Kristina K. Childs

Investigating the Underlying Structure and Stability of Problem Behaviors Across Adolescence

Data collected as part of the Projects on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN) were used to examine (1) the underlying structure of adolescent problem behavior, (2) continuity and change in patterns of problem behaviors across mid to late adolescence and (3) the risk and protective factors related to observed patterns of behavior. The data used in this study were taken from Waves 2 and 3 of Cohorts 12 and 15 of PHDCN (n = 1,124). The results suggested that a 4-class categorical model (i.e., latent class analysis) best represents the pattern of responses to behavioral items used to measure delinquency, substance use, and risky sexual practices. The analyses revealed patterns of stability, escalation, and de-escalation, as well as differential risk across the four groups. Implications for understanding problem behaviors and prevention and intervention strategy are discussed.

A Comparison of Empirically Based and Structured Professional Judgment Estimation of Risk Using the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth

This study builds on a long-standing debate focusing on whether structured professional judgment (SPJ) or empirically based methods of risk estimation are more valid and reliable measures of future behavior by comparing three different measures of risk. Data were collected from the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth administered to a sample of 177 adjudicated juvenile offenders prior to being placed on probation. Three measures of risk were examined: an empirically derived measure of risk using latent class analysis, a violence risk based on SPJ, and a nonviolent delinquency risk based on SPJ. The ability of each measure to predict probation-related outcomes and recidivism was also addressed. Results provide moderate support for the continued use of the SPJ framework and highlight the need for future research regarding risk assessment procedures in juvenile justice settings.

Exploring gender differences in constellations of problem behaviors and associated health-related factors during adolescence

Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), this study expands on previous research on adolescent problem behavior by (1) examining gender differences in patterns or ‘subgroups’ of adolescents based on self-reported problem behaviors and (2) identifying differences in health-related factors including service utilization, physical and mental health, and violent victimization across the identified gender-specific subgroups. The data used in this study were taken from Wave 2 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) data and includes respondents under the age of 18 (n = 10,360). Based on 16 problem behavior items measuring delinquency, substance use, risky sexual practices, and status offending, latent class analyses identified a 4-class model for the male subsample and a 3-class model for the female subsample. Important differences in health-related factors were observed across the latent classes. However, these differences were fairly consistent for boys and girls. Implications for prevention and intervention strategies, specifically focusing on the intersection of juvenile justice and public health services, are discussed.

Sex Differences in the Measurement Invariance and Factors That Influence Structured Judgments of Risk Using the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY)

The goals of this study were to test the measurement invariance of the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY) across sex and to assess whether the same items on the SAVRY influenced practitioners’ judgments about the risk for boys and girls separately. Using administrative data from 292 adjudicated juvenile offenders placed in state custody, we found that the internal structure of risk was invariant across sex. We also found both similarities and differences in the factors used to make judgments about risk across boys and girls. Our results provide support for the use of the SAVRY for boys and girls and supplement previous research examining the predictive validity of the SAVRY, the structured professional judgment framework for juvenile justice risk assessment, and the utility of the SAVRY across gender groups.

Exploring the Structure of Adolescent Problem Behaviors and the Associated Adult Outcomes

ABSTRACT This study expands on previous research on adolescent problem behaviors by examining whether different constellations of problem behavior in adolescence differentially impact outcomes during emerging adulthood. Data from the in-home interviews of waves 2 and 3 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) were used to examine these relationships. Latent class analysis, using nineteen problem behaviors measured at wave 2, identified three classes of adolescents representing “low risk, abstainers,” “sexually-active, experimenters,” and a “high risk, diverse behavior” group. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were then used to identify class differences (measured at wave 3) in social stability, general health and service utilization, and criminal justice system involvement during emerging adulthood. Important class differences in the likelihood of negative outcomes during early adulthood were identified. The implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

General Strain Theory, Depression, and Substance Use: Results From a Nationally Representative, Longitudinal Sample of White, African-American, and Hispanic Adolescents and Young Adults

ABSTRACT Based on the interpretations of Agnews general strain theory (GST), White, African-American, and Hispanic adolescents and young adults were examined longitudinally to identify the intersection between strain and depression that could produce a long-term effect on substance use. Results from full sample and group-based path models indicate that some support was found for the general tenets of GST. African-Americans were significantly different from Whites and Hispanics in regard to experiencing certain types of strain; however, the results were not always in the anticipated direction. Possible theoretical reasons for the findings and directions for future research are discussed.

