Juvenile Justice-Based Interdisciplinary Collective Care: An Innovative Approach.

Mental health concerns among juvenile-justice-involved youth (JJIY) continue to be a major health crisis in the United States (US). While scholarship has explored mental health concerns among JJIY, and the link to negative life outcomes, there are gaps in the existing research, particularly in effective interventions and models aimed at addressing both the mental health concerns and criminogenic risk contributing to recidivism and other negative life outcomes of this population. In this paper, we present Justice-Based Interdisciplinary Collective Care (JBICC), an innovative framework to address both the mental health needs and delinquent behavior of youth offenders. The model bridges community partners, with the purpose of informing future interventions, implementations, and research in this area. Increased justice-based interdisciplinary collective collaboration between the juvenile justice system and community programs/organizations would be a major benefit to youth offenders and their families. We also focus on the need for cultural responsiveness to be interwoven throughout all aspects of treatment. JBICC offers an opportunity to expanded services outside traditional settings and methods to ensure that youth offenders and their families receive validating and culturally responsive access to services.

Conditions of successful treatment referral practices with justice-involved youth: Qualitative insights from probation and service provider staff involved in JJ-TRIALS.

INTRODUCTION: Compared to the general U.S. adolescent population, young people involved in the juvenile justice system are at greater risk of experiencing substance use (SU) issues. There are critical opportunities across the juvenile justice continuum, at points of interface with community-based treatment services, to screen and assess for SU issues, identify unmet treatment needs, and refer those in need to treatment. The treatment referral process is, however, complex, and contingent on a seamless nexus between juvenile justice operations and the wider treatment provider landscape. Given the lack of successful SU referrals among justice-involved youth and the variable referral rates across jurisdictions, this study's aim is to provide a qualitative, explanatory understanding of the conditions that together contribute to successful referring practices. METHODS: The study is based on an analysis of a qualitative dataset comprising focus group data with probation and community-based behavioral health treatment staff working in 31 sites in 6 different states as part of the clustered randomized trial of an organizational change intervention known as JJ-TRIALS (Juvenile Justice Translational Research on Interventions for Adolescents in the Legal System). The data contain respondents' narratives on the achievements, successes, and challenges with implementing the intervention. The data were analyzed through a combination of strategies to identify the conditions that both facilitate and impede referral processes between probation offices and community-based SU treatment providers. RESULTS: Participants across sites discussed the positive impacts that the JJ-TRIALS intervention had on their improved ability to communicate, collaborate, and collect data. From the interviews, seven main conditions were observed to contribute to successful SU treatment referral practices: (1) communication (inter-organizational); (2) collaboration; (3) data-driven practices; (4) family engagement; (5) institutionalized policy and referral documentation; (6) efficient referral policies and procedures; and (7) suitable and accessible system of treatment providers. CONCLUSION: Findings highlight the value of a holistic understanding of successful treatment referrals for justice-involved youth and help inform research and practice efforts to identify and measure the many dimensions of referral-making at the interface of juvenile probation and behavioral health services.

A County-Level Case Study of Early Psychosis in the Context of a Hybrid Juvenile Competency Restoration and Mental Health Problem-Solving Court and Linkage to Coordinated Specialty Care Services.

An important and unresolved question in the context of the implementation of coordinated specialty care (CSC) for early psychosis in the United States is the extent to which youth and young adults from marginalized backgrounds are able to equitably access CSC services. In this brief report, we describe pathways between a county hybrid juvenile competency restoration and mental health problem-solving court ('Court'), serving youth with high rates of psychosis and multiple risk factors for poor long-term outcomes, and local CSC services. We found that the Court was overall successful in linking youth with psychosis to care, but in the majority of cases this was not CSC programming more specifically. Drawing on Court and CSC records as well as family interviews, we report on factors contributing to low linkage to CSC, including family-side barriers (lack of transportation, preference for lower intensity / lower demand services) and provider-side barriers, including eligibility criteria such as duration of psychosis, that ultimately exclude otherwise eligible Court-involved youth.

