Kristina Childs

Recently Arrested Adolescents are at High Risk for Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Background: Adolescent offenders may be at high risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). With previous research and interventions focused on incarcerated adolescents, data are needed on STD prevalence and risk factors among newly arrested youth released to the community, a far larger subgroup. Methods: Participants were recruited from all arrested youth processed at the Hillsborough County, Florida Juvenile Assessment Center during the last half of 2006 (506 males, 442 females). Participants voluntarily providing urine samples for drug testing as part of standard protocol were also consented to having their specimens split and tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea, using an FDA-approved nucleic acid amplification test. Results: STD prevalence was similar to those previously reported among incarcerated adolescents: 11.5% tested positive for chlamydia, 4.2% for gonorrhea, and 13.2% for either or both infections. Prevalence was significantly higher among females: 19.2% of females had either or both infections compared with 10.5% of males. Prevalence was higher for 17 to 18 year olds (15.2% of males, 25.5% of females), blacks, detained youths, drug users, and those engaged in sexual risk behaviors. Previous STD testing experience was limited. Conclusions: The study indicated that a voluntary STD screening protocol is feasible for arrested youth entering the juvenile justice system, and these offenders are at high risk for STDs. Because most arrested youths are released back to the community, routine testing and treatment of recently arrested youths, and expanded access to risk reduction and prevention programs, can yield substantial public health benefits.

Drug use and sexually transmitted diseases among female and male arrested youths.

Knowledge of the rates and correlates of juvenile offenders’ sexually transmitted diseases (STD) has been limited to samples of incarcerated youths comprised mostly of males. Data collected on 442 female and 506 male youths processed at a centralized intake facility enabled us to study this important public health problem among a sample of juvenile offenders at the front end of the justice system. Female–male, multi-group latent class analyses identified two subgroups, High Risk and Lower Risk, of youths described by a latent construct of risk based on drug test results, STD test results, and a classification for the seriousness of arrest charge. The results found: (1) a similar classification distinguished High Risk and Lower Risk male and female youths, and (2) important gender group differences in sexual risk related factors (e.g., substance use during sexual encounters). Among the youths in this sample who tested positive for an STD, 66% of the girls and 57% of the boys were released back into the community after arrest. Overall, our findings raise serious public health and social welfare concerns, for both the youths and the community. Prevention and intervention implications of these findings are also discussed.

SELF-CONTROL, GANG MEMBERSHIP, AND VICTIMIZATION: AN INTEGRATED APPROACH

ABSTRACT This study integrates one of the most empirically tested individual characteristics (self-control) with situational factors (risky lifestyle) in an attempt to explain violent victimization. Data came from a diverse sample of 3,907 middle school students who participated in the G.R.E.A.T. program during the 1993-94 school year. Gang membership is used as a proxy variable to measure risky lifestyle. It is hypothesized that (1) gang membership mediates the effect of self-control on violent victimization and (2) self-control and gang membership interact to amplify the risk of violent victimization. Logistic regression was used to analyze the prevalence of violent victimization and negative binomial regression was used to analyze frequency of violent victimization. When other extraneous factors were controlled, evidence was found to support these hypotheses. A discussion of the findings, as well as theoretical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

A Group-Based Modeling Approach to Examining Sociodemographic Variation in the Association Among Risky Sexual Behavior, Drug Use, and Criminal Involvement in a Sample of Newly Arrested Juvenile Offenders

This study examined sociodemographic variation in the interrelationships between risky sexual practices, substance use, and arrest history. The sample consisted of 948 newly arrested juvenile offenders processed at a centralized intake facility in 2006. A series of confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling techniques were used to (a) determine if risky sexual behavior, marijuana and cocaine use, and arrest history form a unidimensional latent factor, (b) examine the direct effect of age on the latent factor, and (c) compare the factor structure, as well as the effect of age on the latent factor, across four demographic subgroups based on race and gender. Important similarities, as well as differences, in the factor structure across the four groups were found. The results highlight the importance of accounting for sociodemographic factors when examining the association among adolescent problem behaviors.

Gender and racial differences in risk factors for sexually transmitted diseases among justice-involved youth

Gender and racial differences in infection rates for chlamydia and gonorrhea have been reported within community-based populations, but little is known of such differences within juvenile offending populations. Moreover, while research has demonstrated that certain individual-level and community-level factors affect risky behaviors associated with sexually transmitted disease (STD), less is known about how multi-level factors affect STD infection, particularly among delinquent populations. The present study investigated gender and racial differences in STD infection among a sample of 924 juvenile offenders. Generalized linear model regression analyses were conducted to examine the influence of individual-level factors such as age, offense history, and substance use and community-level factors such as concentrated disadvantage, ethnic heterogeneity, and family disruption on STD status. Results revealed significant racial and STD status differences across gender, as well as interaction effects for race and STD status for males only. Gender differences in individual-level and community-level predictors were also found. Implications of these findings for future research and public health policy are discussed.