Race Differences in Patterns of Risky Behavior and Associated Risk Factors in Adolescence

Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), this study expands on previous research by (a) examining differences across race in patterns or “subgroups” of adolescents based on nine self-reported behaviors (e.g., delinquency, substance use, risky sexual practices) and (b) comparing the risk factors (e.g., peer association, parenting, neighborhood cohesion), both within and across the race-specific subgroups, related to membership into the identified latent classes. The data used in this study include respondents aged 13 to 17 who participated in Waves 1 and 2 of the Add Health in-home interview. Latent class analysis (LCA) identified key differences in the number and characteristics of the latent classes across the racial subgroups. In addition, both similarities and differences in the risk factors for membership into the latent classes were identified across and within the race-specific subgroups. Implications for understanding risky behavior in adolescence, as well as directions for future research, are discussed.

Developing and sustaining collaborative research partnerships with universities and criminal justice agencies

The systematic understanding of partnerships between academic-based researchers and criminal justice agencies has received relatively little attention in scholarly journals. This is an area in need of scholarly attention because research collaborations among universities and justice agencies have increased in recent years and there is a lack of resources specific to our discipline regarding best practices for developing and sustaining these relationships. Indeed, research focusing on researcher-practitioner partnerships exists in other disciplines including the public health, business, and medical fields, and to a lesser degree the social sciences. However, the criminal justice sector is unique in a number of ways including the population served, the sensitivity of the data, the amount of funding available, and the large number of agencies that are involved in a single project. Thus, this is the gap in our literature we hope to begin filling with this special edition of Criminal Justice Studies. The relatively recent increase in university-agency research partnerships can be attributed to a number of different factors. These include the growing recognition by university leaders that academic research should be relevant and useful to the community and the increased attention to evidence-based practices. Among criminal justice agencies, there is also an emerging appreciation of data-driven decisionmaking and the use of rigorous research methodology. Agencies are beginning to recognize that using data to help inform policies and practices can greatly enhance operations, cut down costs, ensure equitable practices, and maintain public safety. In addition, for many years there were suggestions that applicants for nonresearcher-initiated (R01s, etc.) grants should partner with a researcher. However, it was not until recently that this was a requirement. Nowadays, it is not unusual for grant solicitations from government and private funders to carry a requirement for the involvement of an evaluator/researcher from the beginning of the project, with an adequate funding level built into the proposal budget. Furthermore, as we move through the ‘what works’ and ‘what matters’ in the production and dissemination of evidence-based practices, the role of researchers comes into even greater importance. Whether we call it ‘translational research,’ ‘implementation science,’ or some variant of ‘diffusion of innovation,’ the collaborative efforts of the developer/implementer of the new approach and the researchers evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of the approach are crucial aspects of the successfulness of the innovation as a whole. As the importance of university researcher-criminal justice agency partnerships becomes more apparent, the experiences of scholars who have been engaged in this type of research will also become incredibly valuable. The development of a body of work surrounding collaborative partnerships in criminal justice will allow veteran scholars to reflect on their experiences and compare across different partnerships to

Age Differences in the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY)

ABSTRACT This study examined age differences in (1) the latent structure of the SAVRY, (2) the correspondence among structured professional judgments of risk and an empirically-derived measure, and (3) the SAVRYs predictive validity for probation outcomes. The sample consisted of 177 juveniles placed on probation. Analyses were conducted on two separate age groups: ages 13–15 and 16–18. We found that the SAVRY measured “risk” similarly across age (i.e., invariant latent structures) and that structured judgments of risk corresponded with the empirically-derived measure across both age groups. However, findings regarding the predictive validity of the SAVRY for probation outcomes were mixed. These findings provide strong support for the measurement and construct validity of the SAVRY across age and highlight the need for additional research on age differences in the strength of its predictive validity.