Journal of Applied Juvenile Justice Services
The Journal of Applied Juvenile Justice Services (JAJJS) is a refereed, multi-disciplinary publication proudly sponsored by the National Partnership for Juvenile Services. JAJJS is committed to advancing useable knowledge about effective practices, strategies, and standards to positively impact the field of juvenile justice services, youth, families, and communities.
National Partnership for Juvenile Services
NPJS – Passionate about Professional Improvement
The National Partnership for Juvenile Services (NPJS) issues Position Statements on issues impacting the operations of juvenile detention facilities and the juvenile justice system. These Position Statements seek to recognize the basic rights and needs of juveniles who are placed under a level of physical restriction by a court of jurisdiction. The Position Statements propose a minimum level of service to meet those needs and rights. Position Papers strive to establish best practices in juvenile justice services.
Copyright (c) 2014 Journal of Applied Juvenile Justice Services https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Ensuring a Professional Workforce for Confinement Facilities Serving Youth
The information contained in this article is excerpted from Chapter 4, “Developing and Maintaining a Professional Workforce for Confinement Facilities Serving Youth” of the Desktop Guide to Quality Practice for Working with Youth in Confinement (www.desktopguide.info). We hope you that after reading this excerpt you may choose to read the chapter in its entirety, which contains more detailed information on topics addressed here, as well as information related to Maintaining and Growing the Workforce and Building Future Leaders.
A Practical Approach to Evidence-­‐Based Juvenile Justice Systems
This article presents a practical approach that JJ systems can take in achieving evidence-based programming that reduces recidivism. Most JJ system programs produce relatively small reductions in recidivism, on average, thus there is much room for improvement. A research-based approach to making program improvements system-wide—and with that, increase the cost effectiveness of the system itself—is presented in this article. The success of this effort, however, depends on delivery of the right service to the right youth at the right time. The OJJDP Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders provides the scaffolding and structured decision-making tools that can be used across entire juvenile justice systems for promoting effective matches between evidence-based services and offender treatment needs on an ongoing basis. Programs across the entire system continuum can also be assessed for effectiveness through a data-driven program rating tool that was built around the intervention characteristics found to be most strongly related to recidivism reductions in hundreds of studies. Where scores are low, this tool provides a blueprint for improvements and, with those, larger recidivism reductions. The process can also be automated to facilitate system-­wide program improvements.
Easing Reentry through Employability Skills Training for Incarcerated Youth
When incarcerated youth face the prospect of reentering the community, they have many obstacles to overcome. There are often employment requirements in the terms of their parole or aftercare and if they fail to obtain and maintain employment, they may reenter the justice system instead of successfully reentering society. While research shows employment matters significantly for a successful transition from incarceration back in to the community, there is limited information on which programs or supports positively impact post incarceration employment. Practitioners have the challenge of locating and choosing curriculum, interventions, or supports with little to go on as to which are the best choices for their population in terms of teaching employability skills. This article focuses on services and supports for teaching employability skills at each of the stages of the juvenile justice process – before, during, and after incarceration. The psychological damage to youth resulting from incarceration is examined as well as the impact on obtaining and maintaining employment post incarceration. Resources are provided for practitioners to find evidence-based interventions and supports for the youth with whom they work. Calls for future research are detailed in the areas of programs and practices, desistence and recidivism, and community-based alternatives.
Copyright (c) 2015 Journal of Applied Juvenile Justice Services https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Reforming Conditions of Confinement in Juvenile Detention: Evidence-­‐Based Research from the U.S. District Court Intervention in Cook County, IL
Gold standard research by the Crime Lab at the University of Chicago revealed statistically significant reductions in certain indicators of in-custody violence and re-arrests and returns to detention for Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC) detainees who were randomly assigned to living units with a daily behavior management program based on a combination of positive youth development and cognitive behavioral training. The research supplies third-party corroboration of the positive outcomes from the 2007 United States District Court takeover of JTDC detention operations to end the unconstitutional conditions of confinement at the facility. Initial implications and applications for juvenile detention and juvenile justice are discussed, along with possible next steps.
