Young Offenders Research Articles

Disruptive behaviors, antisocial attitudes, and aggression in young offenders: Comparison of Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) typologies

BackgroundAdverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) are associated with many deleterious outcomes in young offenders. There is a dearth of studies examining its effects on young offenders' antisocial attitudes, disruptive behaviors and aggression, risk factors for delinquency and reoffending. ObjectiveThis study examined ACE patterns and their association with the above factors in young offenders. Participants and setting1130 youth offenders (964 males; Mage = 17.57 years), provided self-reports on ACEs, antisocial attitudes, disruptive behavior ratings and aggression. MethodLatent Class Analysis was performed on 12 self-reported ACEs, followed by Analyses of Covariance on each of the measures. ResultsFour classes – Low ACE, Indirect Victims, Abusive Environment, and Polyvictimized – were identified. Polyvictimized youths had the highest levels of conduct problems (M = 70.35, ps < .05) and proactive aggression (M = 0.45, ps < .05) but did not differ from youths in Abusive Environment in reactive aggression (M = 1.02, p = .69), oppositional problems (M = 65.15, p = .18), and antisocial attitudes (M = 26.95, p = .21). Indirect Victims had lower levels of conduct problems (M = 64.80, p < .05) and antisocial attitudes (M = 24.35, p < .05) than Polyvictimized youths but higher levels of these outcomes than the Low ACE group. ConclusionsOur findings showed that ACEs patterns vary in their effects on antisociality and disruptive behaviors. The novel finding was that childhood victimization does not have to be direct, as indirect victimization significantly impacted factors important to delinquency and reoffending.

Inventing Young Offenders: The Legal and Medical Categorization of Juvenile Delinquency in Hashemite Iraq, 1921–1958

Abstract This article traces the emergence of juvenile delinquency as a legal and medical category in Hashemite Iraq (1921–58). We argue that as children and youth became increasingly visible through actions and inactions that highlighted the weaknesses of political and social structures, state institutions adopted international frameworks and vernaculars concerning the participation of youth in labor. Medicine played a key role in defining the “juvenile” and determining young people’s physical abilities and, by extension, their productive potential. Focusing on children and youth who were for the most part unaffiliated with organized political groups, the article demonstrates that Iraq’s correctional facilities, including reformatories, were integral to the Hashemite state’s attempt at crafting and regulating citizens. Juvenile delinquency was also a uniquely gendered and classed category. Gender in particular became a distinguishing marker that in effect deprived young women and girls of the juvenile status that allowed mostly lower-class young men and boys to access reformatories rather than adult prisons. While defiant young men and boys who were considered as potentially redeemable gained access to judicial and social institutions that aimed to rehabilitate the juvenile delinquent, the crimes of young women and girls were often sexualized and assessed according to interpretations of maturity determined by the onset of puberty rather than legal age.

Social norms or enforcement? A natural field experiment to improve traffic and parking fine compliance

Very little is known about the efficient collection of fines despite their indispensable contribution to local government budgets. This paper fills an important gap in the literature by studying the effectiveness of deterrence (enforcement) and non-deterrence (social norms) letters that aim to improve the collection of traffic and parking fines. We present results from a natural field experiment implemented in collaboration with the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government. We find that both letters increase fine payments significantly. The effect of the enforcement letter is stronger than that of the social norms letter. Our analysis of heterogenous treatment effects indicates that addressing social norms does not change the behavior of young offenders, those who committed a speeding offence, those with a long outstanding debt and those with a debt above the median. In contrast, the enforcement letter is generally effective across subgroups.

Three Strikes and You’re Out: The Demographics of Indiana’s Habitual Offender Law

Decades of research have shown that racial minorities face a higher rate of incarceration and lengthier prison sentences in the United States compared to their White counterparts (Alexander, 2012; Steffensmeier et al., 1998; Chiricos &amp; Crawford, 1995). Moreover, racial minorities and young people often face disproportionately harsher penalties for specific offenses such as drug possession (Steffensmeier et al., 1998). One of the primary drivers of racial inequality in criminal sentencing has been “habitual offender” laws (Crow &amp; Johnson, 2008). These laws impose sentence enhancements for repeat felony offenders and have been enacted by multiple states across the country. While scholars have repeatedly found that Florida’s habitual offender law has been disproportionately applied to racial minorities, virtually no attention has been devoted to Indiana’s habitual offender law (Crawford &amp; Johnson, 2008; Caravelis et al., 2011; Beres &amp; Griffith, 1998). In order to fill this gap in the literature, I used the Indiana Prosecutor Case Management System to examine case summaries of all habitual offender cases from 2015 to 2019 in Marion, Indiana’s largest and most racially diverse county. For each legal case, I coded the defendant’s race and age, the quantity and nature of their past crimes, the length of the defendant’s sentence, and whether or not they were convicted of the habitual offender enhancement. I then examined the statistical associations between these variables to ascertain whether Indiana’s habitual offender law has been disproportionately applied to young defendants, racial minorities, or drug offenders.

