Addressing the Needs of Youth with Disabilities in the Juvenile Justice System: The Current State of Knowledge

Abstract

Risk and Protective Factors Associated with Delinquency • Many risk and protective factors, including biological, psychological, peer, family, socioeconomic, community, school, and situational factors, may contribute to or reduce delinquency. Many of these same factors are linked to disabilities as well and may be malleable (i.e., changeable through universal, selected, or indicated programs or policies). Research suggests that poverty status and family structure are among the DISABILITY AND JUVENILE JUSTICE

Parental Divorce: A Protection from Later Delinquency for Maltreated Children

“…This study did not find this link, either because it does not exist within the sample reviewed or because of methodological limita tions. Similarly, youth who abuse substances and are struggling in school performance are at higher risk for delinquency (American Bar Association, 2007;Mears & Aron, 2003). These factors were not found here as significant predictors, but these variables deserve further investigation, particularly by more broadly studying and measuring cognitive youth impairments that might be impacting school outcomes.…”

“…Although no single factor is responsible for delinquency (Maas, Herrenkohl, & Sousa, 2008;Preski & Shelton, 2001;Turner, Hartman, Exum, & Cullen, 2007; D. C. Widom & Maxfield, 2001), there exist multiple risks in chil dren's backgrounds including deficits in family, school, and neighborhoods (Hay, Fortson, Hollist, Altheimer, & Schaible, 2006;Heilbrun, Goldstein, & Redding, 2005;Howell, 2003;Loeber & Farrington, 2001;Mears & Aron, 2003;Stouthamer-Loeber, Wei, Homish, & Loeber, 2002). Some established delinquency risk factors include gender (Loper, 1999;Smith & Thornberry, 1995;C.…”

The School Success Program: Improving Maltreated Children's Academic and School-related Outcomes

“…It is important to address these school performance and academic deficien cies for all children and youths who have experi enced maltreatment. Underachievement in the classroom and placement in remedial classrooms are associated with school dropout, deviant peer friendships, and delinquency (Mears & Aron, 2003;Patterson, DeBaryshe, & Ramsey, 1989). These potentially harmful outcomes for mal treated children and youths are not inevitable; some youths succeed with litde to no assistance (Hamilton & Browne, 1998).…”

Significant Race Differences in Factors Related to the Detention Recidivism of Youthful Offenders

“…These disabilities are widely prevalent for youthful offenders in detention facilities, with 6 in 10 youth diagnosed with a mental health disorder (Grisso, 2008;Teplin et al, 2006), 4 in 10 having a significant sub stance abuse problem (Chassin, 2008;Sedlak & McPherson, 2010), 3 in 10 identified with a special education disability (Krezmien, Mulcahy, & Leone, 2008;Mears & Aron, 2003), and at least 3 in 10 having been a victim of abuse or neglect (Center for Juvenile Justice Reform, 2010;Sedlak & McPherson, 2010;Tuell, 2002). These disorder and disability rates are many times greater than the rates found in the general youth population (Mallett, 2009).…”