Young Offenders Research Articles

Children, juveniles, and crime in early modern London: Old Bailey trials, 1674–1750

Abstract This article uses the early records of the Old Bailey to examine how the court handled cases involving children and juveniles, whether as offenders, victims or witnesses. It argues that though juvenile courts belong to a later age, the early modern court was already applying different criteria in trying young offenders. It demonstrates how juries used age, gender and related considerations to justify the ‘pious perjury’ that sheltered many from the full rigour of the law. Previous work on children as victims has focused on child-rape and infanticide. This article explores other categories. It argues that in cases of death following a severe beating the court's sympathies lay firmly with the defendants, determined to uphold the authority of employers and parents. Lastly, the article explores cases involving children as witnesses, which raised difficult questions about the admissibility of evidence. Judges had to decide if the youngster was sufficiently mature to give evidence on oath.

Exploring the Juvenile Justice Act: Legal Framework and Psychosocial Interventions for Children in Conflict with the Law

Understanding and supporting children in conflict with the law (CCL) is vital for their positive transformation. By exploring the factors influencing their behaviour, developmental influences, historical context of juvenile justice and effective interventions, we empower these youths for a brighter future. CCL refers to individuals under 18 alleged or found to have committed an offense. Recognizing their needs and challenges is essential for devising suitable rehabilitation strategies. Identifying risk factors contributing to children's criminal involvement is essential for effective intervention. These factors range from individual and family aspects to wider community and societal influences. Targeting these factors can prevent CCL. Embracing a developmental perspective is crucial for understanding the reasons behind a child's unlawful actions. Positive parenting, quality education, healthy peer interactions and community support play pivotal role in shaping a child's choices. Exploring the history of juvenile justice offers insights into societal responses to young offenders. A shift from punitive measures to rehabilitation reflects an evolving understanding of CCL's unique needs. Understanding definitions from the Juvenile Justice Act is vital for effective work with CCL. Concepts like "best interest of the child" and "observation home" guide interventions and decisions. Implementing psychosocial interventions addressing cognitive, emotional, and social needs proactively rehabilitates CCL. Disciplinary measures, counselling, vocational training, mentorship, and access to education with a positive approach are the key. Integrating these aspects creates a holistic framework to support CCL. This approach fosters personal growth, safer communities, and a just society.

Social Identity Mapping With Justice‐Involved Young People: Exploring Identity Pathways to Aid the Desistance of Criminal Offending

ABSTRACTSocial groups and the environments they create play a prominent role in the desistance versus persistence of young peoples' criminal offending. Social Identity Mapping (SIM) provides a quantitative method for understanding the social network of young offenders. This exploratory study was guided by two broad research questions: (1) using the SIM task, we wanted to investigate the experiences of young people moving through the Youth Justice System in Aotearoa New Zealand, and (2) through the use of the SIM task combined with qualitative interviews, we wanted to gain novel insight into the influences that important social groups had on young people's behaviour. The participants were nine young people currently working their way through the Youth Justice System in Aotearoa New Zealand. The average number of groups identified in the SIM task was four (range: 3–6), with the most common groups identified being friends, family, and Gisborne (i.e., the town in which participants all lived). Through the semi‐structured interviews, participants noted that they were excluded from some groups (e.g., school) due to their delinquent behaviour. In addition, despite strong motivation to join the workforce and develop a career, participants' social networks and low educational attainment made achieving this goal very challenging. Our findings suggest that desistance efforts would be well served by broadening young offenders' social networks.