Estimating effects of short-term imprisonment on crime using random judge assignments

Noncustodial sanctions may present an attractive way to reduce the prison population rate, but only when noncustodial sanctions meet custodial ones in terms of deterring recidivism. Using administrative criminal records data of all individuals convicted in the Netherlands in 2012, this study examines the effects of short-term imprisonment versus noncustodial sanctions on crime. We employ an instrumental variables approach to account for selection processes and to produce consistent estimates of the effects of imprisonment. Findings indicate that being sentenced to prison rather than a noncustodial sanction increases the prevalence of recidivism by 10 percentage points and increases recidivism rates by 1.07 registered crimes during a follow-up period of three years. Treatment effect heterogeneity analyses show that the detrimental impact of imprisonment is most pronounced for first-time prisoners, and adult offenders, compared to repeat prisoners and young adult offenders.

Criminal and positive identity development of young male offenders: pre and post rehabilitation

PurposeThe rates of offending and re-offending for young males are higher than any other population. Whilst the UK Ministry of Justice (2020) states that rehabilitation programmes should aim to build a positive identity, little is known about the subjective experiences of how this occurs. Various theories and models suggest that the development of a positive identity assists rehabilitation for young men with convictions (i.e. Johns et al., 2017). Therefore, the current study aimed to gather personal narratives from male, young offenders with the intention of understanding identity development.Design/methodology/approachTwelve interviews were conducted with young men with convictions aged between 18 and 25 years who had almost completed a rehabilitation process within the community. Narrative analysis was used to analyse the data. All were engaging with the rehabilitation service as a result of conviction for low to medium level offences, including burglary, harm of another person and drug related offences.FindingsThree plots were identified which explain identity when committing offences: “The Powerless”, “The Feared” and “The Disconnected”. One plot was evident within the narratives which explained positive identity when rehabilitated: “The Connected”. The findings illustrate the importance of an approach which considers various aspects of a young offender’s life.Originality/valueThe current study further adds to knowledge base of young offender rehabilitation by providing a systemic understanding of how men with convictions’ identity develop pre- and post-rehabilitation. New implications for trauma informed practice are discussed.

Restorative Justice, Desistance and Trauma-Informed Practice in the Youth Justice System

Trauma-informed practice involves understanding the impact of trauma on an individual’s life and how trauma has a direct impact on behaviour. It is an approach that has been implemented in various sectors such as education, health and the justice system. There appears to be a direct link between trauma and crime whereby the majority of those who offend in the UK have experienced trauma such as abuse and neglect during their childhood or adult life. It follows, therefore, that it is vital for trauma-informed practice to be implemented in the justice system as this may enable the future desistance of offenders and consequently reduce crime. Using restorative justice as an approach, this article will demonstrate the impact of trauma-informed practice on offending. This article, therefore, explores key principles around restorative justice and examines how trauma-informed practice that adopts a restorative approach may tackle issues around the wellbeing of young offenders and their desistance as well as the victims of their offending behaviour.&#x0D; Keywords: restorative justice; trauma-informed practice; justice system; desistance; deviance; young people.

Female Inmates and Young Offenders: A Call for Implementation of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019

On the 14th August 2019, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari signed into law a bill that repels the Prisons Act CAP P 29, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and provides a change in nomenclature for the foremost correctional institution in Nigeria, Nigeria Prison Service (NPS) to Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) . Apart from the obvious change in name, the Act provides for quite a number of amendments geared towards a total overhaul of the activities of the service and a much expected radical change in the treatment of offenders in Nigeria, as well as an overall more-friendly environment for the inevitable erring and recalcitrant members of our society. This paper looks at the amendments as it relates to females and young offenders and discusses the implications of those amendments in line with International Best Practices and Requirements. It calls for urgent implementation of the novel provisions, for nothing would have been done if the amendments are not given practical realization. Keywords: Correctional Service, females and young offenders, amendments, implementation DOI: 10.7176/JLPG/130-02 Publication date: March 31 st 2023

Lifelong mental health service use among 15–22 years old offenders: a document-based, mixed-methods descriptive study

ObjectivesAmong young offenders, psychiatric morbidity and comorbidity are common, but our knowledge about their use of mental health services during childhood and adolescence is scarce. We aimed to describe the...

