Inconsistency in measures of substance use and the failure to distinguish between acute and chronic measures of substance use in prior studies also require further investigation. This study contributes to the extant co-occurring substance use and mental health knowledge base by identifying the mental health correlates of both acute and chronic substance use behaviors among a large nationally representative sample of juvenile offenders.

Comparing boys and girls in juvenile detention in Portugal: differences in psychopathic traits, criminal behaviors, and one-year recidivism

ABSTRACT Gender is a critical explanatory variable among juvenile justice system-involved youth, with the literature showing differential protective and risk factors for serious delinquency among female and male youth. The aim of the current study is to examine gender differences in psychopathic and related traits, externalizing behaviors, and offense profiles among a sample of female (n = 76, M = 16.37 years, SD = 1.16) and male (n = 214, M = 16.40 years, SD = 1.30) youth incarcerated in Portugal. Results showed that boys tended to present significantly higher levels of psychopathic/callous–unemotional traits, conduct disorder, proactive aggression, and also lower levels of empathy. In terms of offense profiles, boys tended to present significantly higher levels of crime frequency, crime diversity, crime seriousness, days in detention, and general and violent one-year recidivism, and also lower ages of crime onset, first legal problem, and first detention. Findings support the notion that gender-informed services and supervisions are essential for understanding and intervening among justice-involved youth.

The Council for Exceptional Children, Division of Emotional and Behavioral Health’s Position Statement on Solitary Confinement

This document, from the Council for Exceptional Children, Division of Emotional and Behavioral Health (DEBH), provides clear and compelling support for the abolishment of solitary confinement with incarcerated youth and young adults in juvenile and adult correctional facilities. This is the first position statement from DEBH on the topic, and the information includes (a) a definition of solitary confinement, (b) discussion of its use, (c) an explanation of the impacts of solitary confinement on youth, (d) identification of systemic issues that perpetuate the use of solitary confinement, (e) an examination of U.S. laws concerning the use of solitary confinement, (f) a declaration of principles, and (g) recommendations for policy and practice.

The Juvenile Reentry Mentoring Project: Adaptations During COVID-19

Abstract Delinquent youths often do not receive the opportunity to be mentored. This is especially true for youths who have committed serious law violations or are detained for multiple law violations. In the United States, youths with the most serious offenses are often committed to detention, or rehabilitation, or treatment centers. Since 2011, the Juvenile Reentry Mentoring Project (JRMP) has matched mentors to youths detained in Nebraska Detention, and Treatment Facilities. The Nebraska Youth Rehabilitation, and Treatment Centers (YRTCs), specifically, are for youths with the highest level of needs and who have exhausted all other programs available in the community. From 2011 through February 2020, the JRMP developed as an evidence informed model for mentoring juveniles with the highest level of need and the most serious law violations. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted youths in detention and treatment centers, and mentoring programs such as the JRMP adapted to continue to meet existing and emerging needs of youths. The aim of this article is to report on the evidence-based development of the JRMP and the adaptations that were necessary for it to continue to operate during COVID-19. We close with recommendations and lessons learned from the pandemic and ways that programs can resist a return to the status quo.