A bayesian shared component spatial modeling approach for identifying the geographic pattern of local associations: a case study of young offenders and violent crimes in Greater Toronto Area

Background settingTraditional spatial or non-spatial regression techniques require individual variables to be defined as dependent and independent variables, often assuming a unidirectional and (global) linear relationship between the variables under study. This research studies the Bayesian shared component spatial (BSCS) modeling as an alternative approach to identifying local associations between two or more variables and their spatial patterns.MethodsThe variables to be studied, young offenders (YO) and violent crimes (VC), are treated as (multiple) outcomes in the BSCS model. Separate non-BSCS models that treat YO as the outcome variable and VC as the independent variable have also been developed. Results are compared in terms of model fit, risk estimates, and identification of hotspot areas.ResultsCompared to the traditional non-BSCS models, the BSCS models fitted the data better and identified a strong spatial association between YO and VC. Using the BSCS technique allowed both the YO and VC to be modeled as outcome variables, assuming common data-generating processes that are influenced by a set of socioeconomic covariates. The BSCS technique offered smooth and easy mapping of the identified association, with the maps displaying the common (shared) and separate (individual) hotspots of YO and VC.ConclusionsThe proposed method can transform existing association analyses from methods requiring inputs as dependent and independent variables to outcome variables only and shift the reliance on regression coefficients to probability risk maps for characterizing (local) associations between the outcomes.

Convergent and predictive validity of the Sexual Violence Risk-20 and risk for sexual violence protocol with older sexual offenders

ABSTRACT Structured professional judgement (SPJ) guidelines for assessing risk of sexual offending have existed for more than two decades, yet the literature investigating the validity of these tools remains relatively limited. Recent research has shown that actuarial sexual offending risk assessment tools should be adjusted to reflect reduced risk as offenders age (Helmus et al., 2012), leading to questions about the validity of extant SPJ guidelines for older people who sexually offend. The current study investigated the reliability and predictive validity of the Sexual Violence Risk-20 (SVR-20) and the Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol (RSVP) with a sample of 95 Australian individuals aged 50 years or over who had sexually offended. Sixteen (16.84%) participants sexually recidivated over a mean follow-up period of 9.07 years. Contrary to results with younger offenders, structured judgements using the SVR-20 or RSVP did not significantly differentiate recidivists from non-recidivists in this sample (AUC = .57). However, the total scores for both instruments were predictive at particular time periods. Certain risk factors were potentially important and accounted for unique variance that was not accounted for by actuarial instruments. The implications and limitations of this study are discussed, as well as recommendations for future research and practice.

Reevaluating Joint Criminal Enterprise: Legitimacy and Reform in the Wake of R v Jogee

This article examines the legitimacy and rationale of the Joint Criminal Enterprise (JCE) principle in international criminal law, focusing on the implications of the UK Supreme Court's decision in R v Jogee, which fundamentally abolished JCE as a legal principle. JCE, characterized by its complexity and contentious nature, has been criticized for being driven more by policy considerations than legal precedents. The article first explicates the concept and evolution of JCE, including common purpose liability and parasitic accessorial liability, and highlights the irrationalities within these principles. Through an in-depth analysis of the R v Jogee decision, the author argues that the ruling successfully rectified residual errors in criminal law, deeming the abolition of JCE consistent with legal logic and tradition. The article concludes with recommendations for enhancing transparency and clarity in prosecution and sentencing processes to restore public confidence in the criminal justice system. It also underscores the disproportionate negative impact of JCE on minority groups and young offenders, advocating for reforms to mitigate these effects.

An out-of-court community-based programme to improve the health and well-being of young adult offenders: the Gateway RCT.

