Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice RSS feed -- OnlineFirst Articles

Stability and Change in Risk Seeking: Investigating the Effects of an Intervention Program

Hay, C., Meldrum, R., Ciaravolo, E. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:34:49 PST

Although much is known about the consequences of low self-control, little is known about how it develops during adolescence and what types of experiences trigger important changes. This study considers this by examining a key component of low self-control—risk-seeking propensity—to determine its stability and change during early adolescence, its effects on changes in delinquency, and its responsiveness to a comprehensive delinquency-reduction program. These issues were examined with data from the Children at Risk (CAR) program, a randomly assigned intervention that targeted early adolescents. The analysis revealed substantial stability in risk seeking, but there was evidence of change as well, and these changes were associated with contemporaneous changes in delinquency. Risk-seeking changes were not, however, a result of participation in the CAR program, despite that program’s success at reducing some forms of delinquency. The theoretical and policy implications of these findings are addressed.

An Outcome Evaluation of the YouthBuild USA Offender Project

Cohen, M. A., Piquero, A. R. — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:36:18 PDT

A number of intervention and prevention programs exist with respect to juvenile delinquency but most are never evaluated, and of those that do, few are successful in their ability to reduce criminal activity. This article reports on an initial, preliminary outcome evaluation of a targeted intervention program aimed at low-income, 16 to 24-year-old offenders, the YouthBuild (YB) Offender Program. Results indicate reduced recidivism and improved educational outcomes for the YB participants. Theoretical, empirical, and policy-related issues and future directions are outlined.

The Cycle of Violence Behind Bars: Traumatization and Institutional Misconduct Among Juvenile Delinquents in Confinement

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:36:18 PDT

The prospective link between early life exposure to violence and victimization and subsequent antisocial behaviors is known as the cycle of violence. Although the cycle of violence has been linked to an array of behavioral and psychiatric outcomes, less is known about its relationship to compliance with the juvenile/criminal justice systems. Data from 813 confined delinquents selected from the California Youth Authority and the Traumatic Experiences scale from the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument Version 2 (MAYSI-2) were used to examine the cycle of violence and three forms of misconduct. After controlling for other 18 demographics, delinquent history, commitment offense type, and comorbid psychiatric symptoms that are consistent with the importation model of inmate behavior, the authors found that wards with greater exposure to early life trauma evinced more sexual misconduct, suicidal activity, and total misconduct reviewed by the parole board. Implications and discussion for future research are offered.

Truancy Patterns of Criminogenic Risk in a Young Offender Population

Onifade, E., Nyandoro, A. S., Davidson, W. S., Campbell, C. — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:36:18 PDT

This study validated a widely used risk assessment measure, the youth level of service/case management inventory (YLS/CMI), as a predictor of both delinquent reoffense and repeat truancy offenses in a court-involved truant sample (n = 308). The YLS/CMI performed adequately well at predicting delinquent reoffense, yielding an area under the curve (AUC) of .617 (p < .05); however, the analysis did not indicate any significant relationship between the YLS/CMI risk score and the repeat truancy offense. This study also used cluster analysis to identify five combinations of risk factors that were prevalent in the truant sample. These findings have value to justice and education systems as it determined the potential of this instrument as a truancy prevention tool. It also provided a typology system for classifying offenders based on eight domains of criminogenic risk, paving the way for interventions focused on specific patterns of risk found in this subpopulation of juvenile offenders.

Youthful Suicide and Social Support: Exploring the Social Dynamics of Suicide-Related Behavior and Attitudes Within a National Sample of US Adolescents

Winfree, L. T., Jiang, S. — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:36:17 PDT

Since the late-nineteenth century, scholars have investigated how structural elements within a community—what is now called social support—relate to suicide. However, social support has rarely been used to study adolescent suicide, particularly within a nationally representative sample. The current study, using the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (Add Health), explores the ties between social support mechanisms and adolescent expressions of suicide ideation and suicide attempts. Using the 2-level hierarchical generalized linear modeling (HGLM) technique, the current study found that such phenomena can be understood in terms of social support and certain individual factors, some common to both ideation and attempts, others unique to one or the other. Moreover, suicide ideation and attempts were linked to the risk-taking behaviors of the youths, their friends, and their family members. Feeling safe at school was one of the most consistent protective factors included in the study.

Social Disorganization and Gang Homicides in Chicago: A Neighborhood Level Comparison of Disaggregated Homicides

Mares, D. — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:21:30 PDT

This study examines gang-motivated homicides in Chicago neighborhoods between 1985 and 1995. Qualitative studies have illustrated that gang-motivated homicides may have different characteristics than other types of homicides. Particularly at the neighborhood level, gang homicides have not yet been fully studied, and thus little is known about the interaction between gang violence and the neighborhoods they operate in. By examining the effects of social disorganization on both gang-related homicides and other types of homicides—such as intimate killings and homicides committed during street robberies—this study explores the relative uniqueness of gang homicides. Results indicate that social disorganization theory helps explain various types of homicides, including gang homicides. Nonetheless, gang homicides are also different from other types of homicides, justifying more research that looks at these homicides as a unique type of violence.

Back on the Swagger: Institutional Release and Recidivism Timing Among Gang Affiliates

Caudill, J. W. — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:41:06 PDT

Extant literature suggests gang affiliates are at higher risk of a number of deleterious consequences compared to nongang affiliates, including recidivism following release from institutionalization. Although insightful, little is known as to when gang affiliates are at higher risk of recidivism postincarceration compared to their nongang counterparts. This research explores the effect of gang affiliation on recidivism by examining the time to rearrest for a cohort of 2,436 state incarcerated delinquents 5 years following their release from incarceration. Utilizing event history analysis, results indicate that gang affiliates are at a significantly higher risk of recidivism within 6 months postrelease, but risk ratios converged with nongang affiliates shortly thereafter. Implications for research and practice are explored.