未成年犯改造质量量化评估体系与动态跟踪机制研究

无论是犯罪记录封存是否应当扩大范围的正义，还是犯罪记录封存手段的完善抑或是犯罪记录是否应该消灭的讨论都应当建立在儿童利益最大原则和双向保护原则的基础之上，既要能够实现对未成年人的充分保护，又要避免犯罪记录封存制度成为未成年人再犯罪的“避风港”：在封存制度的适用范围上既要考虑未成年人犯罪行为的后果，也要考虑未成年人的主观恶性和矫治可能性；在封存制度的法律后果上既要考虑形式上的封存，也应考虑实质上的消灭。在封存实体条件上秉持规范性和灵活性的结合，在程序适用上坚持正当性和公正性的统一。

在新时代背景下，随着社会的发展，我国未成年人犯罪事件呈现出新的态势。探索一条未成年人专门教育的发展路径尤为重要。本文在司法数据资源的基础上，对我国未成年人犯罪的现状进行量化分析，旨在从未成年人犯罪的数量与特征两个维度，客观分析当下未成年人犯罪的发展趋势。本文从个人心理、家庭氛围、学校教育、社会环境等层面，深入剖析未成年人犯罪行为的成因。同时，根据当前的社会发展趋势，深入探究怎样才能通过加强社会治理、优化家庭教育、完善学校教育体系以及促进未成年人全面健康发展等措施，有效预防未成年人犯罪，促进未成年人全面健康快乐发展。

《最高人民检察院关于加强新时代未成年人检察工作的意见》中指明，要完善涉罪未成年人帮教机制建设，引入人格甄别、心理干预等手段，提高帮教的精准度、有效性。本研究立足探究心理评估与心理辅导这两种手段在罪错未成年人心理帮教工作的应用措施，旨在为司法机关进一步完善心理帮教机制提供一定的理论基础，同时也为处在帮教第一线的工作者提供新思路，以期从根源上帮助罪错未成年人积极矫正，时刻内省，不断更正自己的认知，重新融入正常的社会生活，为国家建设做出应有贡献。心理评估作为帮教的前提，可分成基础性评估、矫治性评估和预测性评估；心理辅导作为帮教的形式，可通过开展心灵伙伴、文化浸润、个体咨询、团体辅导和家庭课堂活动实施。

数字技术的深入发展为我国非羁押性强制措施的适用带来了变革。电子定位监控、智能监管平台、以及基于大数据的社会危险性量化评估系统等技术的应用，有效弥补了传统监管流于形式、资源耗费大等缺陷，显著降低了审前羁押率和监管成本，并增强了法律监督的穿透力。然而，这种技术驱动的变革也面临严峻的法律挑战：现有法律规范供给不足，技术应用缺乏明确授权；数字监管强度可能违反比例原则，造成对权利的过度限制；算法歧视的隐蔽性扩张则对社会公平构成潜在威胁；个人隐私与信息保护面临数据过度采集与跨部门共享的侵蚀风险。应对这些挑战亟需通过立法明示数字化监管的合法性根基，建立基于社会危险性分级的评价体系以匹配监管强度，提升风险量化评估标准的透明度与可接受性，并完善被监管人权利救济途径。只有克服技术与法律融合中的问题，非羁押性强制措施的数字化转型才能既提升监管效能，又切实保障公民权利，实现刑事司法治理现代化的目标。

神经科学作为一个相对较新，正在飞速发展的领域，在刑事司法实践中已经显示出巨大的应用潜力，并由此催生出了神经法学(Neurolaw)这一交叉研究领域，旨在探讨神经科学领域对于个体的决策、行为能力等方面的研究发现对现行法律规则和判断标准的影响。神经法学不仅关注神经科学技术如何适用于解决现有的法律体系中存在的多种难题，从案件的立案、侦查，到案件审判，最后到罪犯的矫正与释放后的再犯风险预测，同时也关注神经科学技术应当在司法程序的哪些环节使用、是否应该使用等伦理与规范性问题。而本文着重探讨了神经科学在刑事司法系统两个关键领域中的应用情况和未来的发展方向，包括刑事责任能力判定和服刑人员的风险评估与矫正。神经法学的研究不仅加深了我们对于犯罪行为背后的神经机制的理解，在深入研究并加强两个领域学者间交流的前提下，神经科学还能够进一步改进刑事司法实践，提供更加个性化和科学的罪犯评估和矫正计划，使得刑事司法实践更加公正且人性化。

罪错未成年人既是犯罪者中的特殊群体，也是未成年人中的特殊性群体。近年来，我国未成年人的犯罪情形得到有效控制，但罪错未成年人的再犯罪形势依旧严峻。通过分析可知，刑罚执行不足与社会的排斥加速了未成年人与重复犯罪行为的链接，当成长需求无法满足或犯罪情绪失控将促使未成年人再次犯罪，家庭教育和校园教育亦是未成年人再犯罪不容忽视的原因。考虑到未成年人再犯罪的人身危险性与社会危害性，对再犯罪预防需要从司法层面加强预防力度，应当在惩罚犯罪的原则指导下，提高刑罚执行中的惩罚性；在保障刑罚实施的同时发挥教育对罪错未成年人的教化效果，促进罪错未成年人顺利回归社会，避免重复犯罪行为。

近年来，未成年人网络犯罪案件数量呈上升趋势，表现出网络犯罪技术依赖性降低、具有隐蔽性与扩散性、动机复杂化的特征，其成因主要存在于个体、环境与制度三方面。青少年触网年龄提前，而法律对新兴网络行为的规制存在延迟。在具体规则空白期，强化预防是现实可行的路径。依赖“事后追责”的传统治理模式效果有限，难以起到提前制止的作用，考虑到未成年人心智不成熟、易受暗示，其违法行为常因辨别能力不足或受他人唆使，未必出于主观恶意。因此，司法与社会干预应重在教育挽救，而非单纯惩罚。构建科学的预防体系，既能深化“惩教结合”的理论内涵，也可为《未成年人保护法》等法律的修订提供实践参考，推动未成年人保护制度的持续优化。

未成年人暴力犯是一个特殊群体，相关文献表明他们具有攻击性高、认知扭曲、自我控制力低、边缘人格特征倾向等共同心理特征，其暴力行为与心智化缺陷有关。研究目的：探究短程心智化干预对未成年暴力犯的干预效果。方法：研究选取18名男性未成年暴力犯，分为实验组和对照组。实验组进行每周1次、共计16次的短程心智化干预，对照组不做任何干预。干预前后及结束后的3个月，6个月分别进行2次追踪研究，并收集和比较实验组和对照组相关测评指标数据。结果：实验组未成年暴力犯在心智化水平和攻击性中的身体攻击维度干预效果显著。结论：心智化能够应用于未成年暴力犯的干预中。

BACKGROUND: Juvenile delinquency requires the development of rehabilitation methods as an element of crime prevention, which is hampered by the lack of specialized specialists on the staff of Temporary Detention Centers for Juvenile Offenders. AIMS: to assess mental disorders and limitations of life activities of juvenile offenders MATERIALS AND METHODS: analysis of 77 units of documentation; questionnaire survey of 259 minors aged 14 to 18; diagnostic and pedagogical interview, physical examination, scales, experimental psychological examination; duration from 2019 to 2023. A comprehensive rehabilitation profile of a juvenile offender has been formed. RESULTS: Mental and behavioral disorders accounted for 9.0% of the pathological incidence and 37.9% of hospitalizations. Minors were registered with psychiatric outpatient clinics (22.2%) or drug addiction treatment centers (14.8%), consumed alcohol (51.8%) and drugs (14.8%), complained of panic attacks (33.3%), psychomotor agitation (18.5%), sleep disorders (22.2%), and suicide attempts (7.8%). There were disorders of will (78.4%), temperament (62.8%), sleep (59.8%), attention (57.0%), emotions (54.1%); perception (15.6%), cognitive (29.8%), and intellectual functions (32.8%); rs = 0.713. The following were noted: situational anxiety (46.6%), aggressiveness (54.6%), low stress tolerance (18.2%), emotional coldness (9.1%) or increased empathy (27.3%), average (51.9%) or above average (40.4%) level of intelligence; 7.7% had mental retardation. rs = 0.713. The ability to study at school (78.1%), cope with stress (100%), make decisions (81.8%), solve problems (72.7%), and maintain a daily routine (54.5%) were limited, rs = 0.801. Social disintegration was associated with difficulties in organizing leisure time (100%), taking care of health (72.8%), and self-care (15.3%), rs = 0.722. Limited communication: speech perception (36.3%), expressive speech (27.1%), conversation (36.3%), discussion (45.4%), maintaining formal (27.7%), friendly (27.7%), family (81.8%) relationships. rs = 0.737 CONCLUSIONS: Juvenile offenders are characterized by moderate mental disorders, which leads to disruptions in the adaptation and social integration of the teenager

Juvenile crime in India is a pressing issue that requires tailored rehabilitation approaches. This paper explores the application of the "Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model" as a conceptual model for treating juvenile offenders within the Indian legal context. The study reviews correctional practices and highlights the need for structured offender treatment based on the 'RNR model's' core principles of 'risk,' 'need,' and 'responsivity.' Drawing on criminological theories and empirical evidence, the paper emphasizes the significance of addressing criminogenic factors to reduce recidivism. By analyzing existing literature on juvenile justice, the paper demonstrates how the RNR model, typically employed in Western contexts, can be adapted for India's socio-cultural environment to enhance the effectiveness of juvenile rehabilitation. The findings suggest that integrating RNR-informed interventions into the juvenile justice system can improve long-term rehabilitation outcomes and reduce re-offense rates among young offenders.

This study examines the victim-offender overlap among incarcerated youth in Taiwan's juvenile correctional facilities, focusing on how violent victimization histories shape their experiences of misconduct and victimization during confinement. Drawing on a national census of youth in custody, multinomial logistic regression was employed to compare victim-offenders with victims-only, offenders-only, and uninvolved youth. Results indicate that violent victimization prior to incarceration is the most consistent factor distinguishing victim-offenders from all other groups. Additional differentiating factors include age, poverty, low self-control, street gang involvement, institutional stressors, and in-facility peer and family support. These findings highlight the need for trauma-informed interventions and early prevention to mitigate cycles of harm and promote rehabilitation.

