Descriptive Analyses of Risk Assessment among Juvenile Offenders in Indiana

• In Event: Risk Assessments and Juvenile Offending

Abstract

Risk assessments have gradually become essential screening tools in determining youths’ potential risk of reoffending and providing adequate and individualized intervention and services in juvenile facilities. The Indiana Department of Corrections (IDOC) Division of Youth Services (DYS) has employed the Indiana Youth Assessment System (IYAS) to determine the youth’s risk level during the in-take process, which contains 33 survey questions across seven risk factor domains. The present study assesses the relationship between youths’ demographic characteristics and the influence of each risk factor domain on assessing risk levels of reoffending. Using data from 2,335 adjudicated juveniles in an Indiana correctional facility during a three-year period, results indicate that the influence of each assessment domain on youths’ overall risk assessment is dependent on age, gender and race.

Authors

• Rocio Alejandra Paez, University of Arkansas

• Jonathan Intravia, Ball State University

• Taiping Ho, Ball State University