Family Involvement in Pennsylvania's Juvenile Justice System

• In Event: Juveniles, Restorative Justice, and Family Involvement

Abstract

At the 2009 Pennsylvania Conference on Juvenile Justice a monograph titled “Family Involvement in Pennsylvania’s Juvenile Justice System “ was presented and ushered in a new framework for juvenile justice practice within the Commonwealth. In the time following the monograph presentation the Commonwealth has continued its mission to increase family involvement, and has recently embarked on a Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy (JJSES). The concept of family involvement has been included within the JJSES framework as a key component that should be incorporated and monitored at (and across) all stages of the system. To date, however, there is little empirical evidence that demonstrates such involvement will translate into greater success for the juveniles. Using a longitudinal cohort design, data from a sample of 350 juveniles active with a Pennsylvania county probation department were examined to evaluate the relationship between family involvement and juvenile outcomes.

Author

• Kelly Waltman-Spreha, Temple University