Do Juveniles Understand What an Attorney is Supposed to Do Well Enough to Make Knowing and Intelligent Decisions About Waiving Their Right to Counsel?: An Exploratory Study
This study examines juveniles’ understanding of attorney-client privilege and zealous representation using a sample of committed juveniles. Since these attributes are what make an attorney’s assistance valuable, an understanding of these basic concepts should be a necessary pre-requisite for any juvenile’s valid waiver of the right to counsel under Miranda. The impact of respondents’ various demographic attributes, exposure to the legal system and attitudes regarding the fairness of court proceedings and the outcome of their own case on their understanding of the duty to zealously represent and attorney-client privilege are analyzed. Findings suggest that even among juveniles who have been through the system, various aspects of zealous representation and attorney-client privilege are not fully understood. Greater experience with the system and living in an urban area tend to correlate with greater understanding of attorney-client privilege. Urban dwellers are, however, less likely to think that it is wise for defendants to tell their attorneys the whole story. The policy implications of these results are evaluated.
The Impact of Secure Detention for Truancy on Educational and Juvenile Justice Outcomes: A Cross System Analyses in Colorado
While there is substantial literature to suggest that low level offenders should not be securely detained, there is little literature specific to the truancy population. There is considerable debate on the utility of secure detention for youth found truant but very little data to inform that debate. This study investigated the relation between the utilization of secure detention as a sanction for truancy and juvenile justice and educational outcomes. Youth with court oversight for truancy were matched to data from education, juvenile justice, and child welfare to examine events and services that preceded and followed truancy court involvement. Logistic regression models were created to predict detention for truancy, subsequent criminal filings, and high school graduation. Results indicate that local practices impact the likelihood of truancy detention to a greater extent than individual youth factors. Furthermore, truancy detention is a significant contributor to the likelihood of committing subsequent criminal offenses and makes graduating from high school 14.5 times less likely to occur for detained youth than for youth found truant but not detained. Results of this study could be used to educate policy and other decision makers about the lack of successful outcomes associated with securely detaining youth found truant.
Copyright (c) 2016 Journal of Applied Juvenile Justice Services https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
This story originally was written for the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange (JJIE), a national news site that covers the issue daily. It is being reprinted here with permission from JJIE.
Copyright (c) 2017 Journal of Applied Juvenile Justice Services https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Demystifying Literacy Education Behind Bars: Effective Strategies for Increasing Human Capital
INTRODUCTION: Presenting eleven chapters covering a diversity of strategies to increase the literacy of incarcerated individuals, Literacy Behind Bars is an integral text for professionals on both sides of the barbed wire fence. As an veteran secondary English of 25 years with experience in juvenile justice education and research, I stand in both excitement and awe to review this resource for multiple reasons. First, it is a valuable resource for educators demystifying literacy instruction for arguably the most vulnerable population in education. Second, the authors and contributors are well versed in education within confined settings and/or literacy curriculum development and instruction. And last, themes of reverence, hospitality, empathy, and acknowledgment of youth as unique individuals with both human and cultural capital to share with the world permeate each chapter. During my own research, I have witnessed teachers’ struggle to put lessons together or create cohesive units for a highly mobile population of students, for the broad spectrum learners--in both age and ability--that make up their classrooms. For these teachers, and for all teachers of at-risk and resistant learners, this text presents specific, research and theory based lessons that will, through the development of reading, writing, creative and communication skills, empower students, giving voice to the voiceless and helping youth understand their own potential contributions to the greater conversations of the world.
Mentoring Programs in Juvenile Treatment Drug Courts: Understanding the Difficulties of Applying Best Practices
Mentoring programs have the potential to positively influence youth, especially at-risk youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Several researchers have proposed a set of mentoring “best practices” as guidelines to establishing successful mentoring programs that, if implemented appropriately, can yield positive results benefitting both the youth and the community. One particular juvenile justice program that can benefit from mentoring programs is the juvenile drug treatment court (JDTC) program. JDTC programs are diversion programs that provide assistance to youth who struggle with substance use issues and delinquency. Because these programs are community based and champion reintegration of youth in the community, they are prime candidates for mentoring programs. In this study, data were collected from ten mentoring programs operating within JDTC programs. Researchers interviewed JDTC team members and mentor program workers, analyzed JDTC and mentoring program policy manuals, and held a focus group of JDTC and mentoring professionals. JDTC mentoring programs’ practices were subsequently compared to mentoring best practices proposed in the literature. Results suggest that there is relatively little overlap between current mentor best practices and JDTC mentor program practices. This is likely the result of several structural and population based barriers unique to JDTCs. Implications are discussed.
