Releasing Their Stories: A Qualitative Study of Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth with Histories of Mental Health Issues and Violence

Article Sidebar

PDF
Published: Sep 20, 2011
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1936928X.2011.598841

Main Article Content

Tina Maschi
Deborah Courtney
Jennifer Perillo

Abstract

Too often the narratives of youth self-exploration and experience are lost in a drive to prevent, diagnose, or respond to youth-led crime. This exploratory qualitative study looks at and documents the life histories of youth concurrently involved in the juvenile justice system and in clinical treatment independent of the crimes they committed. A purposive sample of 9 male juvenile-justiceinvolved youth with histories of mental health issues and violence were administered a semi-structured questionnaire. A content analysis of the youths’ narratives revealed 3 major themes related to trauma and responses: (a) exposure to a violent world, (b) death and loss of significant others, and (c) positive–negative responses. The implications for forensic social work practice and policy with juvenile justice youth with histories of trauma are delineated.

Article Details

How to Cite
Maschi, T., Deborah Courtney, & Jennifer Perillo. (2011). Releasing Their Stories: A Qualitative Study of Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth with Histories of Mental Health Issues and Violence. Journal of Forensic Social Work, 1(2), 132–158. https://doi.org/10.1080/1936928X.2011.598841
Issue
Vol. 1 No. 2 (2011)
Section
Articles
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

  • No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

References

Abram, K. M., Teplin, L. A., Charles, D. R., Longworth, S. L., McClelland, G. M., & Dulcan, M. K. (2004). Post traumatic stress disorder and trauma in youth in juvenile detention. Archives of General Psychiatry, 61, 403-410. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.61.4.403

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). The diagnostic and statistical manual IV-TR. Washington, DC: Author.

Atkins, D. L., Pumariega, A. J., & Rogers, K. (1999). Mental health and incarcerated youth. I: Prevalence and nature of psychopathology. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 8, 193-204. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022040018365

Berg, B. L. (2004). Qualitative research methods for the social sciences (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Bowlby, J. (1973). Attachment and loss: Separation, anxiety, and anger (Vol. 2). New York, NY: Basic Books.

Briere, J. (1996). Trauma symptom checklist for children: Professional manual. Lutz, FL.: Psychological Assessment Resources. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/t06631-000

Cairns, R. B., & Rutter, M. (1988). Comorbidity in child psychopathology: Concepts, issues and research strategies. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 32, 1063-1080. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.1991.tb00350.x

Child Welfare League of America. (1999). Beyond the boundaries of child welfare: Connecting with welfare, juvenile justice, family violence, and mental health systems. Spectrum, 72, 14-18.

Coalition for Juvenile Justice. (2000). Handle with care: Serving the mental health needs of young offenders 2000 annual report. Washington, DC: Author.

Cocozza, J. J. (1992). Responding to the mental health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system. Seattle, WA: The National Coalition for the Mentally Ill in the Criminal Justice System.

Department of Health and Human Services. (1999). The Surgeon General's call to action to prevent suicide. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved May 28, 2007 from http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/calltoaction/fact1.htm.

Eisenman, R. (1993). Characteristics of adolescent felons in a prison treatment program. Adolescence, 28(111), 695-699.

Erwin, B. A., Newman, E., McMackin, R. A., Morrissey, C., & Kaloupek, D. G. (2000). PTSD, malevolent environment, and criminality among criminally involved male adolescents. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 27, 196-215. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854800027002004

Friedrich, W. N., Fisher, J. L., Dittner, C. A., Acton, R., Berliner, L., & Butler, J. (2001). Child Sexual Behavior Inventory: Normative, psychiatric, and sexual abuse comparisons. Child Maltreatment, 6(1), 37-49. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559501006001004

Government Accounting Office. (2003, April). Child welfare and juvenile justice: Federal agencies could play a stronger role in helping states reduce the number of children placed solely to obtain mental health services (GAO-03-397). Washington, DC: United States House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform-Minority Staff.

Greenwald, R. (2002). Trauma and juvenile delinquency: Theory, research and intervention. Binghamton, UK: Haworth Press.

Grisso, T. (1999). Juvenile offenders and mental illness. Psychiatry Psychology & Law, 6(2), 143-151. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13218719909524956

Haines, J., & Williams, C. L. (1997). Coping and problem solving of self-mutilators. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 5, 177-186. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-4679(199702)53:2<177::AID-JCLP11>3.0.CO;2-H

Herman, J. (1992). Trauma and recovery. New York, NY: Basic Books. Kachtick, K., & Anderson, D. (2009). Peace on the inside. Yoga Journal, 223, 101-108.

