SAGE Journal Articles
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Abstract
Increasing numbers of female youth involved in the juvenile justice system highlight the need to examine this population. This study enumerates distinct profiles of risk and protection among juvenile court-involved females, examining young adult outcomes associated with these profiles. Administrative data on 700 participants were drawn from multiple service sectors in a Midwest metropolitan region. Latent class and Pearson chi-square analyses were used. Five unique classes were identified; these classes were associated with young adult outcomes. One class of impoverished African American females was most likely to experience problematic young adult outcomes but least likely to have received juvenile justice services. Findings highlight the heterogeneity in the female juvenile court population and discrepancies between service needs and service receipt.
Abstract
This article provides a review of the development of the US federal government disproportionate minority contact (DMC) mandate for the juvenile justice system. Research assessing the reduction of disproportionate minority contact and demonstrating an overall lack of progress is examined. The connection between the lack of progress in reducing disproportionate minority contact and the lack of focus on the front end of the system is established. The impact on the juvenile justice system and, more importantly, on minority youth are discussed and recommendations in terms of expanding the discourse, policy and practice to more fully include police are made. Finally, the US experience and limitations are put into a global perspective, underscoring commonality across nations in addressing race, ethnic and age discrimination among police.
Abstract
This study explores the recidivism outcomes of 1,804 serious and violent delinquents sentenced under a blended sentencing statute and released early by juvenile correctional authorities without continuing their blended sentence in adult prisons. Released at an average age of 19, roughly 50% of releases were rearrested for a felony-level offense postrelease. The remaining 50% of all releases did not incur a postrelease arrest or were rearrested for an offense no higher than a misdemeanor. Measures for assaultive institutional misconduct and prior delinquent adjudications were predictive of recidivism in models examining rearrest for any offense and rearrest for a felony only. Substance abusers, gang members, those with a gang-related commitment offense, and homicide-related state commitments were significantly more likely to be rearrested for any offense postrelease. This article ends with a discussion of implications specific to this high risk cohort of released delinquent offenders.