Analysis of Risk Assessment for Juvenile Offenders

• In Event: The (Mis)Use of Risk Assessments in Juvenile Justice Decision-making

Abstract

Risk assessment has gradually become an essential screening tool to determine the potential risk of reoffending and the adequate accommodations in the juvenile facility when the youth has contact with the juvenile justice system at various stages, including of diversion, adjudication, and disposition. This study collected 3 years of risk assessment data for more than 2,500 juvenile offenders who had been assessed at the in-take processes at Indiana juvenile correctional facility. In addition to understand the risk level among incarcerated youths, this study analyzes which domain in the Indiana Youth Assessment System (IYAS) had the most influence on assessing the youth's risk level. This study's results show that regardless of the youth's demographic characteristics, that drug or alcohol abuse, pro-criminal or pro-gang sentiment, lack of parental support, previous involvement in juvenile justice system, or experience of truancy or being expelled from school had a great impact on the youth's risk assessment.

Author

• Taiping Ho, Ball State University