Family Environment and Delinquency: Impressions of the People Doing the Work
This paper examines the connection between family environment and delinquent acts. Where past research has utilized official data to explore this connection, we surveyed 357 juvenile justice professionals (mostly juvenile probation officers) and asked them about their opinion on this connection, based on their experience. Results showed that older, more conservative professionals believe that family environment plays a role in delinquent behavior, while younger, more liberal professionals do not.
Implications of Sentencing Reform on Mental Health Symptoms in the Declining Juvenile Justice Populations
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.
Recidivism among First-­‐Time Offending Truant Youth with Mental Health Symptoms
Little is known about which first-time offending truant youth re-offend, especially in comparison to youth with first-time delinquent offenses. The purpose of this study was to compare rates and risk factors for recidivism between youth with first-time truancy offenses and delinquent offenses. All youth included in this study were referred for forensic mental health evaluation due to mental health concerns. Findings revealed that rates of 12-month recidivism were comparable and both groups were more likely to commit a future delinquent offense than a truancy or status offense. Risk for recidivism among truant youth was higher for those with an externalizing disorder and those who witnessed domestic violence. Within truant recidivists, being male and having a history of substance use increased likelihood of future delinquency. Study findings suggest that universal screening for truant youth upon court contact is justified and may be useful for selecting targeted recidivism prevention and intervention efforts. This may be particularly important for truant youth with mental health concerns, as indicated by the sample used in this study.
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Applied Juvenile Justice Services https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Residential Staff Perspectives on Implementing Collaborative and Proactive Solutions in a Juvenile Justice Setting
Studies in juvenile justice residential settings tend to focus on outcomes of various interventions, but there is a lack of research that gives attention to how these interventions are applied. This study seeks to fill the gap between intervention and implementation by exploring nine residential program staffs’ perspectives on implementing Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS) after previously using solely a point and level system. CPS is a cognitive, skills-based behavioral modification approach that has been advocated for use in place of point and level systems. Thematic analysis revealed that employees experienced personal and systemic challenges in implementing CPS, had to actively work to change the program organizational culture while embedded in the broader juvenile justice climate, and redefined the meaning of treatment in the residential program. The lessons learned from this study are valuable for those interested in using CPS in residential settings with juvenile justice populations and any individual or organization implementing a new intervention. Implications for future research are discussed, including a need for further research on implementation.
Copyright (c) 2018 Journal of Applied Juvenile Justice Services https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
High School Assignment Completion: A Case Study of a Collaborative Intervention in Detention
A collaborative intervention, the assignment completion program, was developed by a county detention facility and a school district to support the academic success of high school students who were detained in the facility. Communication protocols were developed for each student who entered this detention facility to enhance academic success. Results from the interviews of two education leaders about the intervention are shared in this case study. The findings indicate that inter-agency collaboration contributed to youth academic success. The drop-out rates for the participating school and recidivism rates for detainees went down. Implications include (a) developing strong collaboration between public schools and detention, (b) establishing protocols for targeted communication focused on student academic success, and (c) building a strong commitment to post-release success of detainees.