A Systematic Review of Multisystemic Therapy in Adolescent Sex Offenders.

Multisystemic therapy (MST) is an intense, family-focused, community-based treatment designed for youth with criminal behaviors. Literature on its usefulness among juvenile sexual offenders (JSOs) remains limited. We conducted a systematic review of published studies assessing effectiveness of MST among JSOs. A comprehensive search of published studies, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, was undertaken using multiple databases. Search terms included "multisystemic therapy" or "multisystemic family therapy." A total of 542 articles were obtained on initial search. After excluding duplicates, 297 articles were included in further analysis that yielded 48 articles for full-text analysis. Six randomized controlled trials of MST, comprising 231 juvenile sex-offenders, were assessed for final review. MST performed favorably relative to alternative treatments among juvenile sex offenders while also demonstrating lasting treatment effect on sustained follow-up.

Be Still and You Will Know: A Mixed-Method Study on Solitude and Consideration of Future Consequences Among Youth in Rehabilitation.

Although solitude is found to be undesirable to many, systematic practice of it can yield positive psychological outcomes. This mixed-method study explored the process and influence of solitude as a behavioral intervention among youths in a therapeutic community in Hong Kong. Qualitative interviews with 43 youths (67.4% male, mean age = 18.3) revealed that solitude facilitated growth in their sense of personal responsibility, increased perspective-taking, increased respect for rules, change in life attitudes, and growth in consideration of future consequences. A two-wave prospective study (n = 79, 82.3% male, mean age = 17.4) further demonstrated perceived meaningfulness in solitude predicted an increase in consideration of future consequences, but not in other types of behavioral intervention. This study preliminarily demonstrated solitude has beneficial outcomes among high-risk youths, and meaning-making can facilitate this relationship.

Juventude e o sistema socioeducativo em uma delegacia especializada: (re)pensando diálogos / Youth and the social-educational system in a specialized police station: (re)thinking dialogues / La juventud y el sistema socioeducativo en una estación de policía especializada: (re)pensar diálogos

Este artigo consiste em um relato de experiência de um estágio obrigatório em uma Delegacia de Proteção à Criança, Adolescente, Mulher e Idoso (DPCAMI), onde foi constituído um grupo operativo-reflexivo com 8 adolescentes do sexo masculino, em conflito com a lei. Os grupos eram de caráter aberto, recebendo participantes ao longo do semestre, sendo a presença destes obrigatória. Para a elaboração deste estudo, traçamos um esboço teórico que problematiza as violações de direitos que fazem da violência um efeito normativo na vida desses adolescentes, provenientes da mesma classe social. Objetiva-se com este artigo descrever e discutir as possibilidades de trabalho desenvolvidas no grupo de medidas socioeducativas de liberdade assistida. Os resultados mostraram que antes mesmo da infração, esses adolescentes estão expostos a múltiplas violências, seja pela família, pelo Estado, ou pela privação de direitos. Concluímos com este estudo que apesar de os grupos terem um importante potencial de reformular os significados, o fato de ser realizado em uma delegacia, dificulta aos adolescentes a vinculação com as propostas das oficinas. (AU)

This article is an experience report of a mandatory internship in a police station in Santa Catarina where an operative-reflective group was constituted with eight adolescents in conflict with the law. For the elaboration of this study, we problematized the violations of rights that make violence a normative effect in the lives of these adolescents. Thus, we aim with this article to describe anddiscuss the possibilities of work developed in the group of socio-educational measures of assisted freedom. The results showed that, even before the infraction, these adolescents were already exposed to multiple violence, either by the family or by the State. We have concluded that the vulnerability that crosses through the participants' bodies is burdened by social class, race and gender; and that the group, in addition to serving as a tool for accountability, showed the potential for rescue and recognition by young people of rights that are constitutionally guaranteed to them. (AU)