Kaufman, J. G., & Widom, C. S. (1999). Childhood victimization, running away, and delinquency. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 36, 347-370. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0022427899036004001

Kitchiner, N. J. (2000, February). Using EMDR to treat post-traumatic stress disorder in a prison setting. British Journal of Community Nursing, 5(1), 26-31. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12968/bjcn.2000.5.1.7431

Leach, R. M., Burgess, T., & Holmwood, C. (2008). Could recidivism in prisoners be linked to traumatic grief? A review of the evidence. International Journal of Prisoner Health, 4(2), 104-119. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17449200802038249

Malmgren, K. W., & Meisel, S. M. (2002). Characteristics and service trajectories of youth with multiple serious emotional disturbances in multiple service systems. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 11, 217-229. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015181710291

Martin, S. L., Sigda, K. B., & Kupersmidt, J. B. (1998). Family and neighborhood violence: Predictors of depressive symptomatology among incarcerated youth. The Prison Journal, 7, 423-438. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885598078004005

Maschi, T. (2006). Exploring the link between trauma and delinquency: The cumulative versus differential risks. Social Work, 1, 59-75. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/51.1.59

Maschi, T., Bradley, C., & Ward, K. (Eds.), (2009). Forensic social work: Psychosocial and legal issues in diverse practice settings. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.

Maschi, T., Morgen, K., Smith-Hatcher, S., Scotto Rosato, N., & Violette, N. (2009). Maltreated children's thoughts and emotions as behavioral predictors: Evidence for social work action. Social Work, 54, 135-143. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/54.2.135

Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Neuendorf, K. A. (2002). The content analysis guidebook. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Noshpitz, J. D. (1994). Self-destructiveness in adolescence. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 48, 330-342. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.1994.48.3.330

Otto, R. K., Greenstein, J. J., Johnson, M. K., & Friedman, R. M. (1992). Prevalence of mental disorders among youth in the juvenile justice system. In J. J. Cocozza (Ed.), Responding to the mental health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system, (pp. 7-26). Seattle, WA: The National Coalition for the Mentally Ill in the Criminal Justice System.

Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative evaluation and research methods (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Pumariega, A. J., Atkins, D. L., Rogers, K. L., Montgomery, L., Nybro, C., Caesar, R., & Millus, D. (1999). Mental health and incarcerated youth II: Service utilization. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 8(2), 205-215. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022092002435

Robertson, L. M., Bates, M. P., Wood, M., Rosenblatt, J. A., Furlong, M. J., & Casas, J. M. (1998). Educational placements of students with emotional and behavioral disorders served by probation, mental health, public health, and social services. Psychology in the Schools, 35, 333-345. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1520-6807(199810)35:4<333::AID-PITS4>3.0.CO;2-J

Shapiro, F. (1989). Efficacy of the eye movement desensitization procedure in the treatment of traumatic memories. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2, 199-223. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.2490020207

Smith, C., & Thornberry, T. P. (1995). The relationship between childhood maltreatment and adolescent involvement in delinquency. Criminology, 33, 451-461. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1995.tb01186.x

Soberman, G. S., Greenwald, R., & Rule, D. L. (2002). A controlled study of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) for boys with conduct problems. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma, 6, 217-236. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1300/J146v06n01_11

Steinberg, A. M., Brymer, M. J., Decker, K. B., & Pynoos, R. S. (2004). The University of California at Los Angeles Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index. Current Psychiatry Report, 6(2), 96-100. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-004-0048-2

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2011). Leading change: A plan for SAMHSA's roles and actions. Retrieved May 7, 2011 from http://store.samhsa.gov/shin/content//SMA11-4629/04-TraumaAndJustice.pdf

Teplin, L. A., Abram, K. M., Mclelland, G. M., Dulcan, M. K., & Mericle, A. A. (2002). Psychiatric disorders in youth in juvenile detention. Archives of General Psychiatry, 59, 1133-1143. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.59.12.1133

Teplin, L. A., Abram, K. M., McClelland, G. M., Washburn, J. J., & Pikus, A. K. (2005a). Detecting mental disorder in juvenile detainees: Who receives services? American Journal of Public Health, 95(10), 1773-1780. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2005.067819

Teplin, L. A., Elkington, K. S., McClelland, G. A., Abram, K. M., Mericle, A. A., & Washburn, J. J. (2005b). Major mental disorders, substance use disorders, comorbidity, and HIV-AIDS risk behaviors in juvenile detainees. Psychiatric Services, 56, 823-828. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.56.7.823

van der Kolk, B. A. (Ed.), (1987). Psychological trauma. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

van der Kolk, B. A., & Fisler, R. E. (1994). Child abuse and neglect and loss of self-regulation. Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 58, 10-23.

van der Kolk, B. A., McFarlane, A. C., & Weisaeth, L. (1996). Traumatic stress: The effects of overwhelming experience on mind, body, and society. New York: Guilford.

Vermeiron, R. (2003). Psychopathology and delinquency in adolescents: A descriptive and developmental perspective. Clinical Psychology Review, 23, 277-331. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-7358(02)00227-1

Walters, C. L. (2000). Suicide prevention in juvenile facilities. Retrieved March 7, 2000, from http://www.juvenilejustice.com

Wasserman, G., Ko, S. J., Larkin, S., & McReynolds, M. (2004). Assessing the mental health status of youth in juvenile justice settings. Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/e300802005-002

Westendorp, F., Brink, K. L., Roberson, M. K., & Ortiz, I. E. (1986). Variables which differentiate placement of adolescents into juvenile justice or mental health systems. Adolescence, 21, 23-37.

Widom, C. (1989). Child abuse, neglect, and adult behavior: Research design and findings on criminality, violence, and child abuse. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 59, 355-367. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-0025.1989.tb01671.x