Juvenile Competency Law and Remediation Programming: Santa Clara County’s Experience Replicating the Virginia Model
Due process protections were first guaranteed for juveniles in 1967 with the Supreme Court Decision In re Gault. Juvenile competency law, one aspect of due process, has been adopted in only 21 states. In 2009, Santa Clara County, California, embarked on the journey of adopting juvenile competency legislation and programming, replicating a well-established juvenile remediation model formed in Virginia in 1999. This journey provides a platform for reflecting on some of the service delivery issues that are embedded first in establishing a remediation program for juveniles, and secondly, in attempting to transfer a model program from one state with a comprehensive set of laws to a second state with a less comprehensive set of laws regarding juvenile competency. This article provides a historical and procedural review of juvenile competency law and programming, and concludes by presenting Santa Clara County’s journey of challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned, with the goal of offering guidance to other states contemplating adoption of critical protections for their juvenile defendants.
Exploring the Relationship of Mental Health and Spirituality to Family Functioning: Does Spirituality Add to Our Understanding?
Adolescent mental health symptomology has been strongly linked to adolescent problematic behavior, including delinquency and family issues. Adolescent spirituality however, while demonstrating some evidence as a protective factor against some problematic outcomes, such as delinquent behavior, has not been as thoroughly explored in relation to other more well established factors such as family functioning. There is little understanding, for example, as to whether spirituality may act as a protective factor for overall family functioning, particularly in the presence of other identified factors. This study sought to examine the relationship of adolescent spirituality and mental health with family functioning in a sample of incarcerated adolescent males. A longitudinal design was employed to measure both spirituality and mental health during incarceration and post discharge from a boot camp. Results support the likely importance of adolescent spirituality as a protective factor for family functioning.
Comparison of the Overlap between Juvenile Justice Processing and Behavioral Health Screening, Assessment and Referral
Given the large proportion of youth involved in the juvenile justice system who meet criteria for behavioral health disorders, the system is charged with delivering not only criminal justice programing, but also behavioral health services. Behavioral health service delivery is typically done through collaborative partnerships with behavioral health agencies. This study created process maps which describe the flows and boundaries of these partnerships with respect to screening, assessment and referral to treatment. Process maps of juvenile justice and behavioral health systems from six juvenile departments in different states (Mississippi, Kentucky, New York, Georgia, Texas, and Pennsylvania) are presented. Both the methodology of creating process maps and results from the analysis of the maps are presented. Results indicate that behavioral health screening, assessment, and referral to treatment were occurring at all sites, typically with standardized tools. Overall trends were that juveniles tended to have more screenings, assessments, and referrals to behavioral health services as they moved deeper into the juvenile justice system and were placed into more formal juvenile justice services. Within the analysis of interagency communication, these results were mirrored; settings that were more formal and located deeper into the juvenile justice system had more robust interagency communication.
Wilderness-Based Therapy with At-Risk Youth: The Impact Upon Conflict Resolution, Communication and Community
The purpose of this interpretive case study was to explore the perceptions and attitudes of at-risk youth subsequent to their participation in an experiential learning wilderness program. Thirtythree male participants aged 11-14 participated in the study. Findings are based on a thematic analysis of qualitative data gathered through semi-structured interviews within the framework of resiliency theory. Results indicate favorable perceptions and attitudes for activities within the program and for the themes of communication, conflict resolution, and community engagement, and a sense of resiliency against challenges. These constructs are described in the Youth Risk Program Evaluation Tool (YARPET) and the literature review as typically targeted youth development objectives for adventure-based youth-at-risk programs. Theoretical and practical implications for experiential programming include concepts of resiliency, risk, and protective factors.
Lessons Learned from a Multidisciplinary Collaborative Supporting Juvenile Reentry
Multidisciplinary collaboration is paramount to engendering efficacious juvenile reentry. As the lives of juvenile offenders are infused with interwoven complexities and traumas leading to involvement with the juvenile justice system, a multifaceted approach permeated with varying perspectives is imperative. Effective juvenile reentry partnerships must embrace inclusivity and distinctly capitalize on the wide-ranging expertise encapsulated within a multidisciplinary team. Multidisciplinary collaboration is vital for juvenile offenders to return to the community from confinement with a comprehensive understanding of their situation as well as an assortment of approaches to mitigating their challenges both within and outside of the juvenile justice system. This manuscript will describe a unique approach and promising strategies designed to foster a smooth transition of urban juvenile offenders from confinement at a short-term detention facility back into the community. Lessons learned from a multidisciplinary collaboration between school districts, probation, health care, and city agencies designed to support juvenile reentry will be highlighted. Implications for replication among collaborative partners within the context of juvenile justice systems will be discussed.