Young adults represent a third of the United Kingdom prison population and are at risk of poor health outcomes, including drug and alcohol misuse, self-harm and suicide. Court diversion interventions aim to reduce the negative consequences of criminal sanctions and address the root causes of offending. However, evidence of their effectiveness has not yet been established. The Gateway programme, issued as a conditional caution, aimed to improve the life chances of young adults committing low-level offences. Participants agreed not to reoffend during the 16-week caution and, following a needs assessment, received individual support from a Gateway navigator and attended two workshops encouraging analysis of own behaviour and its consequences. To evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Gateway in relation to health and well-being of participants compared to usual process (court summons or a different conditional caution). Pragmatic, multisite, parallel-group, superiority randomised controlled trial with two 6-month internal pilots and a target sample size of 334. Randomisation between Gateway and usual process was on a 1 : 1 basis. Four Hampshire Constabulary sites recruited 18- to 24-year-old residents of Hampshire and Isle of Wight who were questioned for an eligible low-level offence. Semistructured interviews were also held with a sample of Gateway programme participants, staff and police study recruiters. Primary outcome was the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale score at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included health status, alcohol and drug use, recidivism and resource use. Recruitment commenced in October 2019 and the trial stopped in April 2021. A total of 191 participants were recruited, with 109 randomised to Gateway and 82 to usual process. Due to an initial overestimation of potentially eligible young people and low retention rates, recruitment targets were adjusted, and a range of mitigating measures introduced. Although recruitment broadly met study progression criteria [35/50 (70%) Pilot 1: 64/74 (86%) Pilot 2], retention was low throughout (overall: data collected at week 4 was 50%: at week 16 it was 50%: 1-year 37%). Low retention was multifactorial, with one of the main barriers being difficulties contacting participants. It was therefore not possible to complete the randomised controlled trial or the health economics analyses. Qualitative interviews held with 58 individuals yielded rare insights into the benefits and limitations of this type of intervention, as well as barriers and facilitators in relation to recruitment in this setting. Despite close collaboration with the police to address recruitment and consent issues, expansion of the inclusion criteria and recruitment area and introducing other measures, the researchers were unable to collect sufficient data within an acceptable timeframe. The Gateway study was a unique endeavour to gather evidence for a potentially life-changing intervention for an underserved population. The experience gained indicates that randomised controlled trials of interventions, with a health-related outcome, are possible in this setting but point towards the need for conservative recruitment and retention estimates in this target population. Other study designs should be considered. The qualitative evaluation provided a range of valuable lessons for those seeking to design similar interventions or conduct research in similar settings. This study is registered as ISRCTN11888938. This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme (NIHR award ref: 16/122/20) and is published in full in Public Health Research; Vol. 12, No. 7. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.

Juvenile Justice Act: A Critical Assessment of Its Role in Supporting Vulnerable Youth

Juvenile Justice Act: A Critical Assessment of Its Role in Supporting Vulnerable Youth Ms. Amruta Arjun Chavan B.SL, LL.B, LL.M, PGDHR, PGCADR, SET, (Ph.D. in Law) Teaching Associate of Law, Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad Abstract One important piece of legislation designed to address the interests and rights of young people who are at risk within the legal system is the Juvenile Justice Act. In this research paper the efficacy of the Act in protecting, rehabilitating, and reintegrating young offenders is critically examined. The research outlines important strengths and opportunities for development by analyzing the Act’s provisions, implementation techniques, and results. The study emphasizes the need of a comprehensive strategy that strikes a balance between responsibility and the necessity of compassionate intervention, stressing the contribution of psychological, social, and educational support to good development. This paper intends to add to the current conversation on juvenile justice reform and the development of a more equitable and encouraging system for young people in legal trouble by evaluating the Act’s effects on vulnerable adolescents. This paper critically examines the Juvenile Justice Act and its efficacy in addressing the needs of vulnerable youth within the Indian criminal justice system. With a focus on the socio-legal framework established by the Act, this study explores the challenges and shortcomings in its implementation, particularly concerning marginalized groups. Also, various provisions of the Act, including the rehabilitation measures for juvenile offenders and the legal protections afforded to children in conflict with the law. Keywords: Juvenile Justice Act, Vulnerable Youth, Criminal Justice System, Rehabilitation, Juvenile Delinquency, Child Rights, Legal Framework, Mental Health, Social Justice, Child Protection. etc.