Probation in Hong Kong is part of a broader concept – a system for the rehabilitation of offenders and the prevention of reoffending. In this approach, the focus of the probation service is not on the crime itself, but on the unresolved personal and social problems that underlie criminal behavior (lack of employment, housing, drug addiction, etc.). With regard to the rehabilitation of offenders in this administrative region, there are legal regulations that have undergone several stages of improvement, a well-developed organizational system of rehabilitation and a set of proven methods of working with offenders. All this makes the Hong Kong experience interesting from the point of view of the prospects of possible borrowing. The paper considers the legal regulation, the history of formation and development of the system of rehabilitation of offenders in Hong Kong, the influence of the English experience on its formation; highlights the features of the organization of the rehabilitation system, as well as its advantages that contribute to the optimization of work processes. Probation in Hong Kong started with juvenile offenders and later extended to adults. Probation in Hong Kong is now a criminal law institution accompanying alternative sentences to imprisonment. Based on academic research, official publications of the Social Welfare Department (SWD) and the Correctional Services Department (CSD) of Hong Kong, and statistical data, the author explores specific measures of support for ex-convicts, social rehabilitation, and the effectiveness of their application. The author identifies the key points of effectiveness of the Hong Kong system of rehabilitation of offenders: well-built hierarchical organizational structure (departmentalization of the service); division of functions between the agencies supervising social welfare and correctional institutions; emphasis on the use of social work methods in the creation of rehabilitation programs; a wide range of rehabilitation programs targeting different groups of offenders; comprehensive nature of rehabilitation, involvement of family and community. In conclusion, the author’s vision of the prospects of using the Hong Kong experience in the Russian realities, coupled with the analysis of the new legislation on probation, is stated.

Introduction. The development of restorative justice continues to be a topical activity area of the subjects of the juvenile delinquency prevention system over the past decades. The need for its development stems from the high need of state and public institutions to increase the humanistic orientation and scientific validity of traditional measures of criminal law impact on juvenile offenders. The existing rehabilitation programs first of all focus on the application of educational measures to a juvenile offender. At the same time, law enforcement practice largely continues to follow the principles of «adult», mainly punitive justice, and when conducting traditional rehabilitation programs with juvenile offenders, the specifics of their guilt experience are not taken into account. Methods. In the course of experimental work carried out at the Temporary Detention Center for Juvenile Offenders of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the Perm Region (hereinafter referred to as the Center), not only the psychological characteristics of juvenile offenders that led to the formation of delinquent behavior, but also the specifics of their experience of guilt for the offense committed were studied. Results. The reliable data obtained in the course of empirical research served as the basis for sound theoretical generalizations and the development of individually oriented rehabilitation programs, which creation experience is analyzed in this article.

This research develops a systematic community empowerment model through examination of associate judges' practices at Phang Nga Juvenile and Family Court in Thailand. The study aims to understand how associate judges facilitate community engagement in juvenile rehabilitation and create a replicable framework for community-based juvenile justice reform. A mixed-methods research design was employed, analyzing data from 33 questionnaire respondents and 13 in-depth interviews with diverse stakeholders. Data collection utilized structured questionnaires with validated instruments, semi-structured interview guides, and systematic document analysis of court records, project reports, and implementation materials. This research identified five core roles of associate judges in community empowerment: community-court liaison, legal education facilitation, network building, rehabilitation supervision, and restorative justice mediation. Statistical analysis revealed a significant positive correlation (r=0.572, p<.05) between community empowerment initiatives and rehabilitation effectiveness. Through systematic analysis of these practices, a four-step community empowerment model emerged: (1) facilitating community participation, (2) disseminating legal knowledge, (3) building collaborative networks, and (4) monitoring and evaluation. The significant positive relationship between community empowerment initiatives and rehabilitation effectiveness validates the model's effectiveness in improving juvenile justice outcomes compared to traditional court-centered interventions.

The aim of this study is to explain and identify the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and the commission of homicide during adolescence in Alborz Province. By understanding the trajectory through which adolescents are driven toward criminal behavior as a result of adverse experiences, the research provides a clearer perspective for planning and policy-making by relevant institutions in the field of child and adolescent welfare. This study employed a causal-comparative (ex post facto) research method. Out of a total of 449 respondents, 412 individuals (91.8%) were non-delinquent adolescents and 37 individuals (8.2%) were juvenile offenders. The mean and standard deviation of age in the delinquent group were 16.80 and 0.53 respectively, while in the non-delinquent group they were 16.65 and 0.46, with the age range in both groups spanning from 15 to 18 years. In some indices, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) developed by Bernstein, Stein, Newcomb, Walker, Pogge, and colleagues (2003) was used to assess childhood trauma and adverse experiences. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 28 and the Mann-Whitney U test. Findings revealed that juvenile homicide offenders had significantly higher mean scores in childhood trauma and all of its components (p < .05). Furthermore, these adolescents had significantly higher scores in witnessing violence against their mothers, and in having a parental history of mental illness, divorce, addiction, or incarceration (p < .05). The research indicated that adverse childhood experiences (under the age of 15) play a significant role in the commission of homicide during adolescence (ages 15 to 18).

This research examines the law enforcement dilemma in sexual violence cases committed by a juvenile with recidivist status exhibiting characteristics of predatory behavior. This phenomenon palpably challenges the fundamental principle of child protection, which has traditionally prioritized out-of-court settlement (diversion). Unlike general approaches that tend to be trapped in a binary choice between retributive punishment or pure release, this research aims to analyze the rationality and effectiveness of applying the double track system in Decision Number 10/Pid.Sus-Anak/2025/PN Rhl. This decision serves as a legal response to the closure of diversionary programs for offenders who repeatedly commit crimes. By employing normative legal research methods through a case approach and supported by an in-depth analysis of recent literature, this research finds that the judge imposed combined sanctions consisting of 2 years and 6 months’ imprisonment and a 6-month job-training measure. The findings indicate that the judge’s consideration was based on proving systematic elements of violence, namely targeting, isolating, and overpowering. Furthermore, the juvenile recidivism status legally nullifies the right to diversion as regulated in Law Number 11 of 2012. This research concludes that in the context of a recidivist juvenile, legal protection is not manifested through release from charges. Conversely, protection is realized through structured mandatory rehabilitation within a closed institution. The theoretical and practical implications of this research recommend that law enforcement officials more explicitly include recidivism status and the offender’s risk profile as a basis for aggravating considerations in the verdict holding. This is crucial to ensure a balance between offender rehabilitation and societal protection from potential repeated crimes.

This study investigated juvenile recidivism among the statewide population of juvenile drug court graduates from 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 in West Virginia. One notable strategy to combat juvenile crime is the therapeutic jurisprudence approach that focuses on intervention by the judiciary to head the rehabilitation of offenders. This study analyzed recidivism data for 3 years following a juvenile drug court participant's completion of the program to determine the effectiveness of the therapeutic jurisprudence approach in West Virginia. Recidivism data were analyzed through chi‐square tests of independence, multiple linear regression, and an ANOVA to ascertain the impact of the therapeutic jurisprudence approach. This writer tracked recidivism rates of graduates 3 years following completion of the juvenile drug court program to determine the overall effectiveness of the community‐based, judicial treatment approach. The study examined recidivism rates for participants who received evidence‐based treatment based on age to highlight if an offender's age at the time of graduation influenced future recidivism. Finally, the study investigated if there was a noteworthy difference in recidivism depending on where the participant participated in juvenile drug court across 19 separate juvenile drug court programs throughout the state.

No abstract available

BACKGROUND Juvenile parricide- defined as the killing of a parent by a child or adolescent -is a rare but devastating form of family violence, often rooted in chronic abuse, emotional dysregulation, and untreated psychiatric conditions. Despite its severity, systematic research remains limited, particularly in non-Western contexts. OBJECTIVE This retrospective study examined the forensic psychiatric, sociodemographic, clinical, and offense-related characteristics of juvenile parricide offenders (JPOs) in Türkiye and identified factors associated with fatal outcomes, victim identity, weapon type, and offender gender and age. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING The sample consisted of 29 adolescents (aged 12-18 years) referred to a national forensic board in Türkiye for psychiatric evaluation following an act or attempt of parricide between 2017 and 2023. METHODS A retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted using forensic psychiatric reports. Data included demographics, psychiatric history, substance use, abuse histories, weapon type, and offense characteristics. Descriptive statistics and group comparisons were performed using Fisher's Exact Test. RESULTS Most offenders were male (75.9 %) with a mean age of 15.19 ± 1.39 years. Biological fathers were the most common victims (69 %). The most frequently used weapons were sharp objects (48.3 %) and firearms (41.4 %). Psychiatric disorders were present in 31 %, and 62.1 % had a history of abuse. Fatal outcomes were significantly associated with sharp object use (p = 0.014), absence of substance use (p = 0.013), and lower rates of prior offending (p = 0.033). Abuse history was more prevalent among those who killed their fathers than their mothers (p = 0.004). Weapon choice varied by age group: younger adolescents (12-14 years) primarily used firearms, while older adolescents (15-17 years) more often used sharp objects (p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS Juvenile parricide offenders in Türkiye exhibit distinct developmental and trauma-related risk profiles. These findings underscore the importance of culturally informed, trauma-sensitive forensic evaluations and early intervention strategies-particularly in regions with high rates of family violence and limited access to child mental health services.

No abstract available

This study analyzes the current state and causes of the increase in adolescent drug addiction, aiming to explore the necessity and improvement measures of the diversion system as an alternative to overcome the limitations of the punishment-centered criminal justice system. In recent years, juvenile drug crimes in Korea have been rapidly increasing, emerging as a structural social issue beyond mere delinquency. The study examines cases of diversion programs in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, and based on these, proposes policy improvements applicable to Korea's juvenile justice system. It emphasizes the need for an approach focused on treatment and rehabilitation rather than punishment for adolescent drug addicts, and suggests specific measures such as legal and institutional improvements, training of specialized personnel, expansion of community participation, and establishment of performance evaluation systems. This study is expected to make a practical contribution to policy formulation for resolving adolescent drug addiction issues.

