NCJ Number
144102
Date Published
1993
Length
30 pages
Annotation
This paper provides a summary of current knowledge of the needs of youths involved in the juvenile justice system and reviews efforts to address their alcohol and other drug abuse problems.
Abstract
The authors first advise that delinquent youths must be viewed holistically rather than one problem at a time. This means that assessments must collect information on their experiences of specific problems, so that the full range of service needs can be identified and an appropriate repertoire of interventions developed. The Tampa Longitudinal Study found interrelationships among various risk factors and youths' drug use and delinquency over time. Drug use was related to the youths' families' alcohol/other drug use or mental health problems and involvement in crime and the youths' experience of sexual victimization or physical abuse. Additional analyses found the youths' family problems and abuse/victimization experiences influenced their initial involvement in drugs and their delinquent behavior. The authors recommend a continuity-of-care model that covers key decision points in the identification and response to the needs of youth. The model provides a holistic, integrated approach to organize and inform future efforts in the field and identifies significant gaps in knowledge and service delivery systems. The proposed service delivery model has the following sequence of interrelated activities: preliminary screening, indepth assessment, intervention, aftercare, and long-term continuity of service. 77 references