Juvenile Homicide Offenders: Risk Assessment and Post-Release Recidivism

• In Event: Mental Disorder and Risk of Offending

Abstract

Murders committed by juveniles have been a matter of great concern in the United States during the last 30 years. This study is a retrospective look at 59 juvenile homicide offenders (JHOs) who were convicted of murder or attempted murder in the 1980s and sentenced to adult prison. A recent 30-year follow-up study revealed that approximately 81% of the original sample subjects were released from prison. Of those released, 88% were rearrested. This project uses record and interview data to evaluate the risks posed by these juveniles at the time of their arrest and early incarceration. The aim of the study is to assess to what extent this risk assessment was useful in predicting post-release recidivism. The risk assessment instrument used was a modified form of the Youth Level of Supervision / Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI). Analysis and discussion will focus on the extent to which an individual’s risk assessment score was related to the extent and type of post-release recidivism.

Authors

• James Hubbell, University of South Florida

• Norair Khachatryan, University of South Florida

• Kathleen M. Heide, University of South Florida