Implications of Sentencing Reform on Mental Health Symptoms in the Declining Juvenile Justice Populations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52935/17.18219.01Abstract
Though the juvenile justice system was built on the premise of rehabilitation, “tough on crime” policies in the 1980s and 1990s exponentially increased arrest and incarceration of minors. The turn of the 21st century marked the beginning of comprehensive reform in California due to a Court-ordered consent decree citing the illegal conditions existing in youth detention facilities. In addition to realignment of supervision of justice-involved youth from the State to the County level, California legislators implemented sentencing reform regarding marijuana possession, truancy, and re-assignment of misdemeanor status for some non-serious, non-violent felony convictions. This study examined changes in mental health symptoms in 7,437 detained youth within the context of these policies, as indicated by Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument (MAYSI-2) scales. Results revealed significant decreases in alcohol/drug involvement and substance-related symptoms over time as well as an increased need for screening for suicidal ideation. In addition, youth reporting more traumatic experiences had higher levels of mental health symptoms. The results of this study highlighted a need to further understand mental health characteristics in light of the changing composition of youth who are detained or incarcerated.
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