Este artículo es un relato de experiencia de una pasantía obligatoria en una comisaría de Santa Catarina donde se formó un grupo operativo-reflexivo con ocho adolescentes, en conflicto con la ley. Para la elaboración del estudio, discutimos las violaciones de derechos que hacen de la violencia un efecto normativo en la vida de estos adolescentes. El objetivo de este artículo es describir y discutir las posibilidades laborales desarrolladas en el conjunto de medidas socioeducativas de libertad asistida. Los resultados mostraron que, incluso antes de la infracción, estos adolescentes están expuestos a múltiples tipos de violencia, ya sea por parte de la familia o por parte del Estado. Concluimos que la vulnerabilidad que atraviesa los cuerpos de los participantes está marcada por clase social, raza y género. El grupo, además de servir como herramienta de rendición de cuentas, mostró el potencial de rescate y reconocimiento por parte de los jóvenes de los derechos que les están garantizados constitucionalmente. (AU)

Diferencias de personalidad entre adolescentes infractores en Brasil y España evaluadas con el Jesness Inventory Revised / Personality differences between Brazilian and Spanish adolescent’ offenders, assessed with the Jesness Inventory Revised

En delincuencia juvenil, algunos aspectos de la personalidad tienen un peso importante en la probabilidad de realizar conductas antisociales. Poresto, integrarlos al trabajo con esta población permite hacer las intervenciones más sensibles a las características de los jóvenes y, por ello, másefectivas. Como las estructuras de muchos sistemas de atención de la delincuencia juvenil tienen objetivos socioeducativos semejantes, los estudiostransculturales/comparativos son pertinentes para explorar este problema. El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar grupos de adolescentes de Brasily España, infractores y no infractores, con respecto a aspectos de personalidad. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 210 adolescentes varones con unaedad media de 17.7 años. Estos jóvenes respondieron al Jesness Inventory – Revised (JI-R), una herramienta que mide el funcionamiento psicológicoen el contexto de justicia juvenil. Las puntuaciones directas en el JI-R fueron comparadas por análisis de varianza (ANOVA) y el tamaño de efecto fuecalculado con la d de Cohen. Los resultados muestran que, entre los grupos de infractores, la muestra de adolescentes brasileños presenta nivelesmás elevados en Valores Subculturales y Ansiedad Social. Como se hipotetizaba, los grupos de infractores no son tan distintos entre sí, en especial alo que se refiere a la orientación antisocial, lo que suma evidencia a que adolescentes que se desarrollan en culturas distintas comparten variables depersonalidad asociadas al comportamiento delictivo. (AU)

In juvenile delinquency, some aspects of the personality have an important role in the probability of engagement in antisocial behaviors. For this reason, integrating themto the work with this population makes it possible to propose interventions more sensitive to the characteristics of young people and, therefore,more effective. As the structures of many juvenile delinquency care systems have similar socio-educational objectives, cross-cultural / comparativestudies are pertinent to explore this problem. The aim of this study was to compare groups of adolescents from Brazil and Spain, offenders andnon-offenders, regarding aspects of personality. The sample consisted of 210 male adolescents, with a mean age of 17.7 years. These young peopleresponded to the Jesness Inventory - Revised (JI-R), a tool that measures psychological functioning in the context of juvenile justice. The raw scoreson the JI-R were compared by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the effect size was calculated with Cohen’s d. The results show that, among thegroups of offenders, the sample of Brazilian adolescents presents higher levels in Value Orientation and Social Anxiety. As hypothesized, the groupsof offenders are not so different from each other, especially with regard to antisocial orientation, which adds evidence that adolescents who grow upin different cultures share personality variables associated with criminal behavior. (AU)

A criação de institutos disciplinares: uma análise histórica / Creation of juvenile detention facilities: a historical analysis / La creación de institutos disciplinares: un análisis Histórico