Perceptual saturation in deterrence: Examining the nonlinear relationships between arrest rate signal and perceptions of risk and reward

PurposeExamining the functional form of the relationships between arrest rate signal and perceptions of risk and reward among active young offenders previously adjudicated of a serious offense. MethodsGeneralized additive mixed models were used to analyze data from 745 individuals in the Pathways to Desistance study. ResultsIncreasing arrest rate had a positive but diminishing nonlinear effect on risk and a negative but approximately linear effect on rewards. A saturation point was observed in the influence of arrest rate on perceptions of risk, where further increases in arrest rate did not correspond to appreciable changes in perceptions of risk. ConclusionsThe findings suggest a potential upper limit to the effectiveness of increased arrest rate in deterring crime through increasing risk perceptions and underscore the need for policy strategies beyond increasing experienced punishment certainty. However, the findings also highlight potential methodological concerns of using arrest rate as a predictor of perceptions, especially among a sample with large variation in offending frequencies. Research should account for the nonlinearity between punishment and perceived risk and reward, especially in samples with heterogeneous offending experience.

Industrious, truthful, upright and manly: Reforming poor young men in the borstal schools of India in the 1920s and 1930s

AbstractThis article analyses the expansion of the borstal system for young male offenders in late colonial India. Based on legislative debates and prison administration reports, it considers the ways in which young adults were defined and treated within the context of these penal institutions. It reveals how institutionalised care for young men was used to reinforce the power of middle class coercive networks; to define and produce particular forms of masculinity among the poor youth of India and to contribute to wider, emerging discourses about the distinctive position of adolescents in Indian society.

Discontinuities in and Perceptions of Mental Health Service Path of Violent Young Offenders: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

Studies on mental health service use among juvenile violent offenders prior to their acts of violence are sparse. Mostly, their service use seems to be short-term, although there may have been several service periods. Little is known about how they have perceived those services. Using a qualitative content analysis on data from forensic psychiatric examination statements, we studied discontinuities in the use of mental health services of 15-22-year-old violent Finnish offenders and descriptions of their perceptions of those services. There were several types of discontinuities: limited youth engagement and subsequent dropping out from services, or partial or total refusal of the proposed examinations or treatments. Most discontinuations were instigated by the youth themselves, followed by the parents and the service system. The subjects had perceived mental health services to be not beneficial for the most part, although some experienced benefits from medication. When treating children and adolescents with behavioral symptoms clinicians should identify the early signs of the process of disengagement from treatment and pay attention to the perceptions of the treatment of both the youth and their parents. Also, more research is needed on the user experience of mental health services among violent offenders, as well as factors relating to discontinuities along their mental health service path.

Justicia restaurativa y delincuencia juvenil: un enfoque interdisciplinario

Crime in general is a phenomenon of wide significance and concern within the Ecuadorian territory. Proof of this is that the prison population is mostly made up of young people, which generates even more unrest. In the development of this academic work, recent research has been reviewed, as well as statistical data to evaluate the effectiveness of the scope of restorative justice in prevention and thus the reduction of recidivism rates, thus promoting the rehabilitation of young offenders. The methodology used responds to a qualitative approach, framed in legal dogmatics with a descriptive scope and a correlational design, supported by the exegetical method and bibliographic and documentary analysis. As a result, the proposal to apply restorative justice that provides viable alternatives to criminal trial is presented, aligned with the principle of minimal intervention, as one of the characteristics of Ecuadorian justice related to international standards. By specifying issues inherent to the deprivation of liberty, this work is oriented towards the de-judicialization and deinstitutionalization of sanctions, proposing a balance between the purposes, perspectives, scope and strengths through which juvenile restorative justice can face the other areas of criminal justice.

A Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Restorative Justice Programs in Reducing Recidivism: A Global Perspective

Restorative justice (RJ) is a growing alternative to traditional punitive justice, emphasizing offender accountability, victim reparation, and community reintegration. This meta-analysis aims to quantify the effectiveness of RJ programs in reducing recidivism across diverse global contexts. A systematic search of electronic databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO) from 2018-2024 was conducted, including studies that assessed the impact of RJ on recidivism using experimental or quasi-experimental designs. The primary outcome was recidivism (any reoffense), with secondary outcomes of violent and non-violent recidivism. Random effects models were used to calculate pooled effect sizes. Thirty-two studies met the inclusion criteria (N = 18,654 participants). The overall pooled effect size for RJ on recidivism was -0.11 (95% CI -0.15, -0.07), indicating a small but statistically significant reduction in recidivism compared to traditional justice. Subgroup analyses revealed greater effects for youth offenders (-0.16) and for programs with high adherence to core RJ principles (-0.18). In conclusion, RJ programs demonstrate a modest but consistent effect in reducing recidivism. The findings support the continued implementation and expansion of RJ, particularly for young offenders and in settings with strong adherence to RJ philosophy.

Gendered Realities: Reforming Juvenile Justice in India

For the past few decades, the juvenile justice system in India has shifted from a rehabilitative to a retributive paradigm, leading researchers to become increasingly interested in the gendered implications of paradigm change that may exacerbate problems of young offenders, especially females. The current article explores the question of how social attitudes, institutional prejudices, and intersectional identities affect the ways in which female offenders are perceived and treated in India. The framework for the current study includes theoretical concepts of rehabilitation, retribution, and feminist theory. The use of secondary analysis and the description of policy changes and historical context studies are included in the research. Employing a data-driven analysis based on a combination of case studies, quantitative data, and inter-state comparison, the research reveals that female offenders face systemicinstitutional and individual problems, including re-victimization, trauma, and inadequate access to quality rehabilitation services. This article argues for genderresponsive and intersectional juvenile justice policies and redirects attention to rehabilitation available results for future policy and research initiatives

Improving education for incarcerated children and young people: policy recommendations from three transnational projects in Europe

Purpose The purpose of this policy piece is to present headline evidence from the equivalent of a decade of research across three projects focused on improving the educational experiences of incarcerated or justice-involved children and young people across 14 countries. The projects demonstrated a positive impact when using the specially designed innovative methods even with disengaged justice-involved children and young people. Each project had a different focus based on the needs of the children and young people, including (re)engaging them with education and learning opportunities re-engaging young offenders with education and learning (RENYO), developing identified social and emotional competencies through sport active games 4 change (AG4C) and developing skills for when transitioning into communities (S4L). Design/methodology/approach Each of the three projects designed bespoke interventions and materials based on the focus of the project. Combined, these were piloted across a total of 14 countries with 548 children and young people, 225 educators and 21 youth justice settings (custodial and non-custodial). Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered from educators, children and young people to better understand the effectiveness and limitations of the pedagogical approaches, the materials and experiences of the users. Findings The findings from across the three projects demonstrated that when custodial settings or youth justice settings have greater access to specifically designed tools and resources, with appropriate training to use them, it is possible to re-engage even the most disengaged children and young people with education and learning (RENYO). It was also possible to show a statistically significant increase in social and emotional competencies (social awareness, responsible decision-making, self-awareness, self-management, relationship skills) in participating country settings (AG4C) and to engage children and young people with a Skills4Life Curriculum in preparation for moving back into the community. Research limitations/implications Custodial and other youth justice settings vary widely in different jurisdictions with varying levels of resource. Whilst all programmes had success in implementation, this was to different degrees and extents in each of the country contexts. Much of this success will depend on the skills of educators and the willingness of the leadership. Practical implications The programmes and interventions in this policy piece can be used in a range of contexts and settings as shown by the wide range of sites they were piloted in. From a practical perspective, these programmes and interventions have been designed to fit into existing structures and timetables with custodial and youth justice settings, making them easily integrated into business as usual. Originality/value Planned and strategically delivered interventions by expert educators in a holistic way means there is real opportunity to better support justice involved children and young people to successful transitioning back into communities, thereby potentially reducing reoffending. This is done by (re)engaging them with education and learning on entry, using the authentic inquiry methodology, developing social and emotional competencies through the active games and sport programme, followed by a tailored Skils4Life Curriculum preparing them for transition back into communities.

