Juvenile Detention and Recidivism in Montana

• In Event: Juvenile Detention: Public Safety, Alternatives, and Reoffending

Abstract

Juvenile crime and recidivism are serious issues in the United States. While the practice of detaining juvenile offenders has been described as dangerous, few studies have directly examined the link between juvenile detention and recidivism. This study examines associations between detention, other risk factors, and recidivism among first-time offenders using official data from Montana’s Juvenile Court Accountability and Tracking System (n=840). The risk period for this study is one-year; recidivism is defined as a delinquent offense, within one year, following initial juvenile justice intervention. Findings are based on a series of logistic regression analyses. Factors associated with increased recidivism risk include: low self-control, age at 1st offense, medium risk-level, non-intact family, and physical abuse. Interestingly, detention was the only factor associated with decreased recidivism risk. As this finding on detention was unexpected, interactions between detention and other risk factors are tested and differential effects are tested. In light of the results, implications for policy and practice are discussed. Directions for future research are recommended.

Authors

• Daniel N. Acton, University of Florida

• Dusten Hollist, University of Montana

• Jackson M. Bunch, University of Montana