Neste estudo objetivamos compreender as origens do Instituto Disciplinar de São Paulo, estabelecimento criado no início do período republicano, que atendia adolescentes ditos "delinquentes". Para isso, analisamos documentos históricos e as obras Classificação dos criminosos: introdução ao estudo do direito penal (1925) e Os menores delinquentes e o seu tratamento no Estado de São Paulo (1909), ambas de autoria de Candido Naziazeno Nogueira da Motta (1870-1942), jurista que apresentou o projeto de criação do primeiro Instituto Disciplinar do estado de São Paulo. Concluímos que a Escola Positiva de Direito Penal, exerceu grande influência na criação de Institutos Disciplinares no Brasil e que a predileção histórica do Estado brasileiro, em geral, pelo isolamento social ou aprisionamento como solução para o problema da delinquência juvenil demonstra que o ideário da higiene social ainda permanece na execução das políticas públicas voltadas aos jovens que atualmente denominamos em conflito com a lei. (AU)

This study aimed to understand the origins of Juvenile Detention Center of São Paulo, establishment created at the beginning of the republican period, which served so-called "delinquent" teenagers. For this, we analyzed historical documents and the works Classificação dos criminosos: introdução ao estudo do direito penal (1925) and Os menores delinquentes e o seu tratamento no Estado de São Paulo (1909), both by Candido Naziazeno Nogueira da Motta (1870-1942), jurist who presented the project to create the first Juvenile Detention Center in the state of São Paulo. We conclude that the Positive School of Criminal Law had a great influence on the creation of Juvenile Detention Centers in Brazil and that the historical predilection of the Brazilian State, in general, for social isolation or imprisonment as a solution to juvenile delinquency demonstrates that the ideal of social hygiene still remains in the execution of public policies aimed at young people that are currently in conflict with the law. (AU)

En este estudio se tuvo por objetivo comprender los orígenes de lo Instituto Disciplinar de São Paulo, establecimiento creado en el inicio del período republicano, que atendía adolescentes dichos "delincuentes". Para eso, analizamos documentos históricos y las obras Classificação dos criminosos: introdução ao estudo do direito penal (Clasificación de los criminales: introducción al estudio del derecho penal ) y Os menores delinquentes e o seu tratamento no Estado de São Paulo (1909), (Los menores delincuentes y su tratamiento en el Estado de São Paulo) (1925) ambas de autoría de Candido Naziazeno Nogueira da Motta (1870-1942), jurista que presentó el proyecto de creación del primer Instituto Disciplinar del estado de São Paulo. Concluimos que la Escola Positiva de Derecho Penal, ejerció gran influencia en la creación de Institutos Disciplinares en Brasil y que la predilección histórica del Estado brasileño, en general, por el aislamiento social o aprisionamiento como solución para el problema de la delincuencia juvenil apunta que el ideario de la higiene social aún permanece en la ejecución de las políticas públicas volcadas a los jóvenes que actualmente se denomina en conflicto con la ley. (AU)

Projetos de vida de jovens egressos de medidas socioeducativas / Proyectos de vida de jóvenes egresos de medidas socioeducativas / Life projects of teenagers egressing from socio-educational measures

Resumo O objetivo deste artigo é analisar as contribuições dos programas de acompanhamento aos egressos de medida socioeducativa de internação para a construção do projeto de vida. Foi realizada uma pesquisa com nove jovens egressos em dois estados: Bahia e Rio Grande do Sul. Utilizou-se uma entrevista aberta individual e os dados foram analisados através da Análise Temática de Conteúdo, obtendo-se a posteriori as classes: Sentidos sobre a participação nos programas de acompanhamento aos egressos de MSE e Projetos de vida dos jovens. Identificou-se que os jovens elaboram sentidos positivos sobre a participação nos programas, considerando-os como possibilidade para mudar de vida, diferenciando-se do cumprimento da medida socioeducativa por não possuir uma dimensão sancionatória. Conclui-se que a participação nos programas de acompanhamento aos egressos de MSE representa a possibilidade dos jovens contarem com o auxílio das equipes técnicas para pensarem em seus planos para o futuro e adquirir os elementos necessários para efetivá-los.

