Physical Movement Patterns: Visualizing Location Changes in Juvenile Probation Supervision

• In Event: Visualizations and Platforms Facilitating Public Safety

Abstract

Experiences in justice facilities may disrupt home stability through physical location changes and impair youth's connections with their families. Yet, more attention must be paid to the ordering and placement patterns that disrupt family stability due to justice contact. In this study I examine trajectories of physical movement patterns and placement changes among a sample of justice-involved youth (n=120) during one year of juvenile probation supervision. Using rich physical case files and probation administrative data, I employ sequence and cluster analysis to visualize and describe five physical movement typologies during justice contact. Two typologies show that the juvenile court exercised the least restrictive care option, where most youth remained at home with their families at the time of the arrest and generally throughout their probation supervision. In contrast, three typologies show precarious physical movement patterns among females and youth with dual system contact. This study highlights the dynamic nature of physical movement patterns in and out of justice facilities during justice involvement, which may produce family instability over time in the form of frequent physical movement changes and time spent in out-of-home placements.

Author

• Kristine Chan, Child Trends