Cuyahoga County Strengthening Cuyahoga County Strengthening Communities – Youth (SCY) Communities – Youth (SCY) Project: Findings & Implications Project: Findings & Implications for Juvenile Justicefor Juvenile Justice

David L. Hussey, Ph.D.Associate ProfessorInstitute for the Study and Prevention of ViolenceKent State University

Strengthening Communities Strengthening Communities – Youth– Youth (SCY) (SCY)

The SCY project (2002-2007, CSAT 3.75 million dollars) served youth between the ages of 12 and 17 who arrive at the Cuyahoga County Detention Center as a result of a new arrest

Youth are screened for substance use by a representative from the Public Defender’s office/Juvenile Division and referred to Catholic Counseling Services for further assessment using the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN)

Clinical recommendations will be presented to court prior to disposition

Once assessed, youth are referred to an appropriate level of care for substance abuse treatment and followed at 3, 6, and 12 months

DemographicsDemographics82% male53% African-American, 29%

Caucasian, 6% Hispanic/Latino, 11% biracial/mixed, 1% other

Average age=15.7 years (range=12-18)

At least 64% are Medicaid eligibleAbout half (54%) live in the city of

Cleveland84% 12-month follow-up rate for

study

GAIN Mental Health GAIN Mental Health IndicesIndices

ModerateSevereRange

Internal Mental Distress

Somatic Symptoms

Depressive Symptoms

Homicidal Suicidal Thoughts

Anxiety Symptoms

Traumatic Stress

All Youth 90 (39%) 117 (50%)

148 (64%)

57 (25%) 103 (44%)

81 (35%)

Males 64 (34%) 89 (47%)

113 (59%)

42 (22%) 79 (42%)

59 (31%)

Females 26 (62%)*

28 (67%)*

35 (83%)*

15 (36%) 24 (57%)

22 (52%)*

ModerateSevereRange

BehaviorComplexity

ADHD InattentiveDisorder

Hyperactive Disorder

Conduct Disorder

All Youth 162 (70%)

123 (53%)

95 (41%) 40 (17%) 163 (70%)

Males 127 (67%)

98 (52%)

73 (38%) 26 (14%) 129 (68%)

Females 35 (83%)*

25 (59%)

22 (52%) 14 (33%) *

34 (81%)

*Statistically significant differences between males and females, p < .05

Lifetime Charges Lifetime Charges (JIMS Data)(JIMS Data)

SCY youth were, on average, 14.41 years old at the time of their first charge

Total charges=2,571 (N=227)

On average, SCY youth had been charged with 10.19 (SD=7.30, median=9) offenses (excluding traffic)

Misdemeanors accounted for the largest proportion of charges (40%), followed by felonies (30%), traffic offenses (11%), probation violations (10%) and status offenses (9%)

Domestic Violence ChargesDomestic Violence Charges

43% of youth had at least one domestic violence charge

41% had at least one adjudicated domestic violence charge

Of the total adjudicated domestic violence charges, 90% were misdemeanor level and 10% were felony level

A higher proportion of females than males had adjudicated domestic violence charges

Environmental Risk Environmental Risk (GAIN-I)(GAIN-I)

1.8

57.7

40.5

3.2

55.0

41.8

1.8

22.0

76.1

0.0

25.6

74.4

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

EnvironmentalRisk

Living Risk VocationalRisk

Social Risk

High

Moderate

Low

General Victimization General Victimization Scale Scale (GAIN-I)(GAIN-I)On average, youth reported the first time they were victimized they were 11 years old

Significantly more females than males report sexual victimization and emotional abuse at the hands of someone close to them or that they trusted

Significantly more males than females report being attacked with a weapon

Child Welfare Involvement (CPS Child Welfare Involvement (CPS data)data)

The majority of SCY youth (69%) had at least one allegation of any type of maltreatment (neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional maltreatment)

Almost half (47%) of youth had a substantiated or indicated maltreatment incident in their lifetime

On average, SCY youth were 7.7 years old at the time of first maltreatment allegation

24% of SCY youth had experienced at least one out-of-home placement (OHP) in their lifetime ◦ On average, youth who had experienced any OHP had

3 out-of-home placements (median=2)◦ Most commonly, placement was in foster/adoptive

homes or community residential centers

VictimizationVictimization64% of youth report some type of

victimization on the GAIN

47% of youth had a substantiated/ indicated incident of maltreatment

If considered together, 80% of all SCY youth have a history of some type of victimization

Youth Cross-System Youth Cross-System InvolvementInvolvementJuvenile Justice, Alcohol and Drug, Mental Health, Special Education, Child Protective Services (CPS)

12% of youth were involved with only the juvenile justice and alcohol and drug systems

88% were involved in at least one other system

32% involved in 3 systems, 40% involved in 4 systems, 15% involved in all five systems

Youth Cross–System Youth Cross–System InvolvementInvolvement

System Involvement In Addition to Juvenile Justice andAlcohol and Drug (N = 232)

Mental Health 131 (56%)

Special Education 67 (29%)

Child Protective Services (CPS) - any contactAny AllegationAny Substantiated / Indicated FindingAny Out-of-Home Placement

173 (75%)159 (68%)108 (47%)56 (24%)

Mental Health and Special Education 41 (18%)

Mental Health & CPS 104 (45%)

Special Education & CPS 57 (25%)

Mental Health, Special Education & CPS 36 (15%)

SCY Youth Problem Trajectory

7.7

11.0

13.1

14.4

15.7

6.07.08.09.0

10.011.012.013.014.015.016.017.0

DCFS 1stMaltreatment

Allegation

Self-ReportedVictimization

Self-Reported 1stTime Drunk or Used

Drugs

1st DelinquentCharge

SCY Enrollment forSubstance Abuse

Treatment

Ave

rage

Age

in Y

ears

Discussion & ImplicationsDiscussion & Implications

For juvenile justice youth, mental health, substance abuse, comorbidity, violence, victimization, delinquency, and lifetime cross-system involvement rates very high, strongly interconnected, and closely related to identification, assessment, intervention, and outcomes

Emerging gender differences impact assessment and treatment

High levels of domestic violence and environmental risk present contextual challenges in practice