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The objective of this preliminary study was to determine the effectiveness of a female gender-specific substance abuse treatment intervention (Holistic Enrichment for At-Risk Teens, or HEART) in improving problems related to personal and social functioning. A quasi-experimental, 2-group pretest and posttest repeated measures design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a treatment intervention with 101 incarcerated girls who met DSM-IV criteria for substance dependence. A repeated measures MANCO VA revealed that the HEART program appeared to be more effective in reducing problems related to social functioning than the standard treatment substance abuse intervention. At posttest, significant differences were found between the treatment and comparison groups on three of the four measures of social functioning: problems with family, problems with friends, and problems with school. No significant differences were found between the 2 groups on 3 posttest measures of personal functioning. A critical need exists for gender-sensitive substance abuse interventions in female juvenile correctional facilities. Implications for policy, practice, and research are discussed. KEYWORDS female juvenile offenders, gender-sensitive intervention, incarcerated adolescent females, psychosocial functioning, substance abuse DOI: 10.1080/10509674.2010.510771

Objectives: (1) identify risk factors associated with premature treatment drop-out (2) examine the relationship between number of sessions and time to arrest. Methods: Our sample consisted of 187 adolescents who were arrested during or following participation in FFT treatment. Results: The number of sessions correlated with the number of days that elapsed after intake to the first post-intake arrest. Conclusions: In an urban minority sample with many risk factors, clinicians need to be especially sensitive to adolescent cannabis use, other substance use, and association with deviant peers, adherence, and the Engagement/Motivation phase of FFT therapy. DOI: 10.1080/01926180902754695

Summary This article highlights the importance of learning disability nurses' skills to youth offending teams. Through the use of a case study, it explains why this role is making a [...]

Abstract A recent review of health care for young people who offend recommended that youth offending teams should include healthcare provision. The type of provision that is common may not [...]

Secondary analyses of a randomized clinical trial controlled for treatment condition effects and examined the impact of comorbid psychopathologies on the mental health, physical health, and criminal behavior of 80 substance abusing delinquents approximately 5 years later in emerging adulthood. Overall, emerging adults with a comorbid disorder during adolescence scored higher on psychopathology, criminal behavior, and health problems. Participants with both internalizing and externalizing disorders exhibited more negative outcomes than those with a comorbid externalizing disorder. For the entire sample, more internalizing diagnoses forecasted higher internalizing and aggression scores, more criminality, and poorer physical health. More externalizing disorders predicted higher internalizing, delinquency, and criminality scores, but was unrelated to physical health. More internalizing diagnoses for females but not males predicted greater criminality, and especially more aggressive crimes in emerging adulthood. Keywords: comorbidity, substance abusing delinquents, long-term effects, externalizing disorders, internalizing disorders

This study examined the extent to which organizational context predicted use of consensus-based elements of effective substance abuse treatment practices with juvenile offenders. Participants were either directors of substance abuse treatment programs located in residential facilities (institutional sample) or directors of community-based treatment agencies providing services to adolescents in their home communities (community sample). The two settings differed significantly in the number and types of effective practices they were using. Community programs were more likely to have staff qualified to deliver substance abuse treatment, involve families in treatment, and assess their treatment outcomes. In contrast, institutional programs were more likely to provide comprehensive services. Resources dedicated to training, internal support for new programming, and network connectedness with non-criminal-justice facilities were associated with greater use of effective practices. These findings highlight the importance of establishing corrections-community partnerships designed to promote continuity of care for juvenile offenders. Keywords: Substance abuse; Juvenile justice; Organizational characteristics; Effective treatment practices; Consensus panels

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2006.05.017 Byline: Christopher John Lennings, Dianna T. Kenny, Paul Nelson Keywords: Young offenders; Substance abuse; Treatment access Abstract: Both international and Australian studies reveal very low rates of treatment utilization for substance abuse among young offenders despite very high problematic rates of substance abuse among this group. The current study reports on substance use patterns of a representative sample of 712 young offenders serving community orders with the New South Wales Department of Juvenile Justice (Australia) and their history of and attitudes toward treatment. Most (87%) young offenders had used marijuana, and 47% had used amphetamines in the last 12 months. One third of the sample reported problematic use of alcohol (being drunk at least weekly, on average). Forty-three percent reported that they engaged in crime to maintain their substance use. On the substance abuse scale of the Adolescent Psychopathology Scale -- Short Form, 36.4% of the sample fell into the moderate to severe problem range. Despite such problems, treatment motivation was poor: 10% reported willingness to access treatment for their drug problems. Eighteen percent reported accessing some form of treatment in the past; the most common form of help seeking was approaching their family (12%). Self-reported access to other drug treatments was even lower, with the more intensive treatments revealing low rates of treatment completion. Despite almost 40% of the sample revealing significant substance abuse problems, referral for treatment was also low, with only 18% of the sample being offered an appointment with juvenile justice drug and alcohol workers. This study reveals the gap between awareness of problematic drug use and treatment-seeking behavior, and has implications for improving outreach to young offenders with substance abuse problems. Author Affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Lidcombe, NSW 2141, Australia Article History: Received 6 January 2006; Revised 22 May 2006; Accepted 24 May 2006 Article Note: (footnote) The views expressed in this article are not necessarily those of the New South Wales Department of Juvenile Justice and the New South Wales Justice Health.