Introduction The increasing inclusion of children in the criminal justice system as “juvenile offenders” and “juvenile victims” has recently emerged as a severe and multifaceted problem. This study evaluates whether juvenile offenders differ from juveniles who have not participated in the criminal justice system and juvenile victims regarding executive function skills and attentional bias. Method The participant group comprised 85 children aged 12–18, and the study setting was Turkey, utilizing one control group and two treatment groups with open criminal case files in Antalya Courthouse. The first treatment group consisted of 30 juvenile offenders; the second consisted of 30 juvenile victims. The control group consisted of 25 juveniles who were not juvenile offenders or victims. In this context, children’s executive functions were measured with the short-form Barratt Impulsivity Scale, the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices Test, the TBAG-form Stroop test, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and the Istanbul 5 Cube Planning Test. Attentional bias was measured using a dot-probe task. Illiteracy, intellectual or developmental disability, and being a non-native Turkish speaker were the exclusion criteria for all three groups. Results The study found that the scores of the juvenile offender group on the Barratt Impulsivity Scale were significantly higher than the children in the juvenile victim group and the children in the control group. For other tests measuring executive functions, the control group’s scores were significantly higher than juvenile offenders and juvenile victims. Regarding attentional bias, the children in the control group exhibited less attentional bias to negative stimuli than the juvenile offenders and victims. Discussion Researchers have generally addressed the reasons that push children to crime and become victims of crime through individual, familial, and environmental reasons. However, the number of studies investigating the neuropsychological characteristics of children dragged into crime is relatively limited in our country. In addition, there is no study comparing the executive functions and attentional bias of children who are dragged into crime, victimized children, and children without a history of being dragged into crime and victimization. In this context, this study can highlight important implications for the judicial system regarding juvenile delinquency interventions.

Recent studies by the U.S. Department of Justice have found that, while adult violent crime rates continue to drop, today's juvenile offenders are the fastest growing segment among violent criminals. The unprecedented increase in juvenile criminality is expected to result in a dramatic increase in the overall rate of violent crime as these juveniles approach majority. Funk argues that most states have not adapted to the troubling reality that the juvenile offenders of today are not the hubcap-stealing youths of days gone by, and that chronic adult criminality is predicated on violent and repeated acts of juvenile delinquency. These jurisdictions retain statutory provisions that allow for, or mandate, the expungement of juvenile crime records once the juvenile reaches a certain age. This policy's stated goal is to allow the juvenile offender to enter adulthood with a "clean slate," thereby shielding him from the negative effects of having a criminal record. The author conducts an exhaustive analysis and critique of this policy, examining its philosophical origins, the "rehabilitative ideal" on which it is premised, and its theoretical and practical impact. He argues that even if one accepts the notion that those who have committed a juvenile indiscretion will outgrow their reckless behavior, it remains necessary to differentiate between those who in fact can be rehabilitated and those whose rehabilitative potential is negligible, a task not accomplished by most contemporary expungement statutes.

ABSTRACT While traditional crime rates are decreasing, cybercrime is on the rise. As a result, the criminal justice system is increasingly dealing with criminals committing cyber-dependent crimes. However, to date there are no effective interventions to prevent recidivism in this type of offenders. Dutch authorities have developed an intervention program, called Hack_Right. Hack_Right is an alternative criminal justice program for young first-offenders of cyber-dependent crimes. In order to prevent recidivism, this program places participants in organizations where they are taught about ethical hacking, complete (technical) assignments and reflect on their offense. In this study, we have evaluated the Hack_Right program and the pilot interventions carried out thus far. By examining the program theory (program evaluation) and implementation of the intervention (process evaluation), the study adds to the scarce literature about cybercrime interventions. During the study, two qualitative research methods have been applied: 1) document analysis and 2) interviews with intervention developers, imposers, implementers and participants. In addition to the observation that the scientific basis for linking specific criminogenic factors to cybercriminals is still fragile, the article concludes that the theoretical base and program integrity of Hack_Right need to be further developed in order to adhere to principles of effective interventions.

Progress monitoring is integral to evidence-based practice. Correctional settings, especially the supervision of individuals who commit sexual offenses, elicit public concern; negative outcomes can be catastrophic. Using a prospective longitudinal study of 2,939 men with a history of sexual offenses undergoing community supervision, we examined different models of progress monitoring and how they should inform the assessment of risk for sexual recidivism. We found that the most recent assessment scores of the ACUTE-2007 and STABLE-2007 sexual recidivism risk tools provided the best information about reoffending risk compared to using (a) the worst period of adjustments (i.e., highest risk score), (b) the best period of adjustments (i.e., lowest risk score), or (c) a rolling average of scores. We also found that the latest STABLE-2007 scores incrementally predicted sexual recidivism beyond baseline risk as assessed by demographic and criminal history variables (Static-99R). We conclude that the risk for sexual recidivism changes over time and that community corrections is advanced by repeated assessment of dynamic (changeable) risk factors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Objective: This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the multifaceted issue of harassment and violence against children within Uzbekistan's contemporary legal framework, examining the characteristics of minor victimization and the role of the child victim in crime dynamics. Method: The research employs formal-legal, comparative-legal, and systemic approaches, utilizing empirical data from court records and forensic psychiatric evaluations to analyze child victimization. Results: The study identifies significant gaps in the current legal system, particularly the absence of specific aggravating circumstances for violence perpetrated by extended family members or child welfare professionals. Novelty: The research contributes to the field by proposing innovative, practical strategies for improving child protection, including the implementation of socio-emotional learning programs in schools, the creation of national screening and risk assessment standards, and the establishment of a specialized child protection hotline/task force. These measures aim to shift the focus from repressive to preventive approaches, highlighting the importance of psychological correction for offenders and digital monitoring for at-risk children.

In the article, the author emphasizes that the type of punishment for a crime, probation supervision, has a distinct socio-humanitarian, educational, and resocializing focus. The research methodology included: an integrated approach to the critical analysis of information in the open space; complementarity in the sense of complementarity for the sustainability of the system under study in open dynamic relations of human rights observance in the execution of sentences and treatment of convicts in Ukraine in the realities of martial law and at the stage of Ukraine's recovery when processing regulations and court decisions using the intellectual search system ZakonOn-line, a systematic approach to the analysis of scientific and technical materials. The author identifies the conditions for individualization of crime prevention measures to ensure the effectiveness of probation programs: reliance on analytics; unambiguous understanding of terms; strategic relevance; systemic nature of preventive tools and resources for probation supervision, which provides for an internal quality system. These conditions include monitoring, quality assessment, accountability and training of probation staff and volunteers, ecology of relations at the social, corporate, and individual levels, program development taking into account the scope of probation supervision, understanding of opportunities and vulnerabilities, and understanding of the operational environment. The results of the empirical research made it possible to define complementarity as the basis for the conceptualization of probation supervision through the humanization of the system of execution of criminal sentences, management and procedures for saving money, and ensuring public safety. The author specifies the perspective: diversification of elements of probation supervision with the aim of reducing the risks of a formal approach in individualizing the impact on the correction of convicts, preventing them from committing repeated criminal offenses.

Special correctional education, as a unique disposition measure for delinquent behaviour, has independent attributes that distinguish it from special education as a "punitive measure with protective purpose." The newly revised "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency" does not clearly distinguish between "delinquent behaviour" and "public order offenses" and fails to reflect the requirements of hierarchical prevention. To promote the improvement of special correctional education, it is necessary to establish a classification system for its application criteria, build independently designated schools, design diverse and dynamic disposition measures, improve the decision rules for measure application, and construct comprehensive correctional content to shape the operation of special correctional education for delinquent minors. This will address the practical dilemma of releasing delinquent youth without appropriate follow-up measures and achieve the goals of rehabilitating delinquent minors, reinstating the rights of victims, and restoring social order.

Risk assessments are often mandated within the juvenile justice system (JJS). Yet, it is unclear whether these protocols reflect equitable clinical tools, and little is known about the community's perspectives on commonly assessed risk domains. In response, we introduced, and subsequently tested, a multifaceted definition for fairness in risk assessment. An embedded mixed-method study was conducted, such that Study 1 informed Study 2's methods, and the studies were subsequently integrated. In Study 1, caregivers (N = 22) and adolescents (N = 21; Mage = 14.28; 42.9% identified as Black, 42.6% White; 66.7% Male) involved with a JJS-diversion or probation program completed qualitative interviews on risk domains for offending behavior. Next, we examined the statistical fairness of salient risk domains from Study 1 in a sample of JJS-involved adolescents (N = 1,354; Mage = 16.04; 41.4% Black, 33.5% Hispanic, 20.2% White; 86.4% as male). An evidence-based medicine analytic approach, which was compared to artificial neural networks, tested subpopulation differences across performance indices. Overall, temperament, peer relations, cognitive styles, and school functioning emerged as salient risk domain themes across identities and informants. Subsequently, moral disengagement and delinquent peers emerged as equitable predictors of prospective violent and nonviolent rule-breaking behavior. A model comprised of these predictors was acceptable (i.e., areas under the curves ≥ 0.70; diagnostic likelihood ratios ≥ 2.0) and equitable. Artificial neural network models did not improve prediction. Risk assessments focused on moral disengagement and peer delinquency may lead to community-aligned and statistically fair assessment processes. These findings can lead to more equitable and engaging JJS risk-management approach. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

This article examines the theoretical and practical foundations for preventing and handling juvenile delinquency, based on key criminological theories, including social disorganization and strain, differential association, social learning, social control, and labeling. It identifies legitimate needs, risk factors, and mechanisms of delinquent behavior. The study evaluates the evolution of juvenile justice, from welfare-and-justice-oriented approaches to a modern hybrid model centered on the “best interests of the child” and the concept of “evolving capacities”. In Vietnam,  the Juvenile Justice Act 2024 marks a significant reform, emphasizing restorative justice, reintegration, and decriminalization. The conclusion highlights the importance of early intervention and social development programs for effective juvenile delinquency prevention.