Resumen El objetivo de este artículo es analizar las contribuciones de los programas de acompañamiento a los egresados de medida socioeducativa de internación para la construcción del proyecto de vida. Se realizó una investigación con nueve jóvenes en dos estados: Bahía e Rio Grande do Sul. Se utilizó una entrevista abierta individual y los datos fueron analizados a través del Análisis Temático de Contenido, obteniéndose, a posteriori, las clases: Sentidos sobre la participación en los programas de acompañamiento a los egresados ​​del MSE; y Proyectos de vida de los jóvenes. Se identificó que los jóvenes elaboran sentidos positivos sobre la participación en los programas, considerándolos como posibilidad para cambiar de vida, diferenciándose del cumplimiento de una medida socioeducativa por no tener una dimensión sancionadora. Se concluye que la participación en los programas de acompañamiento a los egresados ​​de medidas socioeducativas representa la posibilidad de que los jóvenes cuenten con la ayuda de los equipos técnicos para pensar en sus planes para el futuro y adquirir los elementos necesarios para efectivarlos.

Abstract The aim of this article is to analyze the contributions of follow-up programs for socio-educational measures egresses to the construction of a life project. A research was carried out with nine egressing teenagers in two states: Bahia and Rio Grande do Sul. An individual, open interview was performed and the data was analyzed based on Thematic Content Analysis, obtaining later on the following categories: Feelings about the participation in the follow-up programs for socio-educational measures egresses, and the Life Projects of these teenagers. It was identified that the teenagers develop positive feelings about their participation in the follow-up programs, considering them as a possibility for life change by differing from a socio-educational measure for not having a sanctifying dimension. The research concluded that the participation in follow-up programs for SEM egresses represent for the teenagers a possibility to count with the help of technical teams to think through their plans for the future and to acquire the necessary elements to fulfill them.

Effectiveness of a social problem solving training in youth in detention or on probation: An RCT and pre-post community implementation.

The effectiveness of a 10-session social problem-solving training (SPST) was evaluated in two independent studies in a juvenile justice (JJ) setting. In both studies, we aimed to examine main intervention effects on social problem-solving skills and recidivism, as well as differential effects as modulated by anger, anger regulation, and single nucleotide polymorphisms in the COMT gene. In Study 1, a randomized controlled trial (RCT), 289 male detainees (Mage= 14.95 years) were randomly assigned to SPST or treatment-as-usual (TAU). In Study 2, a pre-post community implementation, 187 youth (Mage = 16.03 years) on probation were assessed before and after SPST. No significant main effects of SPST on social problem solving or recidivism were shown in either study. With regard to differential effects, among youth in detention,COMT haplotypes predicted intervention effects on state anger. Moreover, independent of SPST, inward anger expression was associated with an increase in state anger from pre- to post and an increase in state anger with a decrease in social problem solving. Among youth on probation, COMT haplotypes predicted social problem-solving skills, and, in turn, an increase in social problem-solving skills decreased the odds of recidivism after SPST. The lack of main effects of SPST may be due to low program integrity in JJ settings. Juveniles' emotional and genetic characteristics might modulate the effectiveness of interventions in JJ settings. We recommend studying large samples to substantiate this observation.

Facilitators of Practitioner Adherence to a Risk/Need Assessment Tool: Hypothesis Testing on a Survey of Juvenile Probation Officers.

We used a statewide survey to test hypotheses about the predictors of juvenile probation officers' adherence to the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) risk/need assessment (RNA) tool, focusing on (1) the consistency and quality with which officers completed the tool, and (2) the extent to which they used it in decisions. While some hypotheses had been tested in prior quantitative studies, others were based on insights from case studies. Results showed that leadership and climate variables were consistently important in predicting adherence, though these tended to operate indirectly through their effects on other facilitators. Probation officer attitudes, either toward the YLS/CMI or to evidence-based practices, were also important across adherence measures. Although inconsistent in their effects across dependent variables, quality assurance of officer decision-making, external office relationships, and county YLS/CMI policies also predicted adherence.

