Evaluating RNR-Based Targeted Treatment and Intervention Dosage in the Context of Traumatic Exposure

Best practices in juvenile justice call for the individualized matching of services to assessed dynamic risk factors, with services delivered at sufficient dosage. However, prior work has largely ignored whether this recipe for recidivism reduction is as effective for adolescents with extensive traumatic exposure as it is for those without. The current study leverages a statewide sample of 1,666 juveniles released from residential placement (84.6% male, 59.8% Black, 11.9% Hispanic). We examine the associations of individual-level service matching and achieving dosage targets established by Lipsey’s Standardized Program Evaluation Protocol (SPEP) during residential placement with changes in dynamic risk during placement and recidivism post-release among juveniles with extensive adverse childhood experiences (ACE) exposure and those without. Results demonstrate heightened traumatic exposure is related to smaller reductions in dynamic risk and to an increased probability of reoffending, but that youth receiving matched services coupled with adequate dosage leads to greater treatment progress (dynamic risk reduction) and lower recidivism post-release for both low-ACE and high-ACE youth. Implications for juvenile justice practice and policy are discussed.

Download Full-text

Dynamic risk factors and timing of recidivism for youth in residential placement

Journal of Criminal Justice ◽

10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2018.10.003 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 60 ◽

pp. 154-166 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Celina Cuevas ◽

Kevin T. Wolff ◽

Michael T. Baglivio

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Residential Placement ◽

Dynamic Risk Factors ◽

Dynamic Risk

Download Full-text

The Interrelationship Between Empathy and Adverse Childhood Experiences and Their Impact on Juvenile Recidivism

Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice ◽

10.1177/1541204020939647 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 45-67

Author(s):

Chelsey Narvey ◽

Jennifer Yang ◽

Kevin T. Wolff ◽

Michael Baglivio ◽

Alex R. Piquero

Keyword(s):

Juvenile Offenders ◽

Childhood Maltreatment ◽

Criminal Behavior ◽

Juvenile Recidivism ◽

Residential Placement ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Traumatic Exposure ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

The Impact

Low empathy has been implicated in antisocial, aggressive, and criminal behavior, especially among adolescents. Less understood is the extent to which empathy is amenable to treatment, and whether an improvement in empathy can mitigate the deleterious effects of known risk factors, such as childhood maltreatment. A sample of 11,000 serious juvenile offenders in long-term residential placement is leveraged to examine whether over cumulative traumatic exposure, measured by the adverse childhood experience (ACE) score, is associated with the initial level of empathy at admission to a residential program, and whether changes in empathy during treatment moderate the impact of ACEs on juvenile recidivism. Results show youth with higher ACE scores have less empathy at admission and both ACEs and empathy predict recidivism. Most importantly, large gains in empathy are able to dampen the effect of ACEs on recidivism.

Download Full-text

Risk Assessment Trajectories of Youth During Juvenile Justice Residential Placement

Criminal Justice and Behavior ◽

10.1177/0093854816668918 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 44 (3) ◽

pp. 360-394 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Michael T. Baglivio ◽

Kevin T. Wolff ◽

Alex R. Piquero ◽

James C. Howell ◽

Mark A. Greenwald

Keyword(s):

Juvenile Justice ◽

Criminal History ◽

Rate Of Change ◽

Policy Implications ◽

Residential Placement ◽

Recidivism Rates ◽

Multinomial Models ◽

Dynamic Risk ◽

Offending Behavior ◽

Dominant Paradigm

Although the Risk–Needs–Responsivity framework has become the dominant paradigm in criminal and juvenile justice, little empirical attention has been given to the reassessment component of the model. Here, we examine dynamic risk and promotive factor trajectories of 6,442 residential commitment placements to assess differences in progression with respect to risk reduction and promotive enhancement through a buffer score rubric (buffer = promotive − risk). Results indicate that youth progress along different buffer trajectories throughout residential placement. Multinomial models also demonstrate that dynamic, changeable factors are more essential in distinguishing trajectory group membership than demographic or criminal history indicators. Finally, there were significant differences in recidivism rates across trajectories postcompletion, suggesting that improvement in (the rate of change in) buffer scores may account for some of the variation in offending behavior postrelease. Programmatic and policy implications are discussed.

Download Full-text

Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences and Juvenile Court Outcomes: The Moderating Role of Race and Ethnicity

Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice ◽

10.1177/15412040211063437 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 154120402110634

Author(s):

Ashley Lockwood ◽

Jennifer H. Peck ◽

Kevin T. Wolff ◽

Michael T. Baglivio

Keyword(s):

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Juvenile Court ◽

Hispanic Youth ◽

Residential Placement ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Traumatic Exposure ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Race Ethnicity ◽

Moderating Role

Youth involved in the juvenile justice system have enhanced traumatic exposure including abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction compared to their non-involved counterparts. While prior research has conceptualized the role of trauma in predicting juvenile recidivism, the interrelated role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and race/ethnicity in informing juvenile court processing and outcomes is unaddressed. As such, we examine the moderating role of race/ethnicity with ACEs across court outcomes (e.g., dismissal, diversion, probation, residential placement) among juveniles after their first ever arrest (37.2% Black, 18.3% Hispanic). Higher ACEs were associated with (1) decreased adjudication likelihood, (2) case dismissal for Black and Hispanic youth, (3) deeper dispositions versus diversion for Hispanic youth, (4) residential placement versus diversion for White youth, and (5) residential placement versus probation, with no racial or ethnic differences. Policy implications and future research surrounding the treatment of justice-involved youth with childhood traumatic exposure across race/ethnicity are discussed.

Download Full-text

Positive Childhood Experiences (PCE): Cumulative Resiliency in the Face of Adverse Childhood Experiences

Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice ◽

10.1177/1541204020972487 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 154120402097248

Author(s):

Michael T. Baglivio ◽

Kevin T. Wolff

Keyword(s):

Juvenile Offenders ◽

Juvenile Justice ◽

Protective Factors ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Positive Association ◽

Criminal History ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

The Face ◽

Justice Practice

The maltreatment-offending relationship has been well elucidated. Less examined are protective factors that effectively serve to mitigate offending among ACE-exposed youth. The current study examines whether cumulative positive childhood experiences (PCEs) are themselves associated with a reduction in recidivism among juvenile justice-involved adolescents, and the ability of cumulative PCE to moderate the ACE-recidivism relationship. Results demonstrate, among over 28,000 juvenile offenders, high ACE scores were associated with increased reoffending, and high PCE scores were associated with decreased recidivism, as measured by both rearrest and reconviction. Further, among juveniles with four or more ACEs who have six or more PCEs, reconviction was 23% lower and rearrest 22% lower when compared to those youth with four or more ACEs and less than six PCEs, controlling for a host of demographic and criminal history measures. Findings indicate that among youth with high PCE scores the positive association between ACEs and recidivism is no longer significant. Implications for juvenile justice practice and policy are discussed.

Download Full-text