Both international and Australian studies reveal very low rates of treatment utilization for substance abuse among young offenders despite very high problematic rates of substance abuse among this group. The current study reports on substance use patterns of a representative sample of 712 young offenders serving community orders with the New South Wales Department of Juvenile Justice (Australia) and their history of and attitudes toward treatment. Most (87%) young offenders had used marijuana, and 47% had used amphetamines in the last 12 months. One third of the sample reported problematic use of alcohol (being drunk at least weekly, on average). Forty-three percent reported that they engaged in crime to maintain their substance use. On the substance abuse scale of the Adolescent Psychopathology Scale-Short Form, 36.4% of the sample fell into the moderate to severe problem range. Despite such problems, treatment motivation was poor: 10% reported willingness to access treatment for their drug problems. Eighteen percent reported accessing some form of treatment in the past; the most common form of help seeking was approaching their family (12%). Self-reported access to other drug treatments was even lower, with the more intensive treatments revealing low rates of treatment completion. Despite almost 40% of the sample revealing significant substance abuse problems, referral for treatment was also low, with only 18% of the sample being offered an appointment with juvenile justice drug and alcohol workers. This study reveals the gap between awareness of problematic drug use and treatment-seeking behavior, and has implications for improving outreach to young offenders with substance abuse problems. Keywords: Young offenders; Substance abuse; Treatment access

Contemporary perspectives on positive youth development are considered in light of multidisciplinary life-course research regarding the development of serious behavior problems. Strategies are provided for applying the youth development perspective [...]

Juvenile justice--increasingly the service delivery point for adolescents with substance abuse and co-occurring problems lacking resources for other assistance--can be a model for improved and expanded, yet cost-effective, adolescent substance abuse treatment. An emergent standard of care challenges systemic inequities; a new service array facilitates dialogue among justice and treatment professionals, families, and the youth themselves. Such evidence-based practice--and the policy to implement it--have the power to transform disconnected laws, programs and professionals into an effective, efficient and successful community of responders, helping youth reclaim their lives while improving public health and public safety. KEY WORDS: Juvenile Justice; Alcohol; Drug Abuse; Treatment; High-risk Youth.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a court-ordered Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) presentation to prevent alcohol or drug-related recidivism among 247 juvenile alcohol and drug offenders. The presentation, which incorporates educational components with a victim awareness program, seeks to increase offenders' empathy and knowledge about the dangers of substance use. Using a quasi-experimental design, 91 juveniles who attended the MADD presentation are compared to 72 who did not attend the presentation, and a control group of 84 juveniles arrested before the presentation was initiated. During a 12-month follow-up period, 14.3% of presentation attendees, 19.4% of non-attendees, and 21.4% of the control group had alcohol or drug-related contact with the juvenile justice system. Cox regression survival analysis shows that being male and having prior juvenile justice involvement significantly predicts future alcohol- or drug-related juvenile justice contact. Attending the MADD presentation is not significantly related to recidivism. The implications of these results for juvenile offender rehabilitation are discussed and considerations for effective programming are described. doi: 10.1300/J076v43 n03_04 KEYWORDS Juvenile offenders, recidivism, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), victim awareness programs

This paper explores clients' perspectives on their treatment in two different residential correctional facilities for juvenile male offenders. Although a wealth of literature has investigated risk factors for recidivism, little is known about how youth offenders experience the treatment or deterrence aspects of institutional confinement. Through an ethnographic study of two correctional facilities and in-depth interviews with 19 young men, the author provides a rich description of how youth offenders understand their time in residential care and examines how these programs influence offenders' motivations to desist from crime. The principles derived from this study will provide critical information for social workers and researchers seeking to enhance the effectiveness and quality of institutional care for male juvenile offenders. KEY WORDS: Juvenile offenders; Correctional Institutions; Clients' Experience of Treatment; Ethnography.

