NCJ Number
115473
Date Published
1988
Length
62 pages
Annotation
The Juvenile Justice Assessment Instrument (JJAI) is an easily administered interview protocol designed to enable paraprofessionals in juvenile justice settings to identify the vulnerabilities of delinquent youth that contribute to their violent and antisocial behaviors.
Abstract
Its immediate goal is to facilitate appropriate dispositions (e.g., treatment, placement, program planning). It's ultimate goal is to provide a widely used screening mechanism for delinquent youth. The JJAI assesses social and behavioral functioning, living situation and chronology of out-of-home and in-home placements, family medical and psychiatric history, history of abuse/neglect, family violence, and school history. It also addresses psychiatric history and symptoms, reading grade level, and perceptual-motor skills. An administration guide has been developed to explain the purpose, nature, and interpretation of the instrument. Two field trials were conducted, one in a residential setting for delinquents, the other in a juvenile and family court. Results indicate that the JJAI is potentially an extremely useful instrument for clinical screening by paraprofessionals of seriously antisocial delinquent youth. Further validation and refinement of the JJAI will be undertaken. The administration guide is appended. 2 tables and 47 references.