Resilience for Juvenile Recidivists Versus One‑Time Offenders in Argentina

IntroductionResilient potential of 100 young male offenders (aged 16-17), in Buenos Aires was assessed using a translated and revised version of the Resilience Scale (RS) of 14 items (Wagnild, 2009). Data on family criminality, school achievement and socioeconomic status was also obtained for both groups. The greater the resilient potential the greater the opportunity of not to reoffend irrespective of being controlled by key risk factors.Objectives1-Do repeat offenders have lower resilient potential than one-time offenders? 2. If a relationship between resilience and repeat offending does exist, is this explained by family criminality, low school achievement or low socioeconomic status?MethodsPsychosocial interviews with each participant were conducted by the named author, under strict judicial conditions considering privacy in all cases, based on informed consent, with the condition of maintaining the concealed identity of the participants. In all cases it was clarified that youth participation was voluntary.Results Table 1.M (SD) M (SD) t d pAge 16.20 (0.41) 16.45 (0.50) 2.70 0.66 0.008Resilience M (SD) M (SD) t d pFactor I 29.92 (7.25) 63.45 (4.92) 27.16 5.41 &lt;0.001Factor II 7.37 (1.95) 16.59 (1.87) 24.13 11.33 &lt;0.001Total Resilience 37.29 (8.67) 80.09 (6.49) 27.82 5.59 &lt;0.001Risk Factors % % chi d pFamily Criminality 44.9 3.9 20.81 1.03 &lt;0.001Low School Achievement 98.0 11.8 71.31 3.15 &lt;0.001Low Socioeconomic Status 42.9 11.8 10.73 0.69 0.001 Table 2. Independent Predictors of Repeat OffendingVariables β pCriminality in the family 2.994 &lt;0.001Low school achievement 5.886 &lt;0.001Low socioeconomic status (SES) -1.727 &lt;0.001Note. All comparisons p&lt;.001.ConclusionsTaking into account the lack of studies on resilience in juvenile offenders in both national and international research the findings of the present study provide an important contribution in the field of juvenile offending, particularly in the view of further interventions aimed at the prevention and rehabilitation in the near and long term of juvenile offenders in Argentina.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Staff burnout in the Children and Young People Secure Estate (CYPSE) in England

Staff working in secure settings tend to experience elevated levels of work stress and burnout, with most of the evidence emerging from studies conducted in adult prison settings in the United States. There is a general lack of research on staff working in the Children and Young People Secure Estate (CYPSE) in England. The present study examined levels of burnout in a range of staff groups across CYPSE settings using data collected between October 2018 and March 2019. Findings revealed moderate burnout levels across a sample of 383 staff from 17 sites. Frontline operational staff in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) had significantly higher burnout levels than operational support staff, health staff, and non-disclosed staff, but their burnout profile did not significantly differ from residential, operational management, and education staff, according to the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI). Our findings indicate YOI frontline operational staff may be a particularly vulnerable group for whom workplace support is essential to reduce burnout rates, as are other frontline staff with a considerable amount of direct interaction with young people in secure settings, such as teachers and residential staff.

A Developmental Approach to Understanding Gender Differences Among Youth Offenders Regarding Perceptions of Police Legitimacy

While there is a rich body of literature regarding attitudes toward the police, longitudinal empirical research on perceptions of police legitimacy among youth offenders is scant. Using data from Pathways to Desistance, a longitudinal study of 1,354 serious juvenile offenders, the current study builds upon the literature by identifying developmental trajectories of perceptions of police legitimacy among serious young offenders by gender. The study used group-based trajectory modeling, which yielded five trajectory groups for males and four trajectory groups for females. Female youth offenders exhibited slight increases in perceptions of police legitimacy, whereas males showed variations in perceptions of police legitimacy across the seven waves. To examine the probability that predictors belong to certain trajectory groups, the average marginal effects from a multinomial logit regression model were calculated. The findings showed that direct and indirect procedural justice and Black were statistically significant predictors of the probability of police legitimacy trajectories for both males and females. Compared with the male youth offenders, among their female counterparts, legal cynicism, self-reported offense, Hispanic, and age were not associated with the probability of each trajectory group. Given our findings and the strong association between the likelihood of offending and perceptions of the police, we suggest that existing early intervention programs may add a curriculum on prosocial attitudes toward the police. The findings also shed light on the significance of gender in the developmental perspective of police legitimacy perceptions among youth offenders.