This study examined the relationship of basic educational skills in Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension and Math to program outcome and escape risk among male juvenile offenders in residential care. The records of 144 youth who were treated in a residential treatment center between 1978 and 1996 were reviewed along with subsequent adult and juvenile criminal histories. Results indicated Vocabulary skills were significantly related to program outcome. Youth with Vocabulary skills at or above a 9th grade level were more likely to graduate from the program whereas youth with Vocabulary skills below a 6th grade level were at higher risk for escape. Youth with Reading Comprehension skills at or above a 9th grade level were more likely to graduate and youth with Reading Comprehension skills below a 6th grade level were more likely to escape. Math Skills were not associated with successful completion of the program or escape. Youth with Math skills at or above the 9th grade level had the lowest recidivism rate while Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension levels were not associated with recidivism. The results are discussed in relation to the development of treatment programs for juvenile offenders. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery, Service: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: Website: KEYWORDS Juvenile offenders, program outcome, basic educational skills, verbal skills, recidivism

Female juvenile offending is an issue that is often ignored. The specific needs and issues of girls in the juvenile justice system commonly go unheard while court dispositions and therapeutic interventions often criminalize what might be viewed as survival skills. This article proposes a relational group approach to treatment. Such an approach conceptualizes offending behaviors among female adolescents as the result of negative unhealthy relationship patterns. A relational group approach to treatment builds connections with other girls and women while addressing their concerns and problematic behaviors. KEYWORDS. Female juvenile offending, relational theory, group therapy

Byline: Amy Helstrom (1), Angela Bryan (1), Kent E. Hutchison (1), Paula D. Riggs (2), Elaine A. Blechman (1) Keywords: juvenile offenders; externalizing behavior; internalizing problems; adolescent substance use Abstract: The prevalence and persistence of adolescent substance use and abuse is a national health issue, and substance use among adolescents is frequently comorbid with other psychiatric disorders. Most studies in this area utilize samples of middle or high school students or from inpatient settings. Less is known about substance use and psychiatric comorbidity among delinquent adolescents. The present study examined data from two cohorts of juvenile offenders collected over a 2-year period (n = 245, n = 299). Participants reported frequency of cigarette, alcohol, marijuana, and other substance use. Participants' parents completed a measure of behavior problems. Path analyses suggested that parental reports of externalizing problems were significantly related to self-reported substance use while parental reports of internalizing problems were not. Results also suggested that smoking and alcohol use act as mediators between externalizing problems and marijuana and other drug use. Although there were some mean differences by gender, the pattern of relationships amongst the variables did not differ by gender. Implications of the findings and future directions are discussed. Author Affiliation: (1) Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado (2) University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Colorado Article History: Registration Date: 02/11/2004

The present study sought to identify drug treatment issues unique to corrections-based residential drug treatment programs for youthful offenders. Based upon qualitative data collected from program administrators and wards at three institution-based substance abuse treatment programs in California, four themes were identified which hold important implications for the delivery of substance abuse treatment services in these settings: screening/assessment, quality and intensity of services, appropriateness of program elements, and anticipated problems once paroled. Our data revealed a substantial amount of overlap in perceptions shared by program administrators and wards, as well as across programs. Of particular concern were low treatment intensity within the institution and insufficient social support upon release. KEYWORDS Incarcerated youths, youthful offenders, adolescents, corrections-based treatment, drug abuse

Advocacy for promoting client participation in the helping process of social work has been reported in the literature since the 1970s. But the practicality of the concept in working with young probationers has never been explored. This paper presents a recent qualitative study exploring the applicability of client participation in the supervision process with young probationers who are usually regarded as immature and lacking both self-confidence and the ability to make the 'right' decisions. The findings of the study indicate that youth probationers can participate in the service if allowed to. They also support the promotion of the concept in working with youth probationers. Principles to promote the implementation of this concept in working with youth probationers in the probation service are suggested. KEYWORDS Client participation, probation service and youth probationers

Objective: The purpose of this study was to: (a) investigate differences in demographic variables, previous delinquent/criminal behavior variables, family system variables, juvenile court system variables, and subsequent delinquent behavior variables between youth who received services and those who did not among court-involved juvenile delinquent youth; and (b) create a predictive model that would correctly identify youth at the greatest risk of not receiving services. Method: The study employed an analysis of 244 youth, 182 (75%) service recipients and 62 (25%) non-recipients, randomly selected from a larger pool of 500 juvenile court-involved youth. Results: Analysis indicated that very few of the demographic variables, delinquent/criminal behavior variables, family system variables, and juvenile court system variables differentiated between service recipients and non-recipients. However, a logistic regression model was developed that correctly predicted service receipt for 78% of the sample, which represented a 52.4% improvement over chance. Conclusion: Implications of the findings for identifying court-involved youth at risk of receiving no services were explored and discussed. KEYWORDS Juvenile delinquency, court-involved youth