Youth and Young Terror: Canadian Case Law and the Socio-Carceral Dynamics of Youth and Young Offenders Convicted of Terrorism Offences

Focusing on developments within Canadian jurisprudence, the authors explore significant case law and its impact on our understanding of the challenges faced by youth and young offenders convicted of terrorism offences while navigating the legal and correctional systems. We demonstrate how Canadian law has often failed to address the needs and lived experiences of youth and young offenders convicted of terrorism offences while dealing with legal supports and corrections’ resources. To that end, we scrutinize important Canadian case law. Preliminary findings highlight the inadequate interventions measures, both at the state and non-state levels, available to inmates who have committed terrorism-related offences, as well as question whether such interventions have any reintegrative value for youth and young offenders’ personal growth and desistence upon release. Moreover, institutional deficits, such as the absence of correctional programing leave open the opportunity for re-offending and radicalization upon release. If there is a role for law to play in rehabilitation, a thorough exploration of case law as it relates to youth offenders convicted of terrorism offences is required. In addition to examining Canadian jurisprudence and its impact on understanding the challenges faced by youth and young offenders convicted of terrorism offences, it is crucial to underscore the importance of strong and conventional community ties after release. These ties can significantly mitigate further alienation and extremist tendencies. Socio-legal and carceral recommendations are discussed.

Nutritional assessment of the diets of prisoners in Young Offender Institutions

Adequate nutrition is necessary for overall health and development(1). Prisoners in general lack autonomy over their diet, in addition to being a population with a high risk of poor health outcomes(2, 3). It is important therefore that prisons are offered menus which meet dietary reference values (DRVs), as set by the UK government, aiming for equity with the general population, and that prisoners choose food options that are beneficial for their health. The aim of this study was to conduct a nutritional analysis of prisoners’ food diaries to determine whether dietary recommendations were being met.Seven-day food diaries were collected from prisoners eating the normal food supplied by three young offender institutions in 2009. Food eaten was analysed using DietPlan6 version 6.0 (Forestfield Software Ltd). Individual nutrient data were tested for normality and compared against the UK DRVs and NDNS data from 2008/9 using either the one-sample T-test, or one-sample Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. Data in the results is presented as (Mean ± SD).There were n=466 diaries analysed, from male participants aged between 16 to 24 years. Twenty- eight nutrients were compared with their respective DRVs by age categories: 16-18y (n=156), 19-24y (n=310), and 16-24y (n=466).For ages 16-24y, chloride (5556 ± 1692mg), folate (302 ± 112ug), iodine (195 ± 81ug), monounsaturated fat (35 ± 10g), potassium (3667 ± 1161mg), sodium (3899 ± 1392mg), sugar (136 ± 73g), riboflavin (2 ± 1mg), vitamin B12 (6 ± 4ug), vitamin C (92 ± 63mg), and zinc (11 ± 3mg) exceeded DRV requirements (P<0.01). Carbohydrates (53 ± 5%E), saturated fat (12 ± 5%E), and sugar (19 ± 9%E) all exceeded their DRVs (P<0.05). Vitamin A (553 ± 531ug) and fibre (15 ± 6g) were found 24% and 18% lower than the DRVs, respectively (P<0.01). Fat (34 ± 5%E), polyunsaturated fat (6 ± 1%E), and protein (14 ± 2%E), as a percent of energy, were below the DRV by 3%, 8%, and 7% respectively (P<0.01). Magnesium (301 ± 107mg) was equal to the DRV (P=0.81).For 16-18, and 19-24 respectively, calcium (1286 ± 928mg; 1337 ± 489mg), copper (1 ± 0.6mg; 2 ± 0.6mg), iron (14 ± 5mg; 15 ± 6mg), niacin (19 ± 7mg; 21 ± 7mg), phosphorus (1545 ± 381mg; 1620 ± 493mg), protein (96 ± 24g; 100 ± 29g), thiamine (2 ± 0.6mg; 2 ± 0.7mg), and vitamin B6 (2.3 ± 0.7ug; 3 ± 0.9ug) exceeded their DRV (P<0.01). For 16-18y, energy (kcals) was equal to the DRV (2748 ± 787kcal, P=0.91). For years 19-24y, energy (kcal) exceeded the DRV (2931 ± 939kcal, P<0.01).This study represents the largest assessment of dietary intake of prisoners and demonstrates that the prison catering, for the most part, met the DRVs. However, sugar, fat, and energy intake exceeded their DRV target, posing clear risks to health by possibly contributing to later obesity, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Parental Defenses in Interactions with the Police