OBJECTIVE Clinicians often rely on readily observable intermediate outcomes (e.g., symptoms) to assess the likelihood of events that occur outside of treatment (e.g., relapse). Similarly, those monitoring clients with histories of criminal involvement attempt to prevent adverse outcomes considered likely and intervene when symptoms/risk factors fluctuate. Our aim was to develop a stronger understanding of associations between evolving symptoms/risk factors and case outcomes, yielding clearer practice implications. METHOD We used longitudinal, multiple reassessment risk data from 3,421 individuals paroled in New Zealand. We used joint modeling to test the association between individual trajectories of psychosocial risk factor scores, assessed using Dynamic Risk Assessment for Offender Re-entry, and recidivism (official records of parole violations or criminal charges resulting in reconviction). We examined whether recent clinically relevant features of risk presentation (e.g., current levels, recent rate of change) predicted recidivism better than the entirety of the risk assessment trajectory. RESULTS Although each model demonstrated similar predictive validity, measures of model fit indicated that models using current trajectory features outperformed those using the entire assessment history to predict recidivism. CONCLUSIONS Change in dynamic risk factors is consistently associated with recidivism outcomes. When using changeable factors to monitor clients' current risk for recidivism, practitioners should focus on current presentation rather than the entire assessment history, although differences in predictive discrimination are small. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

There are clinical practice and operational reasons why it may be appropriate to primarily focus on general risk factors when supervising people convicted of sexual crime in the community. General risk domains may be particularly relevant when supervision officers engage in frequent reassessment of acute dynamic risk factors. We tested the ability of a case management tool, the Dynamic Risk Assessment for Offender Re-entry, to discriminate community based, short-term general (all outcome) recidivism versus nonrecidivism among people convicted of sexual crime (n = 562). We tested the predictive discrimination validity of each DRAOR item and then subscale scores in univariate and multivariate models (also controlling for general static risk). DRAOR scores were associated with general recidivism outcomes and effect sizes were generally similar or stronger compared to models with people convicted of nonsexual crime (n = 2854). DRAOR Acute scores were consistently and incrementally related to general recidivism outcomes beyond other scores. In practice, case managers should remain aware that people convicted of sexual crime are at risk for nonsexual recidivism outcomes and assess problematic functioning broadly alongside problems in sexual domains. Clinically, interconnection among domains potentially provides multiple avenues for effective intervention.

Justice-involved boys are more likely to become teenage fathers than their community peers. This is linked to numerous negative outcomes, including increased delinquent behavior. To help legal practitioners better identify which boys are at risk of becoming a teen parent, this study identifies factors at the time of boys’ very first arrest that prospectively predict their odds of becoming a teen father. Data were drawn from a longitudinal study of 1216 adolescent boys at the time of their first arrest. Binary logistic regression models were used to predict the odds of becoming a teen father across three domains: individual factors, social and contextual factors, and risky behaviors. Approximately 15% of the total sample (n = 171) reported becoming a teen father after their first arrest. At the time of first arrest, poorer neighborhood conditions, increased peer delinquency, substance use, and self-reported offending history increased the odds that boys would become a teen father. Additional models indicated that substance use was the strongest driver of teen fatherhood. However, all factors failed to reached significance once condom use was included in this model. Practical implications for policymakers are discussed, along with suggestions for interventions to reduce teen pregnancy.

No abstract available

ABSTRACT This UK study is one of the first cohort studies exploring dynamic changes in risk and protective factors and the value of multiple risk assessments over time using the Structured Assessment of Protective Factors (SAPROF) tool. Multilevel linear regression was used to assess the stability of risk assessment ratings within patients and logistic regression to examine the likelihood of a violent incident following assessment. The analyses included 1560 observations for 65 adult forensic inpatients. This paper points to the need for services to model a more flexible review and application of the timescales in which the structured assessment/reassessment cycle operates.

This study examined the recidivism of Children-in-Conflict with the Law (CICL) using three (3) theories, the Ecological Systems Theory, Labeling Theory, and Differential Association Theory. Utilizing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), children ages 15 years and 1 day but not more than 18 years old with pending cases at law who had previously committed offenses at the Barangay or Prosecutor level in Second Chance Home of Calamba (SCH) were asked utilizing a semi-structured interview. To understand how the theories influenced the persistence of recidivism among CICL, the researcher examined their physical, social, and cultural backgrounds. This study generated eleven (11) superordinate themes which were: Dysfunctional Households; Multifaceted Issues in Early School Leaving; Inconsistent Community Support; Offender Profiling; Perceived Psychological Distress due to Formal Labels; Social Marginalization; Inexistent CICL Segregation; Social Modeling; and Delinquent Peers and Family.This study aimed to inform policies and practices that may aid in lowering or stopping CICL recidivism by studying how these theories manifest in participants' actual experiences. By identifying the risk factors associated with recidivism, researchers and policymakers may develop personalized prevention programs that address the core causes of delinquency and aid at-risk adolescents. Investigating recidivism among CICL can result in safer communities and better outcomes for young people involved in the criminal system. This study also proposed an enhanced diversion program for CICL who are currently receiving rehabilitation, CICL who are released as minors, and CICL who are released as adults.

The system of dealing with children in trouble with the law has existed for more than a century, starting with the creation of separate institutions for juvenile delinquents and "at-risk" children, which was soon followed by a series of regulations. Although different models have been in place from the very beginning, the predominant approach has been one focused on ensuring the well-being of the child, i.e. ensuring the best interests of the child. This approach is based on the concept of intervention in the best interests of children, which focuses on their needs, not their actions, and which is based on the involvement of social workers to assist the court in matters within their professional competence. Often around such juvenile justice systems there are socio-therapeutic and educational institutions for the rehabilitation and reintegration of juvenile offenders or those at risk of becoming one. Other juvenile justice systems that may be considered distinctive are based on a justice system that more closely resembles the criminal justice system for adults, or administrative commissions or other informal justice processes. In some countries, there are no (or very few) special provisions for juvenile offenders. As a result, there are huge differences in the forms and types of courts, services and institutions that make up the juvenile justice system. With regard to children in conflict with the law, the main aspect is that in criminal proceedings the latter, due to their age and immaturity, are assigned a separate regime, different from that applied to adult offenders. The prerequisite for this is the special vulnerability and limited capabilities of children whose development process has not yet been completed. Not only should any actions be evaluated in accordance with the standards of ensuring the best interests of the child, but the system itself should be responsive to the child's developmental needs in care, in order to ensure the reintegration of children into society as law-abiding citizens. Therefore, the juvenile justice system should focus its attention not only on the nature of the offense committed, but also on the root causes of its commission, as well as on the specific circumstances of each child.

This comparative study analyzes the paradigm shift in juvenile justice from a punitive approach to a rehabilitative one through the implementation of evidence-based diversion models in Southeast Asia. Using a comparative-empirical method on the juvenile justice systems in three ASEAN countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam), this study identifies patterns of convergence and divergence in the adoption of diversion. Findings show that countries with the integration of local cultural values in diversion models can reduce recidivism, compared to conventional approaches. Key success factors include: harmonization of national legislation with international standards. This study proposes an ASEAN Integrative Diversion Framework (FDIA) that accommodates socio-legal diversity while maintaining minimum standards for child protection. Policy implications include the need for regional harmonization through the ASEAN Declaration on Restorative Justice for Children and the establishment of a peer review mechanism to ensure consistent implementation across the region.

Introduction. The ineffectiveness of some of the widespread interventions for juvenile offenders, alongside the deleterious consequences of youth violence, underscores the need for professionals to rely on scientifically proven interventions in working with these youth. Aims. The present review highlights the importance of evidence-based practice in treating juvenile offenders. We also explored the current situation in Serbia, offering a critical perspective on existing treatment practices, but also recommendations for decision-makers, researchers, and practitioners. Methods. The results of systematic literature reviews and other studies in this field were analyzed and narratively systematized. Results. Research consistently points to multimodal approaches and family therapy as the most effective options, while commonly advocated for methods such as diversion, educational programs, restorative justice, scare tactics, and intensive probation often fail to achieve behavioral change. Multisystemic therapy stands out as one of the most effective and well-documented models. Conclusion. Strengthening the link between science and practice, through adherence to evidence-based principles and the establishment of a transparent system for monitoring treatment process and effects, is emphasized as essential.

No abstract available

The Mexican Comprehensive Criminal Justice System for Adolescents (Sistema Integral de Justicia Penal para Adolescentes) is in urgent need of validated tools to help diminish the likelihood of pretrial failure, (that is, when juveniles interfere in one way or another with the course of the criminal process before the trial stage). To this end, this article aims to evaluate the measurement properties of relevant instruments to guide and support pretrial risk assessment in Mexican juvenile offenders. Firstly, a systematic review was conducted in PubMed, metasearch engines (DGB-UNAM and Google Scholar), and databases using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) guidelines. As it was found that no validated pretrial risks assessment instruments had been published earlier in Mexico, we present a proposal based on a preliminary selection of five instruments suitable for pretrial risks assessment taking both analysis and theory into account. Since this is the first systematic review in the field, results provide evidence for developing pretrial risk tools to aid decision-making in the juvenile offenders sector in Mexico.

A proliferation of parent and family-oriented interventions has emerged within the field of juvenile justice, aiming to reduce youth offending through better parenting practices. While there is robust evidence for the efficacy of a few model programs, many family interventions have received less empirical attention despite mixed evidence on their efficacy. This study aims to assess the efficacy of a voluntary parenting program (Family Support Services; FSS) for parents of youth on juvenile probation in a Midwestern state over the span of 15 years (N = 1,844). Analyses reveal that after controlling for robust predictors of recidivism, FSS was not associated with a decrease in recidivism but rather youth whose parents participated in FSS were more likely to recidivate compared with youth of non-FSS parents. Further moderating analysis found that the iatrogenic association was stronger for low-risk youth.

ABSTRACT Evidence-based practices and programs (EBPs) have been adopted in juvenile probation agencies nationwide to maximize the number of successful probation cases. However, various pragmatic studies have found that JPOs are not yielding the expected benefits when compared to efficacy studies. Using focus group and survey data, the current study sought to increase our understanding of the gap between pragmatic and efficacy studies in juvenile probation settings by examining JPOs’ perceptions and utilization of EBPs. The findings suggest that JPOs are misunderstanding how to use EBPs in daily practice, leaving them with negative perceptions of EBPs. Implications for improving JPO understanding and use of EBPs are discussed.

