NCJ Number
202950
Journal
Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 37 Issue: 1 Dated: 2003 Pages: 11-23
Date Published
2003
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the validity of self-reported delinquency and socio-emotional functioning of juveniles on probation.
Abstract
This study questions how similar information obtained from youth, their parents, and probation records is to delinquency and conduct disordered behaviors. It also questions whether delinquency information from parents or youth successfully predict legal involvement. The ultimate goal of this study was to further inform assessment strategies for these youth. Data collected for this study included probation referral forms providing criminal history background information for each youth, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the Youth Self-Report (YSR), and a modified version of the Conduct Disorder module of the K-SADS. The K-SADS is a semi-structured diagnostic interview for children composed of a series of clinical inquiries designed to identify mood, anxiety, psychotic, and behavioral disorders. The results show the parents’ scores on the CBCL were significantly higher than youth scores on the YSR across all scales, including internalizing and externalizing problems. Moderate correlations for delinquency data among all three sources were observed. The youth admitted to greater involvement in conduct disordered behaviors than was known officially or reflected in court records. It appears that when asked to report or acknowledge involvement in specific activities reflective of conduct disorder, the youth responded in a straightforward manner, reasonably consistent with their parents. When asked to rate the frequency or severity of their behavior problems, they tended to minimize both externalizing and internalizing problems. Both the parents and youth reported levels of delinquency successfully predicted legal involvement of the youth in terms of adjudications. It appears that only the youth data were meaningful in terms of predicting their number of police contacts. These findings strongly support the need for multiple sources of data. More research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of other cognitive, personality, and attitudinal measures for youth in terms of their use for treatment planning. 5 tables, 34 references