Risk Assessment and Juvenile Justice

Abstract

Research Summary In this study, we examine the interaction between race, gender, and risk assessment score on risk for recidivism. We used the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) to measure criminogenic risk among a sample of delinquent youth. The results of multivariate Cox regression revealed a significant interaction between race, gender, and risk score when predicting recidivism. The findings indicated that the slope of the relationship between risk score and recidivism differed significantly for Black youth as compared with White youth and that this interaction was even more pronounced for the subsample of males. These findings suggest that there may be social or other policy/enforcement‐related factors that increase risk for recidivism for Black youth. Policy Implications We found that although there were no differences in overall risk score across White and Black youth, Black males were at increased risk for future recidivism. These findings should inform practice and policies in four primary ways. First, court practitioners, like juvenile court officers and judges, should pay special attention to responsivity factors that may minimize barriers to treatment and success. Second, court officers and service providers should implement policies that require tracking how risk assessment information is used in the decision‐making process. Third, the use of reassessments to monitor changes in dynamic criminogenic risk is necessary. Finally, future research should be aimed at investigating the extent to which policies, practices, and enforcement moderate the validity of risk assessment tools across race and gender.

Assessing the Interactions between Strengths and Risk Factors of Recidivism through the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY)

“…Only a minor part of the identified criminogenic needs are addressed in interventions with juvenile offenders [42]. The identification of profiles associated with recidivism allows for the determination of the risk and dynamic criminogenic needs for each young offender and the planning of personalized treatment [15].…”

“…Intervention programs should pay attention to the risk factors that youths present, and to characteristics that may help the program to work better. The score obtained by a young offender on any risk assessment instrument is only the starting point from which professionals who work in youth reinsertion are to design the intervention that is best suited to the youth's needs [15,43].…”

“…Regarding nationality, 79% were of Spanish nationality, and the largest non-Spanish nationality was Moroccan (9.6%). The mean age at the time of the offense was 15…”

“…Protective factors are especially important in assessing risk because of their relation to risk factors; they help reduce recidivism in youths with moderate to high risk [14]. Recent studies have addressed the importance of risk and protective factors in predicting juvenile delinquent careers [15][16][17]. The presence/absence of risk and protective factors in young people leads to different patterns in juvenile delinquent careers.…”

“…Assessment of risk and protective factors has been established as important in distinguishing nonchronic delinquent careers in adolescents from repeat offenders that persist into adulthood [18]. The identification of specific profiles associated with recidivism provides an opportunity to determine the risk and dynamic criminogenic needs for each young offender, and to provide effective treatment for each young offender [15].…”