Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-2011
Publication Title
Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal
Keywords
race, gender, juvenile court, mental health, substance abuse, intervention
Abstract
Predicting juvenile court outcomes based on youthful offenders’ delinquency risk factors is important for the adolescent social work field as well as the juvenile justice system. Using a random sample of 341 delinquent youth from one Midwestern urban county, this study extends previous research by examining if race, substance abuse, and mental health disorders influence important delinquency outcomes (number of court offenses, felony conviction(s), probation supervision length, detention length, and number of probation services) differently for male and female juvenile offenders. Multivariate analysis findings revealed that race was significant only for males, and having a substance use disorder was a stronger predictor of delinquency outcomes for males; whereas, having a mental health disorder was a stronger predictor of delinquency outcomes for females. Implications for this research include the importance of early disorder identification and subsequent availability of gender-focused treatment.
Recommended Citation
Welch-Brewer, Chiquitia; Stoddard Dare, Patricia A.; and Mallett, Christopher A., "Race, Substance Abuse, and Mental Health Disorders as Predictors of Juvenile Court Outcomes: Do They Vary By Gender?" (2011). Social Work Faculty Publications. 3.
https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/clsowo_facpub/3
Publication Status
1
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10560-011-0229-x
Publisher's Statement
(c) 2011 Springer Science and Business Media.