Brief report: The effectiveness of Dutch Cell Dogs: A multiple case experimental study.

Prison-based dog training programs (DTPs) aim to improve successful rehabilitation after detention. However, empirical evidence for their effectiveness is lacking. To evaluate the effectiveness of a DTP-Dutch Cell Dogs (DCD)-on externalizing behavior, stress, self-esteem, empathy, and treatment motivation, a pilot study with a Multiple Case Experimental Design in six adolescents residing in a juvenile justice center (JJC) was conducted. Results did not provide convincing evidence for DCD's effectiveness. Further research is needed to determine whether and for whom DCD could be a useful addition to regular JJC programming.

Multisystemic therapy versus management as usual in the treatment of adolescent antisocial behaviour (START): 5-year follow-up of a pragmatic, randomised, controlled, superiority trial.

BACKGROUND: Multisystemic therapy is a manualised treatment programme for young people aged 11-17 years who exhibit antisocial behaviour. To our knowledge, the Systemic Therapy for At Risk Teens (START) trial is the first large-scale randomised controlled trial of multisystemic therapy in the UK. Previous findings reported to 18 months after baseline (START-I study) did not indicate superiority of multisystemic therapy compared with management as usual. Here, we report outcomes of the trial to 60 months (START-II study). METHODS: In this pragmatic, randomised, controlled, superiority trial, young people (aged 11-17 years) with moderate-to-severe antisocial behaviour were recruited from social services, youth offending teams, schools, child and adolescent mental health services, and voluntary services across England, UK. Participants were eligible if they had at least three severity criteria indicating past difficulties across several settings and one of five general inclusion criteria for antisocial behaviour. Eligible families were randomly assigned (1:1), using stochastic minimisation and stratifying for treatment centre, sex, age at enrolment, and age at onset of antisocial behaviour, to management as usual or 3-5 months of multisystemic therapy followed by management as usual. Research assistants and investigators were masked to treatment allocation; the participants could not be masked. For this extension study, the primary outcome was the proportion of participants with offences with convictions in each group at 60 months after randomisation. This study is registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN77132214, and is closed to accrual. FINDINGS: Between Feb 4, 2010, and Sept 1, 2012, 1076 young people and families were assessed for eligibility and 684 were randomly assigned to management as usual (n=342) or multisystemic therapy (n=342). By 60 months' of follow-up, 188 (55%) of 342 people in the multisystemic therapy group had at least one offence with a criminal conviction, compared with 180 (53%) of 341 in the management-as-usual group (odds ratio 1·13, 95% CI 0·82-1·56; p=0·44). INTERPRETATION: The results of the 5-year follow-up show no evidence of longer-term superiority for multisystemic therapy compared with management as usual. FUNDING: National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme.

Speech and language therapy for adolescents in youth justice: A series of empirical single-case studies.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents in contact with youth justice are a vulnerable and marginalized group at high risk of developmental language disorder (DLD) and other communication difficulties. Though preliminary studies have demonstrated the benefits of speech and language therapy (SLT) services in youth justice, limited research has empirically tested the efficacy of intervention in these settings. AIMS: To evaluate the extent to which intensive, one-to-one language intervention improved the communication skills of incarcerated adolescents with below-average (> 1 SD below the mean) language and/or literacy skills. METHODS & PROCEDURES: A series of four empirical single case studies was conducted, using multiple baseline intervention design. Individualized intervention programmes were administered, and progress on outcome measures (probes) was evaluated throughout the baseline, intervention and maintenance phases using Tau-U, a non-parametric distribution-free statistic. Additional measures were used as secondary outcomes of the intervention, including standardized language subtests, subjective rating tools by participants and their teachers collected pre- and post-intervention, and a brief structured participant interview, independently administered by youth justice staff. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: Medium-to-large effect sizes, the majority of which were statistically significant, were detected on the primary outcome measure across the four cases, indicating improvements in the targeted communication skills. Positive results were also evident in comparisons of pre- and post-measures on standardized language subtests, subjective self- and teacher ratings of communication, and the participants' impressions of the interventions. For those participants who could be followed up, gains in language skills were generally maintained at 1 month post-intervention. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: This study provides further evidence of the efficacy of one-to-one SLT intervention for adolescents in youth justice in order to address language and literacy difficulties. These findings inform future SLT service provision for adolescents in these settings, with clear policy and practice implications. Future research should investigate the wider benefits to individuals' engagement in youth justice intervention and recidivism, as well as assessing maintenance of gains over a longer period. What this paper adds What is already known on this subject The high rates of DLD in youth justice is well known, with difficulties spanning multiple areas of language and literacy. SLTs are increasingly working in community and custodial youth justice settings, and a few preliminary studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of such work. What this paper adds to existing knowledge This study extends the evidence base of the efficacy of SLT for language and literacy difficulties in youth justice, using a series of four empirical single case studies. It is also argued that SLT should be more actively considered in planning multidisciplinary interventions for young people in custody. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The results of this research support current moves to include SLT services in youth justice systems, and illustrate for clinicians currently working in this sector a way of structuring and measuring the impact of intervention services.

