A field study of the impact of psychotropic medication on delinquency and juvenile justice system involvement among a high risk sample of children and adolescents

The primary aim of this study was to examine gender and racial differences in the association between system involvement types (i.e., child protective services [CPS] only, juvenile justice system only, and dual involvement) and academic outcomes (i.e., grade failure, chronic absenteeism). This study used records from a linked database of public youth-serving institutional records within a county’s youth court, law enforcement agencies, and CPS. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. The impact of systems involvement on academic outcomes was most salient among Black males, while none of the system involvement types were associated with chronic absenteeism or grade failure among White males. Findings highlight the need for the development of intervention strategies to address educational needs of youth involved in the CPS and juvenile justice systems, with a heightened attention to Black and male youth, to improve their attendance and academic performance.

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The Impact of Victimization, Mental Health Problems, and Disabilities on Juvenile Justice Processing: Does Gender Matter?

Crime & Delinquency ◽

10.1177/0011128720950024 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 001112872095002

Author(s):

Allison T. Chappell ◽

Scott R. Maggard

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Juvenile Justice ◽

Justice System ◽

Juvenile Justice System ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Delinquent Behavior ◽

Health Problems ◽

Health Issues ◽

Policy And Practice ◽

The Impact

Victimization, mental health problems, and disabilities are associated with an increased likelihood of delinquent behavior, and girls in the juvenile justice system report higher rates of past trauma and victimization, sexual abuse, and mental health issues than boys. However, the influence of these problems on juvenile justice processing remains understudied. This study investigated the impact of victimization, mental health problems, disabilities, and comorbidity on intake and adjudication decisions across gender. Data on 74,636 intake cases were obtained from the centralized database of the juvenile justice office in a mid-Atlantic state (FY 2011–2015). Findings suggest that mental health problems, victimization, and disabilities are associated with increased punitiveness at intake but few consistent gender differences emerged. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

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Entry risk into the juvenile justice system: African American, American Indian, Asian American, European American, and Hispanic children and adolescents

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry ◽

10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010.02231.x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 51 (6) ◽

pp. 668-678 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Alexander T. Vazsonyi ◽

Pan Chen

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

Juvenile Justice ◽

American Indian ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Asian American ◽

Justice System ◽

Juvenile Justice System ◽

European American ◽

Hispanic Children

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The Discontinuity of Offending Among African American Youth in the Juvenile Justice System

Youth & Society ◽

10.1177/0044118x14551322 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 49 (5) ◽

pp. 610-633 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Abigail B. Williams ◽

Joseph P. Ryan ◽

Pamela E. Davis-Kean ◽

Vonnie C. McLoyd ◽

John E. Schulenberg

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

Juvenile Justice ◽

Protective Factors ◽

Impulse Control ◽

Justice System ◽

Juvenile Justice System ◽

Developmental Change ◽

African American Youth ◽

Parental Supervision ◽

The Impact

Little is known about what factors contribute to African American youth desisting from offending. Participants were 3,230 moderate- to high-risk adolescents from Washington State who completed a statewide risk assessment to assess the likelihood of recidivism. Participants were screened by juvenile probation officers between 2003 and 2010. Researchers investigated whether youth possessed protective factors and whether developmental change took place after contact with the juvenile justice system. It was hypothesized that having protective factors would decrease the likelihood of recidivism and the impact of each factor would differ by gender. Findings indicate African American youth have protective factors across a range of domains. However, little developmental change occurs after contact with the juvenile justice system. Impulse control, parental supervision, and pro-social peers were important for reducing recidivism. Problem solving was more influential for African American males, while impulse control and parental supervision were more influential for African American females. Implications for practice and policy are discussed.

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