Denise Herz

Gender and Juvenile Justice Decision Making What Role Does Race Play

This study examines the independent and interactive effects of race and gender on juvenile justice decision making. Using data from a sample of juvenile court referrals from two midwestern juvenile courts, this study looks at males and females separately by race. The results indicate that the effect of race on the pre-adjudication detention and disposition outcomes varies by gender. The severity or leniency of the outcomes is determined by race, gender, and an interaction of the two. This study underscores the need to examine juvenile justice decision making with a multistage analysis to unravel the intricate effects of race and gender.

Race, Legal Representation, and Juvenile Justice: Issues and Concerns

The objective of this study was to examine the influence of type of counsel across race on juvenile court outcomes. Using data from a sample of juvenile court referrals from two midwestern juvenile courts, this study examined the interaction of race and type of counsel on disposition outcome. The results indicated that youth without an attorney were the most likely to have the charges dismissed, and this effect was more pronounced for non-White youth. In addition, non-White youth represented by a private attorney were significantly more likely than similar White youth to receive a secure confinement disposition.

Exploring Arrestee Drug Use in Rural Nebraska

Since 1987, the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program (ADAM—formerly known as the Drug Use Forecasting Program) has documented the prevalence and type of arrestee drug use across the nation. Unfortunately, this research is limited to urban or metropolitan areas, possibly because of presumed low levels of both crime and drugs in rural areas. The purpose of this paper is to present the importance of researching arrestee drug use in rural areas using data collected from the Rural ADAM Pilot Program. Specifically, this study examines the prevalence and type of arrestee drug use in four rural Nebraska counties and compares these results to those found in Omaha, Nebraska, which is a current ADAM site. Results indicated that arrestee drug use is similar to that in urban areas and the type of arrestee drug use varies across rural counties as well as between rural and urban areas. Most importantly, rural arrestee methamphetamine use appeared to exceed Omaha arrestee use in one rural area. These findings have substantial implications for planning at the local, state, and federal levels.

Race, Gender, and Legal Counsel: Differential Outcomes in Two Juvenile Courts

This study examines the influence of race, gender, and type of legal counsel on juvenile court outcomes. Data from a sample of juvenile court referrals from two midwestern juvenile courts indicate that the effect of these factors varied by court location. The severity or leniency of the disposition outcome was determined by race, gender, type of legal counsel, and court location. This study clearly demonstrates the need for an approach that considers the interplay between legally relevant and legally irrelevant factors on juvenile justice decision making.

Exploring Agreement on Appropriate Responses to Domestic Violence and Sexual Trauma Across Victim Advocates, Mental Health Service Providers, and Substance Abuse Treatment Providers

Abstract Research suggests that survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault are more at risk than the general population for substance abuse and/or mental health disorders (Kendler et al., 2000). Additionally, research suggests that survivors of both crimes are at risk to be “multiply diagnosed-have” a history of victimization, a mental health diagnosis, and abuse of alcohol and drugs (Steele & Rechberger, 2002). While advocates have called for a change in the treatment of trauma survivors to treat their multiple needs, the availability of collaborative care between victim advocates and behavioral health professionals remains questionable. Using survey data collected from victim advocates, mental health service providers, and substance abuse treatment providers, this study assesses the extent to which providers of different backgrounds agree on how to effectively and appropriately serve domestic violence and sexual assault survivors-the first step in achieving the goal of holistic care.

System Backgrounds, Psychosocial Characteristics, and Service Access Among Dually Involved Youth: A Los Angeles Case Study

Dually involved youth are youth who are concurrently involved in both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Dually involved youth require a broader array of services compared to single-system youth though less is known about what types of services youth ultimately access while under the supervision of both systems. The current study examines the juvenile justice and child welfare histories, psychosocial characteristics, and predictors of rearrest among the dually involved population in Los Angeles County (N = 718) as well as the services youth are referred to and utilize among a subsample of dually involved youth tracked postdisposition (n = 152). Findings reveal an increased representation of females and an overrepresentation of African Americans among the sample. In fact, African American youth in Los Angeles County are disproportionately dually involved at a rate almost 6 times their general population numbers (7.4% vs. 43%). Youth histories show significant involvement in both systems with 33% of the sample having been arrested prior to the current referral, and youth having an average of 10.8 referrals to child welfare in their past. Youth exhibited high levels of behavioral health issues, which were associated with rearrest. Youth were referred to a broad range of services, though not all of them were accessed. Placement changes and contact with probation officers were identified as both challenges to and facilitators of service access in unique ways.