Background Juvenile drug treatment courts (JDTC) have struggled to define themselves since their inception in 1995. Early courts followed a format similar to adult drug courts, but these did not address the unique needs of juveniles, which led to the creation of 16 Strategies by a consensus panel of practitioners and researchers. But, like the first JDTCs, research with courts following these strategies failed to provide convincing evidence that this “model” was associated with significant reductions in recidivism or drug use. More recently, a new set of evidence-based guidelines were developed through meta-analyses commissioned by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP, 2016). Method OJJDP provided funding for a rigorous multi-site evaluation of the guidelines. This study protocol paper for the Juvenile Drug Treatment Court (JDTC) Guidelines Cross-Site Evaluation presents research designs for the comparison of youth outcomes from 10 JDTCs compared with 10 Traditional Juvenile Courts (TJCs) in the same jurisdictions. Two sites opted into a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and eight sites chose to follow a regression discontinuity design (RDD). Youth data are captured at baseline, and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups using an interview comprised of several standardized assessments. The youths’ official records also are abstracted for recidivism and substance use information. The degree to which the evidence-based guidelines are implemented at each site is assessed via an in-depth court self-assessment collected at baseline and again 2 years later and via structured site visits conducted once during implementation. Discussion As a field-based trial, using both RCT and RDD designs, findings will provide important, policy-relevant information regarding the implementation of the OJJDP evidence-based guidelines, including the degree to which JDTCs adopted and/or modified these practices, their relative impact on recidivism and substance use, as well as the degree to which JDTCs differ from TJCs. Specific inferences may be drawn about whether following or not following specific guidelines differentially impact youth outcomes, yielding recommendations about the translation of this information from research-to-practice for potentiating the broader adoption of these guidelines by JDTCs nationwide. Clinical trials registration This was not an NIH supported trial. The funder, OJJDP/NIJ, instead required publishing the design with even more information at https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/juvenile-drug-treatment-court-jdtc-guidelines-cross-site-evaluation .

This meta-analysis evaluated judicial interventions for juvenile delinquency certified by the Netherlands Youth Institute with “initial indications” for effectiveness. Ten (quasi-)experimental studies examining TOOLS4U, Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT), Multi Systemic Therapy (MST), Only You Decide who you Are (OYD), Responsive Social Skills Therapy (Re-SST), and Responsive Aggression Regulation Therapy (Re-ART) were synthesized. The overall effect was small, positive, and significant (g = 0.22; 95%CI: 0.02, 0.42). Responsive cognitive behavioral therapy (Re-SST and Re-ART) and the sports-based intervention OYD seem effective, whereas social skills training (TOOLS4U) and family-based systemic interventions (MDFT and MST) seem ineffective. However, effectiveness of family-based programs can possibly be enhanced if youth at medium-to-high risk for delinquency is treated for 6 months or longer, which aligns with the Risk-Need-Responsivity model. Better program delivery and general instead of specific offenses were associated with larger effects. We advocate a stronger evidence-based RNR approach to juvenile delinquency in the Netherlands. Plain language summary Effectively preventing juvenile delinquency in the Netherlands Juvenile delinquency remains a serious issue in the Netherlands. Preventive interventions have proliferated, but many lack strong theoretical foundations and research support. The Netherlands Youth Institute (NYI) continuously monitors all available evidence for intervention effectiveness and certifies those showing initial indications of effectiveness. This study analyzed that evidence to better understand the overall effectiveness of preventive interventions against Dutch juvenile delinquency. Only six interventions currently offered to Dutch juveniles were certified by the NYI and reported on delinquency: TOOLS4U, Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT), Multi Systemic Therapy (MST), Only You Decide who you Are (OYD), Responsive Social Skills Therapy (Re-SST), and Responsive Aggression Regulation Therapy (Re-ART). Their combined effectiveness proved to be small. Responsive cognitive behavioral therapy (Re-SST, Re-ART) and the sports-based intervention OYD seem effective, while social skills training (TOOLS4U) and family-based systemic interventions (MDFT, MST) seem ineffective. However, family-based program effectiveness may improve if youth at medium-to-high delinquency risk are treated for at least six months. Better program delivery and targeting general rather than specific offenses yielded larger effects. Practitioners should emphasize an evidence-based approach to effectively prevent Dutch juvenile delinquency and make research-informed decisions. The Dutch national quality framework, NYI-certified interventions, and Risk-Need-Responsivity model principles are the key to strengthening practice. Since many of the included interventions are also implemented internationally, this research is of international importance.

This paper discusses how current approaches to youth justice service delivery have largely failed to produce measurable success for both children and young people and the wider community. We draw on findings from a long-standing program of research in an Australian jurisdiction which has raised important social and political questions about the extent to which any system that relies largely on the use of punitive, risk, and deficits-based service models can only serve to criminalize childhood adversity. Local data are used to provide the evidence base from which more trauma-informed justice system practices can be identified and implemented that protect the rights of children and young people while also protecting the safety of the community.

Character evidence refers to evidentiary materials that reflect the individual attributes of juvenile criminal suspects and defendants, such as their upbringing environment, social interactions, moral character, personality traits, and past behavioral patterns. In the practice of juvenile criminal justice, its main function is to provide references for judicial authorities in conviction, sentencing and correction by comprehensively assessing the personal dangerousness and recidivism risk of minors, embodying the special judicial principle of “education first, punishment second”. Different from the cautious application of character evidence in adult cases, juvenile cases tend to emphasize the use of character evidence to explore the individual causes behind juvenile delinquency. At present, China has generally established a framework for the character evidence system in juvenile justice practice. The Criminal Procedure Law and relevant judicial interpretations explicitly stipulate that when handling juvenile criminal cases, the circumstances of the minor’s growth experience, causes of delinquency, guardianship and education shall be investigated, and such investigation materials may be used as character evidence. However, several problems still exist in practical application: First, the legal orientation is relatively vague, and it is not clear whether character evidence belongs to conviction evidence or sentencing evidence. Second, there is a lack of norms in specific implementation, with no unified guidelines for the subjects, procedures and standards of proof for evidence collection. Third, the application varies across regions, with significant differences in the depth of application between developed areas and grassroots judicial organs. This paper holds that improving the character evidence system is a key part of juvenile justice reform. Its significance lies not only in optimizing the adjudication of individual cases, but also in promoting the fundamental transformation of judicial philosophy from “punishment-oriented” to “restoration-oriented”, so as to ultimately achieve the organic unity of legal effects and social effects.

: This study analyzed the Pathways to Desistance dataset to examine whether principles of deterrence affected offending behaviors in youth categorized as serious juvenile offenders. Deterrence theory is grounded in the classical school of criminology and its rational choice perspective, arguing that individuals weigh the costs and benefits associated with crime and act in ways that maximize benefits and minimize costs. Testing deterrence theory with negative binomial regression across four waves of data demonstrated that deterrence predicted decreases in offending among study participants. These findings support the relevance of deterrence-based strategies in mitigating offending patterns among serious juvenile offenders. They further demonstrate the importance of the perception of legal consequences in shaping decision-making and deterring future criminal behavior in this population.

ABSTRACT Although evidence-based assessment is considered an essential component of evidence-based practice, few adolescents have access to evidence-based assessment. Despite experiencing high rates of mental health disorders, incarcerated justice-involved adolescents are rarely able to access evidence-based psychiatric care. In this article, we discuss the components of an evidence-based assessment protocol designed and piloted with incarcerated adolescents involved in Rhode Island’s juvenile justice system. In particular, we describe the components of our evidence-based protocol, ways in which evidence-based assessment may need to be modified when working with this population, and discuss policy and clinical implications relevant to increasing access to evidence-based assessment among incarcerated adolescents.

Introduction There is a consensus hidden in the criminal legislation of many countries that the criminal responsibility capacity of juvenile offenders is not significantly different from that of their peers. The purpose of this paper was to test this hypothesis. The research objects of this paper were 187 juvenile offenders in J Province, China, who are under detention measures, and 2,449 students from junior high school, senior high school and university in S Province as comparison objects. We subjected the gathered materials to independent-samples t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results (1) The self-control ability (109.30, 123.59) and empathy ability (63.86, 72.45) of juvenile offenders were significantly different from those of ordinary minors, but the difference of dialectical thinking ability was not statistically significant; (2) Except for the influence of mother’s education level and family income on dialectical thinking ability, the other variables had no statistical significance on the three kinds of ability. Therefore, it was suggested that the correction plan and means for juvenile offenders should focus on the improvement of self-control ability and empathy ability.

India's approach to juvenile offenders was subject to a major shift with the introduction of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. For the first time, juvenile offenders between the ages of 16 and 18 could be brought to trial for the commission of "heinous offences" as adult offenders. This shift was the result of the unprecedented debate that was triggered in the wake of the Delhi gang rape incident in 2012. The mental and physical capacity of juvenile offenders to commit and understand the consequences of the commission of "heinous offences" can be analyzed through the "preliminary assessment" method that is adopted by the Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs) in the country. However, there is a serious issue of due process, development science, constitutional protection, and compliance with India’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, even though it is an attempt to achieve a balance in terms of responsibility and child protection. The institutional limitations of JJB, practical aspects of preliminary evaluation, and consequences of transfer of juveniles to adult courts are severely analyzed in this essay. To prove that the adult trial system is based on wrong assumptions about teenage guilt, without considering scientific knowledge of brain development, it evaluates factual facts, judicial interpretations, and scientific studies. It also identifies deficiencies in procedural protection, serious irregularities in judicial reasoning, and lack of standardized norms in psychological evaluation, making it prone to misuse and arbitrariness. In fact, the article argues that despite being grounded in public opinion, the adult trial clause undermines the rehabilitative basis of juvenile justice and has the potential to breach constitutional principles of justice, proportionality, and dignity. For the creation of a truly child-centered system of juvenile justice, it suggests that there is an urgent need to review Section 15 in an integrated manner.

No abstract available

The juvenile justice system has long struggled with practices for understanding, preventing, and intervening in delinquency. Debates concerning youth delinquency, diversion efforts, and effective rehabilitation have consistently been examined. However, the answers to most of these fundamental approaches remain unresolved. Mental health is a major concern for juveniles under a correctional treatment program, but the juvenile justice system lacks individualized mental health services, having devastating and unfair results on youth in need. Through research, professional development, and advocacy, youth who are especially vulnerable to experiencing the undesired outcomes that result from receiving inadequate and inappropriate services will gain better outcomes.

