MENTAL HEALTH AND OUTCOME AMONG JUVENILES IN DETENTION

Principal Investigator: Dr. Stacy R. Ryan-Pettes

Sponsor: Baylor University

Study Title: Mental Health and Outcome Among Juveniles in Detention

                              On pause due to COVID-19

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Research has shown associations between mental health and reoffending among juvenile-justice involved youth. The Risk-Need-Responsivity model matches an individual’s risk level to an appropriate level of treatment intensity, identifies amendable individual-level factors that are related to offending, and ensures that an individual is matched to a treatment program capable of addressing individual factors that may impede response to treatment. The goal of this research is to evaluate the Risk-Need-Responsivity model that guides treatment planning in a local juvenile probation department. Surveys measuring various aspects of psychosocial adjustment are being administered to both youth in detention and their parents. This study will ultimately help develop models that integrate mental health variables into criminally focused interventions.