Copyright (c) 2019 Journal of Applied Juvenile Justice Services https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Community-based Alternatives to Detention: Implementation Evidence on Evening Reporting Centers
Evening reporting centers are an emerging best practice in community-based alternatives to detention. We ground our discussion of Alameda County (CA)’s evening reporting centers within an understanding of youth development theories, including the social cognitive career theory. Alameda County is a diverse county in California’s San Francisco Bay Area that includes Oakland. We used diverse sources of administrative data to describe the implementation of the evening reporting centers and report on outcomes of youth involved. We find that evening reporting centers are aligned with youth development theory. For example, they offer an opportunity for disadvantaged youth to build positive relationships with adults, which can contribute to positive youth development.
Beyond Skin Deep: Understanding Disproportionate Minority Contact through Ethnocultural Implicit Bias and the Decision-Making Process among Justice System Gatekeepers
Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) has been studied as a social phenomenon for decades. Despite the quality research done on this construct, efforts to reduce disproportionality across the justice system have been marginally successful. Historically, DMC has been viewed from a perspective that attributes a macro level construct (systemic minority overrepresentation) to micro level processes (individual decision-making), with the most of the research focusing on whether DMC exists and the scope of the problem, rather than why it exists. The present article offers a theoretical explanation of DMC through an expanded lens of implicit bias. While implicit bias is usually discussed from a racial context, the discretionary decisions of justice system gatekeepers are subject to implicit biases transcendent of race. These biases, which may be grounded in ethnocultural differences, present the risk for inequitable criminal justice decision-making and may be driving the overrepresentation of minority youth in the justice system. The tenets of this perspective, as well as applications and recommendations are discussed.
The Competency Attainment Outcomes of 1,913 Juveniles Found Incompetent to Stand Trial Janet I.
Our study examines the outcomes of remediation services provided to 1,913 juveniles who have been determined to be incompetent to stand trial and ordered into remediation services by the court. These services were offered based upon statutory guidelines legislated in 1999, through a statewide, community-based program maintained by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (VA DBHDS). Recipients of these services were eight through 18-years-old and were predominantly African-American (73%), Caucasian (21%), and Hispanic (3%). Our outcome data indicate that 76% of the youth ordered into remediation services were determined by the court to have been remediated, 19% unlikely to attain competency, and 5% had their charges dismissed. Remediation services were offered within the community and received by the majority of the youth within three months at an estimated cost of $5,000 per juvenile. Rates of remediation differed based upon the age and mental status of the youth receiving services with 7% of youth aged eight to 10 years being remediated compared to 44% of those aged 14 to 16 years of age. Youth with a diagnosis of both intellectual disability and mental disorder were the least likely to be remediated with 51% determined to be unlikely to attain competency and an additional 28% having their charges dismissed. These outcomes are similar to those obtained with incompetent adult defendants, often through costly periods of inpatient hospitalization, raising the question of why states would not provide these due process protections to the most vulnerable youth within the juvenile system.
A Comprehensive Analysis of Determinants of Risk Assessment Among Youths Adjudicated to Indiana Juvenile Correctional Facilities
Risk factors (or criminogenic needs) have been broadly defined as individual traits or environmental conditions, if present, that increase the youth’s likelihood of engaging in delinquent or criminal behaviors. This study was consisted of 2,335 youths who were adjudicated to Indiana juvenile correctional facilities during the period of January 1, 2012-February, 2015. Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) Division of Youth Services (DYS) has employed the Indiana Youth Assessment System (IYAS) to determine the youth’s risk level during the in-take process, which contains thirty-three (33) survey questions across seven (7) risk factor domains. This study found that all seven (7) assessment domains were influential predictors to the overall risk assessment and the “substance abuse, mental health, and personality” risk domain exerted the most influential effect on the youth’s overall risk assessment.
