In Search of Factors that Promote Desistance Among Juvenile Offenders: Considering the Role of Prosocial Community Ties.

• In Event: Causes and consequences of adolescent delinquency

Abstract

Evidence-based knowledge of juvenile recidivism and its risk factors is of great importance to policymakers, practitioners, and researchers. An extensive body of research to date has identified several factors associated with youth reoffending, such as prior antisocial behavior, early age of onset, antisocial personality, and associating with delinquent peers. While this work has advanced our understanding of why some youth reoffend more than others, far less is known about factors that may promote desistance among justice-involved youth. Specifically, we have limited knowledge of promotive and protective factors that may foster desistance among youth with prior justice-system involvement. The present study aims to address this gap by examining the influence of prosocial community ties on juvenile recidivism. Using data from a cohort of youth released from juvenile justice supervision, the study examines two questions. First, do prosocial community ties exert promotive (direct) effects, such that they reduce the probability of recidivism? And second, do prosocial community ties exert protective (interactive) effects, such that they reduce the probability of recidivism for some, but not all, youth? Findings from a series of logistic regression models suggest that the effect of prosocial community ties on youth reoffending is largely promotive, rather than protective (i.e., interactive).Implications for research and policy will be discussed.

Author

• Jhon Pupo, University of North Texas