The juvenile justice system relies heavily on residential treatment services for adolescents. Because treatment dropout limits the likely effectiveness of these services, in this study we examine the client and program characteristics associated with program retention among a sample of adolescent probationers referred to residential rehabilitation by the Juvenile Court in Los Angeles. Participants in the present study (n = 291) are a subset of those in the Adolescent Outcomes Project, conducted within RAND's Drug Policy Research Center, to examine the outcomes of youths entering treatment at seven residential treatment programs. Three months after a preadmission interview, youths were asked about their perceptions of counselors at the program, other residents, and their feelings of safety in the program. In addition, they were asked whether they needed and had received various services (e.g., job training, legal advice, family counseling). Results of a multivariate survival analysis revealed that pretreatment characteristics including motivation and substance use severity, as well as treatment program factors including safety, and perceived over- and underprovision of services, contribute significantly to the prediction of retention. Pretreatment environmental risk factors and ratings of program counselor and resident support were marginally significant. These results imply that changes in adolescent residential program delivery may serve to increase retention rates, thus improving long-term outcomes., INTRODUCTION Adolescent drug treatment admissions increased by 46% during the 5 years beginning in 1993 (1). This surge in admissions has been driven chiefly by the juvenile justice system, which [...]

Sport is used widely in the rehabilitation of British young people who are resident in secure facilities following criminal sentencing, during remand or for welfare reasons. The research uses a quasi-longitudinal observational study in a secure unit, located in Southern England, and questions the suitability of sporting activities used as a primary vehicle for, and mechanism of, rehabilitation. Through the analysis of experiences at the unit, the paper supports the use of those sporting activities which de-emphasise regulations and winning, and argues for an emphasis on choice for participants, the tailoring of programmes to suit individual needs, and on positive feedback. Sport evidently has an important role in youth rehabilitation. However, it should be used selectively because, if unsuitable activities and programmes are used, they may have a detrimental effect on participants. The paper demonstrates the usefulness of qualitative research methods in rehabilitation studies. Keywords: Rehabilitation; Sports; Secure units; Delinquency; Young people; Britain

In this article, the authors provide the counselor wishing to work with incarcerated adolescents with background information relating to the current scope of the problem and the current state of the juvenile justice system in the United States. The authors also review the current research regarding juvenile delinquency and outline a series of clinical techniques. The authors close by providing a developmental framework for enhancing the understanding of and guiding treatment for this difficult population., The number of adolescents being jailed and otherwise involved in the criminal justice system in the United States has continued to climb over the past two decades (Smith, 1998). In [...]

In order to provide an objective measure of problematic behavioral patterns among juvenile delinquents in residential facilities, the Dormitory Observation Report (DOR) was developed. The DOR assesses 11 dimensions of problematic behavioral patterns (e.g., physical assaultiveness, manipulativeness), as well as three dimensions of desirable behavioral patterns expected in an institutional setting (e.g., independent functioning, personal hygiene, care of surroundings). Empirical study regarding the reliability and validity of the DOR are reported, and the results are discussed in terms of the theoretical and practical implications of this instrument. Keywords: behavioral rating scales; juvenile institutions

Findings from research on racial disparities in juvenile justice outcomes are mixed and the causes of minority overrepresentation in juvenile justice remain unclear. This study systematically examines the relationship between theories of disparity in juvenile justice, methodological characteristics of studies, and findings regarding the effects of race in the existing empirical literature. The results indicate that several theoretically derived methodological features of studies predict whether or not studies report that race matters. Race effects are more prevalent among studies that examine earlier stages in the juvenile justice process or that examine cumulative measures of dispositional severity, and among studies that compare outcomes for white youth to those for black youth. Studies that control for prior offending are significantly less likely to find direct race effects. Race effects are not contingent upon whether or not studies control for differences in the seriousness of offending. These findings offer support for a structural-processual perspective on the role of race in juvenile justice, and suggest that disproportionately punitive treatment is more clearly associated with being black than with being 'non-white.'

Examined the outcome of a mentoring program aimed at minimizing conduct problems for young adolescent children at risk for delinquent behavior. The program was designed to give an alternative, prosocial role model for children with a history of rule-breaking and acting out behavior in school. Thirteen mentors attended weekly supervision sessions and were responsible for working with 1 at-risk child for 15 h per week. Both parents and teachers assessed behavior change at 4 intervals. Mentors and mentees also completed several evaluations of the program. The parent-report indicated significant decreases in both internalizing and externalizing behavior in the mentees during and at the end of the program. However, no significant changes were found for teacher-reported behavior. The mentors indicated that participating as a mentor enhanced their learning about children and further directed their educational goals. Implications of the effectiveness of mentoring are discussed. KEY WORDS: mentoring; externalizing; treatment outcome.

The authors examine the standards used by juvenile justice systems to evaluate and refer juvenile offenders for psychiatric care. Topics include criminal history, clinical characteristics, and mental health referral rates.

A study preliminarily validating the First Offender Risk Assessment Index for predicting recidivism among juvenile offenders is discussed. Topics include a review of prediction instruments, methodology used to validate the study, study results, and use of the Index as a preventative approach.