Bo-Kyung Elizabeth Kim1, Camille R Quinn2, Patricia Logan-Greene3, Ralph DiClemente4, Dexter Voisin5. 1. USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, 669 W 34 Street, SWC 218, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States. 2. College of Social Work, The Ohio State University, 325U Stillman Hall, 1947 College Road, Columbus, OH 43210, United States. 3. School of Social Work, University at Buffalo, 685 Baldy Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260, United States. 4. College of Global Public Health, New York University, 715-719 Broadway Avenue, New York, NY 10003, United States. 5. School of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M5S 1V4, Canada.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Behaviors like truancy, running away, curfew violation, and alcohol possession fall under the status offense category and can have serious consequences for adolescents. The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency and Prevention Act prohibited detaining status offenders. We explored the degree to which African American adolescent girls were being detained for status offenses and the connections to their behavioral health risks and re-confinement. METHODS: 188 African American girls (aged 13-17), recruited from detention facilities, were surveyed at baseline and 3-month follow-ups. Logistic regression models estimated the likelihood of longitudinal re-confinement, controlling for sexual and behavioral health risk factors. RESULTS: One third of the overall sample was detained for a status offense. Status offenders were exposed to higher peer risk profiles. At follow-up, nearly 39% of status offenders reported re-confinement. Compared to youth with other offenses, those who violated a court order (type of status offense) were 3 times more likely to be re-confined. Controlling for sexual and behavioral health risk factors, the odds of re-confinement was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Overall findings suggest that courts and detention facilities must devote specialized resources to addressing the socio-behavioral needs of African American girls with status offenses so as not to use detention as an intervention.
INTRODUCTION: Behaviors like truancy, running away, curfew violation, and alcohol possession fall under the status offense category and can have serious consequences for adolescents. The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency and Prevention Act prohibited detaining status offenders. We explored the degree to which African American adolescent girls were being detained for status offenses and the connections to their behavioral health risks and re-confinement. METHODS: 188 African American girls (aged 13-17), recruited from detention facilities, were surveyed at baseline and 3-month follow-ups. Logistic regression models estimated the likelihood of longitudinal re-confinement, controlling for sexual and behavioral health risk factors. RESULTS: One third of the overall sample was detained for a status offense. Status offenders were exposed to higher peer risk profiles. At follow-up, nearly 39% of status offenders reported re-confinement. Compared to youth with other offenses, those who violated a court order (type of status offense) were 3 times more likely to be re-confined. Controlling for sexual and behavioral health risk factors, the odds of re-confinement was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Overall findings suggest that courts and detention facilities must devote specialized resources to addressing the socio-behavioral needs of African American girls with status offenses so as not to use detention as an intervention.
Entities:
Keywords:
African American females; African American youth; Deinstitutionalization; Detention; Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act; Status offense
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