The U.S. juvenile justice system prioritizes rehabilitation over punishment, yet youth recidivism remains alarmingly high, with rates exceeding 50% across states. Addressing this persistent challenge requires innovative strategies, including enhancing the culture and climate within juvenile justice facilities. A positive culture and climate not only improves staff performance and service delivery but also creates an environment conducive to better behavioral outcomes for youth. Facility culture, defined by shared values and norms, and climate, shaped by staff perceptions of their work environment, are crucial to organizational effectiveness and youth rehabilitation. This paper explores how partnerships between academia and juvenile justice agencies can strengthen facility culture and climate, ultimately fostering improved outcomes for both youth and staff. By integrating research expertise and practical insights, collaborations between academia and juvenile justice agencies promote evidence-based and equitable practices. This study spotlights the Alabama Department of Youth Services’ partnership with the University of Alabama and the Administrative Office of Courts, showcasing how data-driven approaches and inclusive policymaking lead to meaningful organizational changes. Importantly, this work underscores the value of amplifying the voices of youth, families, and direct care staff to ensure equitable representation in policy design. Through fostering trust, respect, and engagement, such collaborations can reduce recidivism, enhance staff well-being, and create more effective rehabilitative environments. This conceptual exploration contributes to the growing discourse on facility culture, climate, and systemic reform, offering actionable insights to inform juvenile justice practices.

The Juvenile Drug Treatment Court (JDTC) Guidelines were developed to offer an evidence‐based model for providing treatment to youth with substance use disorders who enter the juvenile justice system. A national evaluation was conducted to assess practices used by JDTCs and to test the guidelines. Data include program‐level survey data; qualitative, guided discussions with JDTC staff; and court observations. Results reveal wide variation in the practices utilized by sites and their success in implementing the guidelines. These findings support the development of a best practice model for JDTCs to improve youth outcomes.

Juvenile delinquency and crimes are core issues concerning social stability and future development. In recent years, juvenile crime in China has exhibited the characteristics of “three tendencies and one weakness”: younger age of offenders, adult-like and organized criminal methods, coexistence of simplistic motives and serious consequences, and weak effectiveness of correction and intervention. These characteristics pose challenges to the traditional governance system. Based on multi-dimensional criminological theories (biological, psychological, sociological, and legal perspectives), this paper analyzes the causes from four dimensions: individual physical and mental imbalance, lack of family guardianship, gaps in social systems, and difficulties in legal balance. Combining the practical application of laws such as the Minors Protection Law and the Law on the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency, the paper proposes an integrated systematic governance framework of “prevention-intervention-correction”. It aims to provide theoretical support and practical paths for addressing the dilemma of juvenile crime and realizing the legislative goal of “prioritizing education over punishment”.

Understanding employer perspectives toward necessary work qualifications for justice-involved youth and aligning transition planning and employment preparation activities with these perspectives is integral in increasing employment rates and decreasing recidivism for this population. This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Juvenile Justice Work Qualifications Scale (JJ-WQS), a measure of the importance of work qualifications for entry level employees previously involved in juvenile services from the perspective of employers. Analyses explored and confirmed the scale’s factor structure, measured internal consistency, and examined group differences based on geographic location, business structure, and business size. Results indicated evidence of a four-factor structure, strong internal consistency, and mean differences based on company size. Implications for both research and practice are discussed including the need for further replication research on this instrument to confirm these findings and generate additional evidence of its efficacy with entry-level employers to inform supports for justice-involved youth in preparing for employment.

Evidence-based interventions have been implemented within penal institutions to reduce the propensity of postrelease reoffending across states. Traditional program evaluations explore these interventions and demonstrate treatment effects most often for a single specific intervention. Although this process supports the doctrine of evidence-based research, little is known of the joint effects of multiple program assignments. The current study examines the treatment effects of sequence combinations of institutional programs on recidivism outcomes. Results demonstrate that correctional clients experienced incremental improvements when receiving more than two interventions compared with those who participated in a standalone intervention. Those who participated in three types of treatment combinations consisting of basic skills, vocational training, and cognitive behavioral treatment were more likely to reduce postrelease reconvictions.

Juvenile drug court (JDC) programs are an increasingly popular option for rehabilitating juvenile offenders with substance problems, but research has found inconsistent evidence regarding their effectiveness and economic impact. While assessing client outcomes such as reduced substance use and delinquency is necessary to gauge program effectiveness, a more comprehensive understanding of program success and sustainability can be attained by examining program costs and economic benefits. As part of the National Cross-Site Evaluation of JDC and Reclaiming Futures (RF), an economic analysis of five JDC/RF programs was conducted from a multisystem and multiagency perspective. The study highlights the direct and indirect costs of JDC/RF and the savings generated from reduced health problems, illegal activity, and missed school days. Results include the average (per participant) cost of JDC/RF, the total economic benefits per JDC/RF participant, and the net savings of JDC/RF relative to standard JDC.

One hundred and seventy three male juvenile offenders were followed two years postrelease from a residential treatment facility to assess recidivism and factors related to recidivism. The overall recidivism rate was 23.9%. Logistic regression with stepwise and backward variable selection methods was used to examine the relationship between recidivism and nine specific variables: offense type, age at initial involvement in juvenile justice, child welfare system involvement, termination of parental rights, parental criminal history, family support, program completion status, length of treatment stay, and discharge placement. Offender type was the only factor found to have a significant impact on recidivism with general and substance-involved offenders more likely to recidivate than sex offenders. Implications for future research are discussed.

Evaluation of offending behavior programs has become reasonably controversial in recent times as some researchers have advocated that evaluations should use a treatment as received (TR) model, which ignores dropouts and refusers, despite criticism that this removes the ability to make inferences about the effectiveness of the program. Some of those arguing in favor of a TR methodology suggest that the large number of noncompleters in community-based evaluations will make it impossible to detect treatment effects. A further issue with evaluation of community-based offender behavior programs is the fact that many programs are reasonably long. Evaluation methodologies inherited from custodial programs count recidivism from day one-which is before any benefits from the program are hypothesized to occur. This article explores these issues to find solutions that are scientifically robust but also sensitive to actual program effects. The current authors argue that evaluations should use an intention-to-treat (ITT) model which includes noncompleters and that, using this methodology, an effective program, delivered with high integrity, should be able to demonstrate an impact on offending. However, the time period selected for evaluation should relate to the hypothesized effects of the program, not just begin from the start of supervision or commencement of the program. In doing so, the evaluators should ensure that both treatment and control groups are treated equally.

The current study employed a quasi-experimental design using both intent-to-treat and protocol adherence analysis of 155 moderate- to high-risk juvenile offenders to evaluate the effectiveness of Parenting with Love and Limits® (PLL), an integrative group and family therapy approach. Youth completing PLL had significantly lower rates of recidivism than the comparison group. Parents also reported statistically significant improvements in youth behavior. Lengths of service were also significantly shorter for the treatment sample than the matched comparison group by an average of 4 months. This study contributes to the literature by suggesting that intensive community-based combined family and group treatment is effective in curbing recidivism among high-risk juveniles.

In consideration of the widespread adoption of juvenile drug court programs during the past decade, the purpose of this review is to examine the effectiveness of juvenile drug courts and suggest priorities for juvenile drug court research. Consistent with the much more extensive adult drug court literature and the few uncontrolled evaluations of juvenile drug court, findings from a recent randomized clinical trial suggest that juvenile drug court is more effective than family court in decreasing participant criminal behavior and substance use. Perhaps due to the intensive surveillance that juvenile drug court participants receive, however, these favorable outcomes did not translate to reduced rates of rearrest or incarceration during the 12-month study period. In addition, the integration of evidence-based substance-abuse treatments into juvenile drug court enhanced participant substance-related outcomes and rates of juvenile drug court completion. Although the widespread dissemination of juvenile drug courts has exceeded clear and unambiguous evidence of their effectiveness, few other criminal justice programs have shown such promise with drug-abusing offenders. Moreover, the integration of evidence-based treatments of adolescent substance abuse holds the potential to further enhance the effectiveness of juvenile drug courts.

'Scared Straight' and other programmes involve organised visits to prison by juvenile delinquents or children at risk for criminal behavior. programmes are designed to deter participants from future offending through first-hand observation of prison life and interaction with adult inmates. These programmes remain in use world-wide despite studies and reviews questioning their effectiveness. To assess the effects of programmes comprising organised visits to prisons by juvenile delinquents (officially adjudicated or convicted by a juvenile court) or pre-delinquents (children in trouble but not officially adjudicated as delinquents), aimed at deterring them from criminal activity. Handsearching by the first author in identifying randomised field trials 1945-1993 relevant to criminology was augmented by structured searches of 16 electronic data bases, including the Campbell SPECTR database of trials and the Cochrane CCTR. Experts in the field were consulted and relevant citations were followed up. Studies that tested the effects of any program involving the organised visits of juvenile delinquents or children at-risk for delinquency to penal institutions were included. Studies that included overlapping samples of juvenile and young adults (e.g. ages 14-20) were included. We only considered studies that randomly or quasi-randomly (i.e. alternation) assigned participants to conditions. Each study had to have a no-treatment control condition with at least one outcome measure of "post-visit" criminal behavior. We report narratively on the nine eligible trials. We conducted one meta-analysis of post-intervention offending rates using official data. Information from other sources (e.g. self-report) was either missing from some studies or critical information was omitted (e.g. standard deviations). We examined the immediate post-treatment effects (i.e. "first-effects") by computing Odds Ratios (OR) for data on proportions of each group re-offending, and assumed both fixed and random effects models in our analyses. The analysis show the intervention to be more harmful than doing nothing. The program effect, whether assuming a fixed or random effects model, was nearly identical and negative in direction, regardless of the meta-analytic strategy. We conclude that programmes like 'Scared Straight' are likely to have a harmful effect and increase delinquency relative to doing nothing at all to the same youths. Given these results, agencies that permit such programmes must rigorously evaluate them not only to ensure that they are doing what they purport to do (prevent crime) - but at the very least they do not cause more harm than good.

Juvenile crime is a serious problem for which treatment approach has been found to be reliably effective. This outcome evaluation assessed during and posttreatment effectiveness of Teaching-Family group home treatment programs for juvenile offenders. The evaluation included the original Achievement Place program, which was the prototype for the development of the Teaching-Family treatment approach, 12 replications of Achievement Place, and 9 comparison group home programs. Primary dependent measures were retrieved from court and police files and included number of alleged offenses, percentage of youths involved in those alleged offenses, and percentage of youths institutionalized. Other dependent measures were subjective ratings of effectiveness obtained from the program consumers, including the group home residents. The results showed difference during treatment favoring the Teaching-Family programs on rate of alleged criminal offenses, percentage of youths involved in those offenses, and consumer ratings of the programs. The consumer ratings provided by the youths and their school teachers were found to be inversely and significantly correlated with the reduction of criminal offenses during treatment. There were no significant differences during treatment on measures of noncriminal offenses (e.g., truancy, runaway, and curfew violations). In the posttreatment year, none of the differences between the groups was significant on any of the outcome measures. The results are discussed in terms of measurement and design issues in the evaluation of delinquency treatment programs and in relation to the evaluation; of Teaching-Family group homes by Richard Jones and his colleagues.