Health determinants of adolescent criminalisation.

Several conditions related to health and development in adolescence can increase the risk that a young person will be exposed to the criminal justice system. Such determinants include neurodevelopmental disability, poor mental health, trauma, and experiences of maltreatment. Furthermore, the risk of exposure to the criminal justice system seems to be amplified by social marginalisation and inequality, such that young people are made susceptible to criminal behaviour and criminalisation by a combination of health difficulties and social disadvantages. This Review presents evidence on the health determinants of criminalisation among adolescents, providing a persuasive case for policy and practice reform, including for investment in approaches to prevent criminalisation on the basis of health and developmental difficulties, and to better address related needs once within a criminal justice system.

The impact of a brief RNR-based training on Turkish juvenile probation officers' punitive and rehabilitative attitudes and recidivism risk perceptions.

The present quasi-experimental study examined the impact of a brief training program based on the risk-need-responsivity (RNR) model on Turkish juvenile probation officers' (JPOs) punitive and rehabilitative attitudes toward justice-involved youth and recidivism risk perceptions. Fifty-nine JPOs were recruited through three probation offices in Istanbul, Turkey. Thirty-six JPOs, who received a 1-day training in the RNR model of offending behavior, were compared to JPOs in a wait-list control condition (n = 23). Participants in both conditions completed surveys at baseline and 1-week posttraining. Mixed-factorial analysis of variances revealed a significantly higher decrease in JPOs' punitive attitudes from pre- to posttest, in the training condition compared to the control group, with a medium effect size. Rehabilitative attitudes decreased in both conditions, while recidivism risk perceptions did not change from pre- to posttest in either condition. Future research could expand on these promising results using a more intensive training program and a randomized-controlled design in a larger sample of JPOs.

Schooling while incarcerated as a turning point for serious juvenile and young adult offenders.

INTRODUCTION: Attending school and working are consistently associated with positive outcomes for juvenile offenders returning to the community. METHODS: Using longitudinal data from the Pathways to Desistance Study, we used structural equation modeling to test whether better school experiences while incarcerated was positively connected to adjustment upon release among serious juvenile offenders (91% male) in the U.S. Adjustment was assessed as attending school for 310 legal minors (<18 years), and engaging in work for 259 emerging adults (≥18 years), as well as self-reported delinquency for all participants. RESULTS: Accounting for incarceration and school history, results showed that facility school attachment, but not grades, was associated with decreased delinquency 12 months after release across sex in both age groups. Additionally, facility school attachment predicted engagement in school for returning minors. However, facility school experience was not related to engaging in work for returning emerging adults. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that facility school climate matters for all juvenile offenders returning to their communities and that correctional education done right presents an important opportunity to reconnect returning minors with school, an important normative context of development. Conversely, results suggest that returning offenders who have 'aged out' of high school are a separate vulnerable group who may need additional support for successful reentry.