Psychiatric and Substance-Related Problems Predict Recidivism for First-Time Justice-Involved Youth.
J Am Acad Psychiatry Law
; 51(1): 35-46, 2023 03.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36646452
ABSTRACT
Justice-involved youth with clinically significant co-occurring psychiatric and substance-related problems are at increased risk for recidivism. Less is known about how psychiatric symptoms (i.e., internalizing and externalizing) and substance-related problems (i.e., alcohol and cannabis) interact to predict recidivism, especially at first court contact. Among 361 first-time justice-involved youth aged 12 to 18, we used nested multivariate negative binomial regression models to examine the association between psychiatric symptoms, substance-related problems and 24-month recidivism while accounting for demographic and legal covariates. Clinically significant externalizing symptoms and alcohol-related problems predicted recidivism. Moderation analyses revealed that alcohol-related problems drove recidivism for youth without clinically significant psychiatric symptoms and externalizing symptoms predicted recidivism, regardless of alcohol-related problems. After accounting for other predictors, Latinx, Black non-Latinx, and multiracial non-Latinx youth were more likely to recidivate at follow-up than White non-Latinx youth. Systematic screening, referral, and linkage to treatment for psychiatric and substance-related problems are needed to reduce recidivism risk among first-time justice-involved youth. Differences in recidivism rates by race/ethnicity not attributable to behavioral health needs suggest it is imperative to concurrently deploy large-scale structural interventions designed to combat systemic racial bias and overrepresentation of ethnoracial minoritized youth within the juvenile justice system.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Substance-Related Disorders
/
Recidivism
/
Juvenile Delinquency
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
J Am Acad Psychiatry Law
Journal subject:
JURISPRUDENCIA
/
PSIQUIATRIA
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article