This study increases knowledge on effectiveness of treatment for extremely violent (EV) youth by investigating their response to multisystemic therapy (MST). Using data of a randomized controlled trial on effectiveness of MST, we investigated differences in treatment response between EV youth and not extremely violent (NEV) youth. Pre- to post-treatment comparison indicated MST was equally effective for EV and NEV youth, whereas treatment as usual was not effective for either group. Growth curves of within-treatment changes indicated EV youth responded differently to MST than NEV youth. The within-treatment change was for EV youth non-linear: Initially, they show a deterioration; however, after one month, EV juveniles respond positively to MST, indicating longer lasting, intensive programs may be effective in treating extreme violence.

As the second century of partnership begins, child psychiatry and juvenile justice face continuing challenges in meeting the mental health needs of delinquents. The modern juvenile justice system is marked by a significantly higher volume of cases, with increasingly complicated multiproblem youths and families with comorbid medical, psychiatric, substance abuse disorders, multiple family and psychosocial adversities, and shrinking community resources and alternatives to confinement. The family court is faced with shrinking financial resources to support court-ordered placement and treatment programs in efforts to treat and rehabilitate youths. The recognition of high rates of mental disorders for incarcerated youth has prompted several recommendations for improvement and calls for reform [56,57]. In their 2000 annual report, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice advocated increased access to mental health services that provide a continuum of care tailored to the specific problems of incarcerated youth [58]. The specific recommendations of the report for mental health providers include the need for wraparound services, improved planning and coordination between agencies, and further research. The Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has set three priorities in dealing with the mental health needs of delinquents: further research on the prevalence of mental illness among juvenile offenders, development of mental health screening assessment protocols, and improved mental health services [59]. Other programs have called for earlier detection and diversion of troubled youth from juvenile justice to mental health systems [31,56]. Most recently, many juvenile and family courts have developed innovative programs to address specific problems such as truancy or substance use and diversionary or alternative sentencing programs to deal with first-time or nonviolent delinquents. All youths who come in contact with the juvenile justice system should be screened and, when necessary, assessed for mental health and substance abuse disorders. The screening should occur at the youth's earliest point of contact with the juvenile justice system and should be available at all stages of juvenile justice processing. Whenever possible, youth with serious mental health disorders should be diverted from the juvenile justice system [58]. If delinquent youths do not receive the necessary evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation, they face the real prospect of further incarceration in adult correctional facilities. Improved screening and treatment require better interagency collaboration, established standards of care, and continuing research on the mental health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system. Better mental health care for youth in the juvenile justice system supports the goal of rehabilitation. Mental health professionals should support these efforts as the appropriate response to meet the challenges of the new century.

According to the risk-need-responsivity model of offender, assessment and rehabilitation treatment should target specific factors that are related to re-offending. This study evaluates the residential care of Filipino juvenile offenders using the risk-need-responsivity model. Risk analyses and criminogenic needs assessments (parenting style, aggression, relationships with peers, empathy, and moral reasoning) have been conducted using data of 55 juvenile offenders in four residential facilities. The psychological care has been assessed using a checklist. Statistical analyses showed that juvenile offenders had a high risk of re-offending, high aggression, difficulties in making pro-social friends, and a delayed socio-moral development. The psychological programs in the residential facilities were evaluated to be poor. The availability of the psychological care in the facilities fitted poorly with the characteristics of the juvenile offenders and did not comply with the risk-need-responsivity model. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) are strongly overrepresented in young offender populations, and there is growing commitment internationally to ensuring access to speech-language therapy services for such young people. However there is currently no framework in which such interventions might be conceptualized, delivered and evaluated. This is significant given the role of language competence in the development of prosocial skills and also in the transition to literacy. To present Response to Intervention (RTI) as a framework in which SLCN of young offenders might be systematically addressed and evaluated within youth justice settings, led by speech-language therapists, in conjunction with other education and welfare team members. Literature regarding prevalence rates of SLCN in young offenders is reviewed, together with the limited extant evidence on interventions for this group. The importance of applying evidence-based interventions is argued, and a framework for adapting RTI for SLCN in custodial settings is outlined. A framework for adapting RTI to design, deliver and evaluate speech-language therapy interventions in youth custodial settings is presented. Speech-language therapy interventions for young offenders will be better addressed at policy, practice and research levels if a framework such as an RTI adaptation is employed. It is expected, however, that this model will evolve over time, as intervention evidence pertaining to the youth offender population emerges.

Recent policy initiatives threaten to reduce the rehabilitative mission of the juvenile court or eliminate the court entirely. This article lays out a framework for an empirical assessment of these developments. It first evaluates the available and potential empirical support for three hypotheses about juveniles that might justify maintaining a separate, rehabilitation-oriented juvenile justice system: the hypotheses that, compared to adults, juveniles are more treatable, less culpable, and less deterrable. On the assumption that the continued existence of a rehabilitation-oriented juvenile court can be justified, it then provides suggestions as to how existing intervention strategies for juveniles could benefit from research attention to several substantive and methodological issues. These include refining outcome criteria and sampling strategies, matching offender and program characteristics, reexamining intervention efficacy, and focusing on decision makers and resource allocations.

Using a sample of 256 juvenile offenders who were randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, this study evaluates a cognitive-behavioral program that combines cognitive training, goal setting, and a phone-coach follow-up. The training involved six classroom sessions where participants received instruction and help in creating individualized goals. After attending the classes, participants received automated phone calls twice a day for up to a year. During the year following the program, the treatment and control groups were not significantly different in whether or not they were rearrested or in total rearrests. However, the total number of calls received had a significant negative association with whether or not they were rearrested for a felony and with the total number of felony rearrests.

Specialized interventions for juveniles who have committed sex offenses have been widely available for 25 years. These interventions initially were based largely on adult sex offender interventions, with little consideration of developmental and other differences that distinguish juveniles from adult offenders. More recently, interventions have been developed that address youth-specific factors associated with problem sexual behaviors and that include a stronger family focus. This article reviews the history of intervention approaches, summarizes specialized evaluation methods and addresses the assessment of juvenile recidivism risk.

Juvenile drug courts (JDC) emerged in response to a perceived need to intervene more effectively in the substance abuse-delinquency cycle. The influx of drug and alcohol offenders, lack of other juvenile justice system interventions, and positive experiences with adult drug courts helped drive interest in adapting the drug court model for juveniles. This article: (1) provides an overview of substance use and the juvenile justice system; (2) describes the current status of JDC programs; and (3) proposes a model for planning, implementing and evaluating JDCs based on adolescent drug use and treatment research as well as current JDC models. The lack of science-based JDC models and empirically sound JDC evaluations has limited the effectiveness of JDCs. The proposed model is designed to create a new generation of JDCs that maximizes the effectiveness of local resources and delivers research-based interventions to youth and families impacted by substance abuse and delinquency.

Studies on the effectiveness of correctional treatment have widely failed to assess program integrity. This study examined the program integrity of EQUIP in 34 treatment groups of incarcerated offenders, using a new multiaspect program integrity instrument (MIPIE). The first aim of our study was to assess the reliability and validity of the MIPIE. The second aim was to describe the practical application of the instrument as an integrity feedback tool. Results showed that a two-factor solution for the MIPIE appeared to be the most adequate and that the composite program integrity scale of the first factor had a good internal consistency. The interobserver agreement was high. Furthermore, moderate to high relationships were found between observers and trainers, but trainers reported significantly higher program integrity levels. EQUIP was implemented with diverse integrity levels, with higher levels for the United States and program developer sites. By using the MIPIE, detailed feedback can be provided to improve program implementation.

This article describes a quasi-experimental study of the effectiveness of Responsive Aggression Regulation Therapy (Re-ART) in terms of recidivism for 16- to 21-year-old juveniles with aggression problems and high risk of recidivism. In a Dutch juvenile justice institution, an experimental group received Re-ART ( n = 63, Re-ART group) and a waitlist control group received Treatment as Usual ( n = 28, TAU group). Results indicated that Re-ART is significantly more effective than TAU in reducing the juveniles' recidivism risk for violent offending. Compared with the TAU group, the Re-ART group showed significantly less violent crimes after 2 and 3 years, less property crimes after 2 years, and less general recidivism after 2 and 3 years. There was no significant difference between groups in recidivism of property crimes with violence. Ethnicity, mild intellectual disabilities, substance abuse, and age did not moderate the effects on recidivism outcome, which indicates that Re-ART was equally effective for various groups.

Treatment and rehabilitation interventions in juvenile justice institutions aim to prevent criminal reoffending by adolescents and to enhance their prospects of successful social reintegration. There is evidence that these goals are best achieved when the institution adopts a family-centered approach, involving the parents of the adolescents. The Academic Workplace Forensic Care for Youth has developed two programs for family-centered care for youth detained in groups for short-term and long-term stay, respectively. The overall aim of our study is to evaluate the family-centered care program in the first two years after the first steps of its implementation in short-term stay groups of two juvenile justice institutions in the Netherlands. The current paper discusses our study design. Based on a quantitative pilot study, we opted for a study with an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. This pilot is considered the first stage of our study. The second stage of our study includes concurrent quantitative and qualitative approaches. The quantitative part of our study is a pre-post quasi-experimental comparison of family-centered care with usual care in short-term stay groups. The qualitative part of our study involves in-depth interviews with adolescents, parents, and group workers to elaborate on the preceding quantitative pilot study and to help interpret the outcomes of the quasi-experimental quantitative part of the study. We believe that our study will result in the following findings. In the quantitative comparison of usual care with family-centered care, we assume that in the latter group, parents will be more involved with their child and with the institution, and that parents and adolescents will be more motivated to take part in therapy. In addition, we expect family-centered care to improve family interactions, to decrease parenting stress, and to reduce problem behavior among the adolescents. Finally, we assume that adolescents, parents, and the staff of the institutions will be more satisfied with family-centered care than with usual care. In the qualitative part of our study, we will identify the needs and expectations in family-centered care as well as factors influencing parental participation. Insight in these factors will help to further improve our program of family-centered care and its implementation in practice. Our study results will be published over the coming years. A juvenile justice institution is a difficult setting to evaluate care programs. A combination of practice-based research methods is needed to address all major implementation issues. The study described here takes on the challenge by means of practice-based research. We expect the results of our study to contribute to the improvement of care for adolescents detained in juvenile justice institutions, and for their families.