Decades of stigma research has shown that people draw on different coping strategies to manage stigma in their daily lives. Yet, scholar have paid less attention to how people deal with and manage feelings of stigma as they arise in ongoing interactions. Drawing on observations of police‐parent interactions, in this study I identify four common ways that parents of young offenders respond to police interventions: compliance, passivity, minimization of severity, and defensive attacks. I discuss how these parental responses shape and change the interactional dynamics between police and parents, and how they simultaneously may help the parents protect and regulate their sense of parental identity in interaction. Finally, although the stigma defenses I identify are based on police‐parent interactions, I conclude that the same responses may be found in other relatable fields and interactions.

Participation in a Prison-Based Training Programme Is Beneficial for Rescue Dogs.

Dogs are often relinquished because of behavioural issues which may be exacerbated in rehoming centres. Prison-based dog training programmes (DTPs) may enhance outcomes for rescue dogs by providing socialisation and training opportunities to improve behaviour, welfare and likelihood of rehoming. We assessed whether dogs benefitted from participation, 1-3 times per week, in a prison-based DTP in which male young offenders learn how to train and care for dogs waiting to be rehomed. Within DTP sessions, there was significant improvement on a range of training tasks (n = 42 dogs). Analyses of videos (n = 17 dogs) in the kennels and a training barn pre- and post-DTP participation showed improvement in some positive behaviours, but no significant change in other behaviours. Subjective ratings by staff of the dogs' behaviour were made (n = 20 dogs). Desirable behaviours (e.g., playful/friendly) increased, and most undesirable behaviours (e.g., frustrated and noisy) decreased. Participation in the DTP did not mitigate all negative behaviours. However, improvements are consistent with enhanced welfare and likelihood of successful rehoming. Prison-based DTPs can be effective in supporting the work of animal rescue organisations to improve outcomes for dogs, while offering people in custody an opportunity to engage in purposeful activity and provide a community service.

Examining the impact of a group treatment using cognitive and social cognition remediation for young offenders: The justice health NSW school-link advantage pilot study.

Young offenders experience higher rates of neurodevelopmental and mental health disorders than the general population, and significant access barriers to health treatment. Treatment combining Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT) and Social Cognition Remediation Therapy (SCRT) has demonstrated benefits for functional improvements and social development. However, there is limited information regarding group treatment programs in custodial settings for young offenders. This pilot study explores the effectiveness and feasibility of a group treatment program for youth offenders with cognitive deficits and mental health concerns in youth detention. The School-Link Advantage pilot study designed and tested a 10-week group treatment program combining CRT and SCRT for young offenders in custody. The closed groups incorporated interactive activities focussed on emotional recognition and regulation skills, optimizing executive functioning, understanding values, exploring belief systems, improving relationships, and safety planning. Of the 22 male participants recruited in an Australian Youth Justice Centre, 12 completed all aspects of the treatment program, reflecting a 54.5% completion rate in a typically challenging to engage population cohort. Results demonstrated significant improvements in the ability to store and retrieve information, recognize information, and control emotions. Planning and organizing skills also showed considerable development. This pilot study suggests that a combined CRT and SCRT group treatment program has the potential to effectively target cognitive challenges associated with mental health disorders in young offenders in custody. These promising outcomes suggest exploring randomized controlled trials with increased cultural sensitivity for diverse populations.