Juvenile Justice Case Outcomes in Louisiana

• In Event: Lightning Talk: Reentry: Prison Programs and Community Supervision

Abstract

Using data from juvenile justice cases in Louisiana this paper analyzes the effectiveness of various judicial dispositions on recidivism rates. Recidivism outcomes are assessed based on the legal status of the youths when they are entered into the system as they are assigned: Secure, Non-Secure, Probation, or Paroled. In addition to demographic and offense variables, specifics of the offense and details of the case’s adjudication process were coded for analysis, to understand better how youths are placed within the system. This paper also utilizes parish-level data to assess how community cohesion and resources can impact juveniles' recidivism while assigned Probation or Non-Secure placement.

Policy implications are an intended product of this research.

Author

• Isaac Carson, Louisiana State University