The Impact of an Alternative to Detention Program on Developmental Assets for Adolescents Involved in the Juvenile Justice or Legal System
Positive youth development (PYD) models can play a critical role in programming for at-risk youth involved with the Juvenile Justice System (JJS) or legal system. This article reports on the outcomes of a study that examined the impact of the Reinvesting in Youth (RIY) program on increasing developmental assets for youth who are at-risk for detention or higher level of care placements. RIY is a three to six month preventive and ATD program within a large non-profit behavioral healthcare organization that provides case management, community asset navigation, and academic support through an asset-building framework. Fifty-nine youth discharged from RIY were included in the study. The impact of the program was measured using the Developmental Assets Profile (DAP). Using a dependent samples t-test, results indicate that the RIY program has a significant and positive impact on increasing assets from admission to discharge on total asset scores, internal and external assets, and seven of the eight asset categories.
Making Time for Youth: Delay and Timely Case Processing in the Juvenile Court
It is through timely case processing that the juvenile court is better primed to achieve its goals, whether these goals pertain to crime-control, treatment, legal or restorative justice, or some combination thereof. Drawing a random sample of cases (N=394) from a large Midwestern juvenile court filed between 2012 and 2016, the present study identifies factors that influence timeliness in the juvenile court. Controlling for diagnostic evaluations, failure to appear, offense severity, prior involvement, and judge idiosyncrasies, statistically significant relationships were observed between timely case processing and factors measuring caseload, judge placements, lawyer placements, pleading guilty, detention, and method of filing.
Do Diverted Kids Stay Out of Trouble?: A Longitudinal Analysis of Recidivism Outcomes in Diversion
This study evaluates the effectiveness of a police diversion program between 2008 and 2016. Youth participating in the diversion program were compared to youth not participating in diversion on the probability of, and time to, second offense using unadjusted comparisons at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months, unadjusted lifetable comparisons of time to second arrest, and Cox multivariate proportional hazards regression models. Diverted youth had significantly fewer second offenses. The rate of recidivism among diverted youth was lower than non-diversion youth at all time periods in unadjusted models, and statistically significant at 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months.
An Evaluation of “Transforming Youth Justice: A Leadership Development Program”
As part of the modern evidence-based movement in juvenile justice, effective leadership is necessary for planning, implementing, and evaluating policies, programs, and practices, along with guiding innovative reform efforts. Leadership development programs hold promise for advancing the field of juvenile justice, by enhancing participant leadership skills and abilities, as well as increasing opportunities for networking and further professional development. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a juvenile justice leadership program in Connecticut. Overall, the findings from the mixed-methods research were supportive. Implications for similar programs and future research also are discussed.
An Investigation of the Impact of Functional Impairment and Risk Level on Adolescent Recidivism
One hundred and sixteen male adolescent offenders were followed two years post-release to investigate the role of functional impairment and risk level on recidivism. Functional impairment had a significant impact on recidivism. Implications for future research are discussed.
Challenges to Hispanic Youth with Both Delinquency and Maltreatment History
Child victims of maltreatment (abuse or neglect) are at higher risk of delinquency. When children experience both maltreatment and delinquency, they generally face more challenges and experience poorer outcomes across many factors. Hispanics are the fastest-growing minority in the U.S. and have unique cultural and familial considerations. This study sought to explore how adjudicated Hispanic youths with maltreatment history (also referred to as “dually identified youths”) compare to Hispanic youths involved only in the juvenile justice system across psychosocial risk factors and indicators of risk. In El Paso County, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border, the researchers matched the records of 255 adjudicated Hispanic juvenile offenders with Child Protective Services’ (CPS) records to identify those with a substantiated maltreatment history. The researchers found that 37 youth (14.5 percent) had been involved in at least one confirmed CPS case. Dually identified juveniles were more likely to have a mental health diagnosis, a court-appointed attorney (used as a proxy for general socioeconomic status), and a close family member with substance abuse problems or criminal justice involvement. On average, dually identified youths faced a larger number of these challenges combined than the youths involved only in delinquency. These findings are discussed in light of prior research on dually identified populations, with implications for juvenile justice and child protective services policy, and research on Hispanic juveniles.