Evaluations of Probation Specialists on Evidence-Based Probation Practices: A Qualitative Study from Turkey

ABSTRACT Purpose This research explores the views of probation specialists working with young offenders about their professional process, professional problems, and the evidence-based practice approach. Method The qualitative method was used in the research and the phenomenology pattern forms the basis of the research. The data deciphered and conceptualized with descriptive analysis by the organizing and senior researcher. Results According to data from in-depth interviews, due to the dual structure of the probation system, which includes both execution and rehabilitation, professional staff experience role conflict. Professional problems such as excessive workload, inadequate physical conditions, not separating the job descriptions of probation specialists according to their fields of expertise, job dissatisfaction, and burnout are common. In addition, there are no scientific tools to measure the effectiveness of the intervention programs and monitoring process in the probation system. Discussion There is a need for developing the effectiveness of intervention programs in the probation system and an evidence-based intervention system. At the end of the article, some suggestions on effective social work practices in the probation system are presented from the perspective of evidence-based practice.

Young offenders in forensic institutions in the Netherlands after committing serious crimes: Contribution of mandatory treatment and reduction of reincarceration.

In the Netherlands, young offenders who have been convicted of a particularly serious offence may be subjected to a so-called 'Placement in an Institution for Juveniles' (PIJ) measure if they are considered to pose a high ongoing risk to public safety. They form a rarely studied distinct group. Treatment in specialist forensic custodial institutions for young people (FYCI) is an intervention of last resort and costly. The most serious young offenders tend to be the hardest to rehabilitate while preventing further offending. Treatment is focussed on reducing risk of harm as well as improving health and other protective factors. To explore the contribution of treatment in an FYCI under a forensic treatment order-the PIJ-measure-to the reduction of risk of reoffending. In a pre-post intervention study, the Juvenile Forensic Profile (JFP) was used to score complete case files of 178 young offenders at the start and end of their placement in an FYCI under the PIJ-measure, 59% of those serving between the years 2013 and 2016 inclusive. The JFP covers risk and protective factors in seven domains encompassing criminal behaviour, family, environment, risk factors, psychopathology, psychology and behaviour during incarceration. Change or stability in scores was tested against reincarceration within 2years of PIJ-measure completion. Impulse control and alcohol and drug use problems showed the greatest improvements. Behaviour that deteriorates during the stay is primarily related to obtaining more autonomy during reintegration efforts, including furlough. Reincarceration in the 2years of community follow-up was unusual (13.5%). The two main variables associated with reincarceration were problematic behaviour during the pre-discharge year and lack of behavioural improvement during treatment. Outcomes of mandatory treatment in this group of serious young offenders have not previously been studied in a rigorous pre-post intervention study design. We found evidence of an overall tendency to improvement over time in mental state and social skills, reflected by risk assessment scale scores. Continued substance use problems while incarcerated and continuing social skills deficits were most strongly associated with reincarceration suggests a possible need for review of these areas in the PIJ-measure programme. Results contribute to knowledge about risk assessment, treatment and preventions of harms by serious young offenders and may inform evidence-based policies and practices in the Netherlands and beyond.

Victims first? Examining the place of ‘child criminal exploitation’ within ‘child first’ youth justice

Abstract‘Child first’ principles have become increasingly prevalent within youth justice policy in England and Wales. In parallel, the concept of ‘child criminal exploitation’ (CCE) has also emerged. On the surface, CCE compliments ‘child first’ principles by reconceptualising ‘young offenders’, who would previously have been criminalised, as children who are victims of exploitation. However, this article identifies two areas of conflict: rather than being diversionary, current responses to CCE further entrench children in the justice system; and, rather than responding holistically to unmet need among all children involved in offending, the concept of CCE functions to exclude some children from support.

Policing by algorithm: NSW Police’s Suspect Target Management Plan

This article considers New South Wales Police's Suspect Target Management Plan (STMP) and its disparate impact on young and Indigenous offenders. The article re-casts analyses provided by the Youth Justice Coalition and the Law Enforcement Conduct Committee to demonstrate the impact of the STMP-II on five individual case studies. While algorithms are becoming increasingly common, this article highlights the risk when algorithms, our increased reliance on data and automation bias combine. As in the case of the STMP-II, the tendency to follow algorithmic outputs without review or critique is especially problematic when algorithms are used to inform decisions affecting individual freedoms and liberty.