The Residential Student Assistance Program, serving high-risk, multiproblem, inner-city, primarily African-American and Latino youth, was evaluated for its ability to prevent and decrease alcohol and other drug use. Participants were drawn from several adolescent residential facilities: three foster care sites for abused, neglected, orphaned, or troubled adolescents, a nonsecure facility for adjudicated juvenile offenders, a treatment center for teens with severe psychiatric problems, and a locked county correctional facility. In addition, comparison groups were employed. A 5th-year outcome evaluation documented the program's effectiveness in both preventing and reducing substance use among participants, with impact related to program dosage. Qualitative process data clarified and strengthened confidence in the quantitative outcomes.

The authors investigated how self-evaluation motives (self-enhancement, self-assessment, self-verification, self-improvement - and also self-diminishment and no information) shape self-knowledge preferences in male incarcerated juvenile offenders (IJOs). IJOs responded to questions on how much they would like to receive and actually received each of six types of feedback (positive, truthful, improving, consistent, negative and no feedback) from each of six sources (teachers, parents, siblings, best friend, girlfriend and behavioural specialists or psychologists). IJOs disliked negative feedback and the lack of feedback. They preferred truthful feedback to consistent feedback, and received truthful and positive feedback more frequently than improving feedback. Additionally, they received more negative or no feedback from parents than they would like. Finally, IJOs expressed a preference for receiving more improving feedback from their girlfriends than they did. The study highlights the interplay of self-evaluation motives in IJOs and opens up promising research and rehabilitation directions.

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effects of a cognitive training and cell phone intervention on the recidivism of 70 juvenile offenders. Median days to rearrest were 106 for the control group, 191 for the class-only group, and 278 for the class plus cell phone group. Using rearrest as the survival criterion, the survival ratios of the class-only and class plus cell phone groups were 2.64 and 2.94 times longer than the control group, respectively. After controlling for gender, prior arrests, and risk score, the Poisson regression indicated that the class-only and class plus cell phone groups were 51% lower in total arrests than the control group. These results suggest that cognitive training supplemented with a cell phone coach is an effective and cost-efficient intervention for reducing recidivism.

Disparities in evaluating readiness to change and recidivism risk across diverse cultural groups can profoundly affect rehabilitation program efficacy. This study examines readiness to change and recidivism risk disparities between Israeli-Arabs and Israeli-Jews entering a re-entry program by the Prisoner Rehabilitation Authority postrelease. The University of Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale questionnaire gauged readiness to change, whereas the Ohio Youth Assessment System-Residential tool assessed recidivism risk. The sample included 151 participants: 98 Israeli-Arabs and 53 Israeli-Jews. Mean differences in change readiness and recidivism risk were statistically assessed through t tests. Significant differences emerged in change readiness levels between Israeli-Arabs and Jews upon rehabilitation program entry, with Israeli-Jews exhibiting higher readiness. Additionally, a noteworthy divergence in recidivism risk was noted, indicating elevated average risk for Israeli-Jews. Findings underscore the vital need for cultural sensitivity during admission. Bias potential in assessing risk for Arab participants emphasizes the necessity of a comprehensive culturally sensitive approach. While focusing on admission, the Risk-Need-Responsivity model application could enhance risk evaluation and guide culturally tailored treatments.

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As part of a larger, prospective study, the authors examined concurrent and prospective relations among parenting and child antisocial behavior in inner-city boys at high risk for delinquent behavior. One hundred twenty-six younger brothers (aged 6 to 10 years) of convicted delinquents in New York City and their parents were assessed; 15 months later 112 boys were reassessed. Demographics, parenting, and child diagnosis were examined as they relate to child externalizing behavior problems. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses predicted changes in Externalizing scores from year I parenting. At years I and II, 22% and 27% of boys, respectively, scored above the clinical cutoff for Externalizing. Controlling for earlier Externalizing, each of three domains of parenting still made significant independent contributions to later Externalizing scores, explaining 17% of the variance. Altogether this model explained 51% of the variance in year II Externalizing scores. Data support a cumulative risk model, whereby each of several adverse parenting factors further compounds the likelihood of child conduct problems.

US juvenile justice is at the forefront of experimentation with the evidence-based paradigm, whereby the best available research is utilized to help inform more rational and effective practice. Increasingly, state governments are playing a major role in this endeavor. Maine is one of these states and is the focus of this article. Using a case-study design, we set out to develop a fuller understanding of the events and processes that have contributed to the development, implementation, and sustainment of evidence-based practice in juvenile justice in the state. Four major themes emerged. First, Maine has benefited from strong and lasting leadership within its corrections department. These leaders paved the way for the implementation and sustainment of programs, including finding innovative ways to use existing resources. Second, the adoption of the Risk-Need-Responsivity model was important in laying the groundwork for the use of evidence-based programming. Third, collaborations within and among state agencies and public and private groups were essential. Finally, buy-in and support from multiple stakeholders was and continues to be essential to Maine's work. Ongoing problems remain with respect to ensuring agencies prioritize fidelity to the model and locating increasingly scarce funding. Implications for other states are discussed.

Juvenile correctional programs that focus solely on safety, education, and structure yield suboptimal outcomes. Youth in these facilities often have learning disorders, and adaptive challenges, have been exposed to severe trauma, and have mental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder. Consequently, rehabilitation programs must be comprehensive, individualized, developmentally informed, and trauma-informed to achieve better outcomes. It is imperative that staff receive training to identify, intervene in, and report specific behaviors. This approach broadens staff skill sets, addresses the rehabilitation needs of a larger group of youth, generates data that facilitate accurate diagnoses and treatment planning, and enhances the likelihood of equitable rehabilitation for all youth.

Justice-involved youth are known to be at elevated risk of substance use disorder (SUD). This review examines literature published over a 10-year period and summarizes evidence-based practices for screening, treatment, and linkage to care for justice-involved youth as well as barriers and facilitators that may arise during implementation. Strategies to incorporate a health equity lens and trauma-informed approaches are discussed. Despite high prevalence of substance use and research showing that treatment reduces recidivism, few juvenile justice systems universally screen and treat youth with SUD. There is limited developmentally appropriate guidance available for those seeking to better address substance use in juvenile justice settings. This review highlights gaps in the literature, which must be addressed to increase access to treatment and improve outcomes for this vulnerable youth population.

Youth on the autism spectrum who engage in delinquent or violent crimes can be adjudicated to juvenile correctional settings. These settings, which are meant to successfully reintegrate youth back into the community through education, counseling, and skills programs, are often ill-equipped to navigate the unique needs of youth on the autism spectrum. As a result, autistic youth in juvenile correctional settings often do poorly, minimizing the likelihood that successful reintegration occurs. The purpose of this review is to summarize the literature on the prevalence of autistic youth in correctional settings and their needs, as well as the standard of care often afforded to them in these settings. Finally, we will present suggested strategies informed by the literature whereby adjudicated autistic youth are provided services and support that are feasible in a correctional setting and align with autism-informed, evidence-based practices.

In this article, the authors synthesize knowledge from select qualitative studies examining rehabilitation-oriented juvenile residential corrections and aftercare programs. Using meta-synthesis methodology, the authors extracted and coded content from 10 research studies conducted by five authors across criminology, sociology, and social welfare disciplines. The total number of published works based on those studies analyzed was 18. Collectively, these studies offer insight into three major components of the juvenile correctional experience: therapeutic treatment and evidence-based practices, the shaping of identities and masculinities, and preparation for reentry. This analysis is particularly important as the United States is currently in an era of reform during which policymakers are increasingly espousing the benefits of rehabilitation for youth offenders over punishment. These studies took place before, during, and after this era of reform, and yet, the findings are surprisingly consistent over time, raising key questions about the effectiveness of the reform strategies.

Access to high-quality curriculum and instruction is essential for all youth incarcerated in juvenile corrections facilities. In a landmark 2014 collaboration between the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice

To determine whether male adolescents incarcerated in a juvenile justice facility would participate in and benefit from a grief-focused, evidence-based group treatment program. Few studies have examined the effectiveness of evidence-based, grief focused treatments for incarcerated adolescents, although these youths are reported to experience higher rates of bereavement than those in the general population. Between 2015 and 2020, 63 male adolescents incarcerated at a secure correctional facility in the midwestern United States received group treatment for symptoms of maladaptive grief using an evidenced-based intervention called Trauma and Grief Component Therapy for Adolescents (TGCTA; Saltzman et al., 2017). Data collection before and after treatment included a brief screening measure, demographic information on each youth, and the Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder (PCBD) Checklist, scored according to multidimensional grief theory (Layne et al., 2017). Mean PCBD grief domain scores decreased significantly for separation distress and circumstance-related distress from baseline to after TGCTA (Layne et al., 2014) group participation. After group completion, the association between PCBD grief symptoms and functional impairment was unchanged in the family domain, decreased in the school domain, and increased in the peers/friends domain. In the 5- to 15-week period after the group versus the 5- to 15-week period before the group, there was a 50% reduction in the number of behavioral incident reports involving TGCTA group participants, while 63 matched control participants had no change in behavioral incident reports. Study findings demonstrate the feasibility of treating maladaptive grief with youths in the juvenile justice system and provide preliminary evidence that grief-focused treatment may reduce maladaptive grief symptoms and improve behavioral functioning. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

This article reports the findings of a pilot study designed to: test the feasibility of implementation, assess implementation barriers, and determine the effectiveness of a modified evidence-based program designed for adolescent female offenders in a women's correctional facility in the United States. A therapeutic expressive arts behavioral program, Leadership, Education, Achievement and Development (LEAD), has been used in community settings as a health promotion program. This behavioral program was adapted to LEAD-Corrections (LEAD-C) and serves incarcerated adolescent female offenders. Results of this pilot study show that it is feasible to offer LEAD-C in a correctional setting. Positive effects were noted on session satisfaction surveys as well as formative and summative evaluations. Implementation of LEAD-C, using therapeutic expressive arts interventions, included coping strategies to help adolescents become confident and self-assured and review better choices. Adolescents were taught to utilize these learned coping strategies in their life, which may help to overcome adversity, enhance resilience, and support youth transition at the time of reentry to the community.