Can we Enhance Youth Justice and Policing through Assessment and Measuring Perceptions?

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract/Description

The papers in this panel address critical facets of youth justice and policing, aiming to improve decision-making processes and rehabilitation outcomes. One study investigates young adults' perceptions of police orientation in the United States. The study underscores the importance of aligning police behavior with community expectations. The second study focuses on evaluating Juvenile Risk-Needs Assessment (JRNA) instruments that are used in legal decision-making for justice-involved youth. Findings offer insights into calibrating and perhaps even completely rethinking the use of JRNA tools. The third study employs Item Response Theory methods to develop aggression scales, including general and specific subscales for physical, relational, and verbal aggression. These results enhance understanding of aggression's relationship with externalizing problems, offering insights for tailored intervention strategies based on gender-specific aggression patterns. The fourth study examines longitudinal changes in the identity of serious and violent youth offenders during custodial sentences in a Canadian province. Findings suggest that custodial experiences influence identity transformation, shedding light on the role of social support in promoting positive changes among youth offenders. Overall, the papers in this panel offer insights into enhancing procedural justice, fostering positive community relationships, and promoting effective rehabilitation strategies within the youth justice system.

Sub Unit

• Area VI. The Criminal Justice System / 49. The Juvenile Justice System

Individual Presentations

• "Warriors or Guardians? The Role of Police Orientation in Community Relationships" - Allison Cross, School of Interdisciplinary Forensics, Arizona State University; Adam Fine, Arizona State University

• Examining the Item-Level Performance of a State-Mandated Juvenile Risk Needs Assessment - Kelsey Tom, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University; Savanna Allen, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University; Adam Fine, Arizona State University

• Using Item Response Theory to Understand Youth Aggression: A Gendered Approach - Savanna Allen, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University; Dustin Pardini, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University

• Unlocking identity change: The influence of social support behind bars - Isabelle Callahan, Simon Fraser University

Chair

• Adam Fine, Arizona State University

Organized by a Division or external group?

Division of Developmental and Life-Course Criminology