Anabolic-androgenic steroids: Considerations for forensic psychiatry, sports psychiatry, and the law

Anabolic-androgenic steroids: Considerations for forensic psychiatry, sports psychiatry, and the law

Child-to-parent Violence Offenders (Specialists vs. Generalists): The Role of Direct Victimization at Home

Background/Objectives: Current research has identified direct victimization at home as one of the main predictors of child-to-parent violence (CPV). However, the mechanisms involved in this relationship have not been studied. Thus, we first analyze the differences between CPV offenders and offenders who have committed other types of offenses, as well as the differences between two types of CPV offenders: specialists (those who have only committed CPV) and generalists (those who have committed CPV in addition to other offenses), in multiple risk factors. Next, we specifically examine direct victimization at home and its relationship with social-cognitive processing in CPV. Method: The sample consisted of 208 Spanish young offenders recruited from the Juvenile Justice Service (163 males) aged 14-20 years. Concretely, 83 were CPV offenders, 126 other offenders and concerning the CPV group, 57 were specialists and 26 generalists. A wide range of individual, family, and social variables were evaluated. Results: Compared to other offenders, CPV offenders show more socio-cognitive difficulties, less parental warmth and more parental criticism/rejection, more direct victimization at home and more vicarious victimization at school and in the street. Specialist and generalist CPV offenders differ significantly in their characteristics, with the generalists showing a more negative profile than the specialists. The most important result is that direct victimization at home is linked to social-cognitive processing, and, while some of the variables (anticipation of positive consequences and justification of violence) are positively related to CPV motivated by instrumental reasons, other variables (anger and aggressive response access) are positively related to CPV motivated by reactive reasons. Conclusions: Dysfunctional social-cognitive processing is implicated in the relationship between direct victimization at home and CPV, varying the components involved depending on the reasons for the violence. It is discussed the implications of the obtained results for research and professional practice.

“I’m not Just Some Criminal, I’m Actually a Person to Them Now”: The Importance of Child-Staff Therapeutic Relationships in the Children and Young People Secure Estate

Therapeutic relationships between children and staff across the Children and Young People Secure Estate (CYPSE) is an under-researched area. The aim of this research is to explore the research question, ‘what are the key elements of the development and maintenance of effective therapeutic relationships?’ Qualitative semi-structured interviews and a focus group were conducted with children in Young Offender Institutions, Secure Training Centers and Secure Children’s Homes in England between February–November 2019 (N = 28 children; 25 interviews, 1 focus group). Framework analysis and grounded theory methodology were applied to the data, and 13 themes were generated. The facilitating properties of good communication, understanding, reciprocal respect, trust, and a sense of fairness in these relationships are highlighted. Positive relationships may be facilitated through the formulation process. The varied experiences of children are considered, highlighting the need for knowledge sharing and training staff in effective helping skills.

At the heart of change: Differences in young offenders' HRV patterns after the delivery of the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP program.

Literature has pointed the need for intervention programs specifically tailored to target the treatment needs of young offenders, as well as the need to test the efficacy of such programs through physiological indexes of emotion regulation (e.g., heart rate variability; HRV), complementing self-reports typically used as outcome measures. The PSYCHOPATHY.COMP is a 20-session individual intervention program based on Compassion Focused Therapy aiming to reduce psychopathic traits and disruptive behavior among young offenders through the development of a compassionate motivation, while stimulating the soothing system as a strategy to improve emotion regulation. Previous research with young offenders has shown decreases in vagally mediated HRV (vmHRV) when the soothing system is activated. This physiological pattern seems to mirror threat-like responses that contrast with relaxed states. To test the efficacy of the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP, a clinical trial was implemented encompassing a treatment (n = 56) and a control group (n = 53). Treatment participants attended the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP, while controls received the Treatment As Usual (TAU) delivered in Portuguese juvenile detention facilities. HRV data was collected throughout a standardized procedure (encompassing resting, reactivity and recovery phases) specifically designed to trigger the soothing system. Participants were assessed at pre-treatment, post-treatment and 6-months follow-up. Although treatment participants continued to process the soothing system as unpleasant (with decreased vmHRV), they seem to become able to adaptively recover from the stimuli without avoiding it or resorting to maladaptive coping strategies. The physiological pattern was in line with participants' decreases in difficulties in emotion regulation across the assessment periods. In contrast, controls seemed to have actively employed coping strategies associated with increases in vmHRV not only when the soothing system was triggered, but also when recovering from the stimuli. Congruently, for controls, increases in difficulties in emotion regulation were found, with increases in the lack of emotional clarity across the assessment periods. Findings offer new evidence for the efficacy of the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP program in improving emotion regulation in young offenders, assessed through both self-report and physiological measures. Additionally, findings support the assessment of the autonomic balance as a treatment efficacy index in future research, targeting the rehabilitation of these youth. ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT03971682.