Browsing by Subject "Juvenile Delinquency"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Do specialty courts achieve better outcomes for children in foster care than general courts?
    (Eval Rev, 2013-02) Sloan, Frank A; Gifford, Elizabeth J; Eldred, Lindsey M; Acquah, Kofi F; Blevins, Claire E
    OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the effects of unified family and drug treatment courts (DTCs) on the resolution of cases involving foster care children and the resulting effects on school performance. METHOD: The first analytic step was to assess the impacts of presence of unified and DTCs in North Carolina counties on time children spent in foster care and the type of placement at exit from foster care. In the second step, the same data on foster care placements were merged with school records for youth in Grades 3-8 in public schools. The effect of children's time in foster care and placement outcomes on school performance as measured by math and reading tests, grade retention, and attendance was assessed using child fixed-effects regression. RESULTS: Children in counties with unified family courts experienced shorter foster care spells and higher rates of reunification with parents or primary caregivers. Shorter foster care spells translated into improved school performance measured by end-of-grade reading and math test scores. Adult DTCs were associated with lower probability of reunification with parents/primary caregivers. CONCLUSION: The shortened time in foster care implies an efficiency gain attributable to unified family courts, which translate into savings for the court system through the use of fewer resources. Children also benefit through shortened stays in temporary placements, which are related to some improved educational outcomes.
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    Inhalant use among incarcerated adolescents in the United States: prevalence, characteristics, and correlates of use.
    (Drug and alcohol dependence, 2008-03) Howard, Matthew O; Balster, Robert L; Cottler, Linda B; Wu, Li-Tzy; Vaughn, Michael G
    OBJECTIVE: To characterize patterns and correlates of inhalant use among incarcerated youth. METHOD: Residents (N=723) of 27 Missouri Division of Youth Services facilities completed interviews assessing substance use, psychiatric symptoms, antisocial traits, trauma, suicidality, and criminality. RESULTS: Participants averaged 15.5 (S.D.=1.2) years of age, were ethnically diverse, and predominantly male. More than one-third (36.9%) reported lifetime inhalant use; 47.9% of users had tried four or more inhalant products. Comparatively high rates of use were observed for Hispanic and small town/rural youth. Commonly abused agents included gasoline (22%), permanent markers (15%), computer "air duster," (15%) and spray paint (12%). Inhalant users evidenced significantly higher levels of criminal behavior, antisocial attitudes, current psychiatric symptoms, earlier onset of offending and substance use, and more extensive histories of head injury, kidney disease, hormonal problems, mental illness, suicidality, trauma, and substance-related problems than nonusers. In multiple logistic regression models, race/ethnicity, geographic area of residence, fearlessness, suicidality, and polydrug use distinguished inhalant users and nonusers. Measures of cognitive impairment, impulsivity, fearlessness, blame externalization, polydrug use, and substance-related problems were positively associated with lifetime frequency of inhalant use. CONCLUSIONS: Inhalant use was widespread in this sample and associated with serious physical and mental health impairments.
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    Is inhalant use a risk factor for heroin and injection drug use among adolescents in the United States?
    (Addictive behaviors, 2007-02) Wu, Li-Tzy; Howard, Matthew O
    We examined whether inhalant use was associated with heroin and injection drug use (IDU) among adolescents aged 12 to 17 in the United States.Data were drawn from the 2002/2003 administrations of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). We conducted logistic regression analyses to estimate associations of inhalant use with heroin use, heroin injection, and IDU, respectively, among adolescent drug users (N=8161).Approximately 30.9% of adolescents had ever used at least one illicit drug. More than one-fifth (22.2%) of adolescents were past-year or recent drug users. Among past-year adolescent drug users, 1.4% had progressed to heroin use and 1.2% reported IDU. Adolescents who had used inhalants and marijuana were 2.8 and 2.9 times as likely as adolescents who had used marijuana but not inhalants to report heroin use and any IDU, respectively. Adolescents who had used inhalants or other drugs but not marijuana were unlikely to use heroin. However, inhalant users, irrespective of their marijuana use histories, had greater odds of IDU than drug users who had not used inhalants. Adolescent drug users who were females, school dropouts, whites, or delinquents had significantly increased odds of heroin use and IDU. Cigarette smoking before the age of 15 was strongly associated with heroin use, and a history of foster care placement was associated with IDU.This national study of American adolescents identifies several subgroups of recent drug users, such as females, school dropouts, and youth who have used inhalants and marijuana, which have substantially increased odds of heroin use and IDU. Screening, prevention, and treatment interventions targeted to these groups might reduce medical and social complications of heroin use and IDU.
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    Non-prescribed use of pain relievers among adolescents in the United States.
    (Drug and alcohol dependence, 2008-04) Wu, Li-Tzy; Pilowsky, Daniel J; Patkar, Ashwin A
    We examined gender-specific prevalences, patterns, and correlates of non-prescribed use of pain relievers - mainly opioids - in a representative sample of American adolescents (N=18,678).Data were drawn from the public use data file of the 2005 U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a survey of non-institutionalized American household residents. The patterns of non-prescribed use of prescription pain relievers were examined, and logistic regression procedures were conducted to identify correlates of non-prescribed use.Approximately one in 10 adolescents aged 12-17 years reported non-prescribed use of pain relievers in their lifetime (9.3% in males and 10.3% in females). The mean age of first non-prescribed use was 13.3 years, which was similar to the mean age of first use of alcohol and marijuana but older than the age of first inhalant use. Among all non-prescribed users, 52% reported having used hydrocodone products (Vicodin, Lortab, Lorcet, and Lorcet Plus, and hydrocodone), 50% had used propoxyphene (Darvocet or Darvon) or codeine (Tylenol with codeine), and 24% had used oxycodone products (OxyContin, Percocet, Percodan, and Tylox). Approximately one quarter (26%) of all non-prescribed users had never used other non-prescribed or illicit drugs. There were gender variations in correlates of non-prescribed use.Use of non-prescribed pain relievers occurs early in adolescence. Research is needed to understand whether early use of non-prescribed pain relievers is related to later drug use.
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    Polyvictimization and Psychosocial Outcomes Among Trauma-Exposed, Clinic-Referred Youth Involved in the Juvenile Justice System.
    (Child maltreatment, 2022-11) Pane Seifert, Heather T; Tunno, Angela M; Briggs, Ernestine C; Hill, Sherika; Grasso, Damion J; Adams, Zachary W; Ford, Julian D
    Polyvictimization is a robust predictor of emotional and behavioral problems and is linked to involvement in juvenile justice and other public sector systems. This study extends prior research by employing person-centered methods for identifying polyvictimization patterns among trauma-exposed, clinic-referred, justice-involved youth (n = 689; ages 12-18 years) and how identified classes differ on psychosocial outcomes and demographic characteristics. Most participants had experienced multiple traumatic event (TE) types. Latent class analyses identified three classes: mixed trauma/bereavement exposure group (55.1%; Mean = 3.0 TE types); maltreatment polyvictimized group (29.3%; Mean = 5.7 TE types); and maltreatment plus extreme violence polyvictimized group (15.7%; Mean = 9.3 TE types). Polyvictimized youth were more likely to be female, in out-of-home placements, and experiencing negative psychosocial outcomes (e.g., Posttraumatic Stress Disorder). Hispanic/Latino youth were overrepresented in the extreme polyvictimized subgroup. Results underscore the need for cross-system coordination of trauma-informed, comprehensive services for clinic-referred, justice-involved youth.