NCJ Number
156501
Journal
Journal for Juvenile Justice and Detention Services Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Dated: (Spring 1995) Pages: 23-25
Date Published
1995
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Over the years, psychologists have become increasingly involved in juvenile detention system at two levels, psychologists who provide psychological assessments for juvenile courts and psychologists who provide services to juvenile detention centers.
Abstract
Specific duties of psychologists include providing individual, crisis intervention, and supportive counseling to juvenile detention residents; conducting group counseling sessions and various other therapeutic interventions; providing consultation and advice to juvenile detention staff; and assisting juvenile detention staff in planning and addressing resident needs. Referrals for psychological services are primarily channeled through the juvenile detention center's social service department. Because of the crisis intervention nature of the juvenile detention environment, psychologists must deal with such issues as emotional stress, depression, suicide ideation and/or gestures, problem behavior, coping strategies, and supportive counseling. Further, since adolescents in juvenile detention present an extremely broad range of psychological needs and the juvenile detention environment is very fluid, it is often difficult to plan treatment programs. Therefore, the focus of the psychologist has to be on short-term intervention for immediate treatment. The importance of developing a communication and feedback structure involving the psychologist and juvenile detention staff is emphasized.