Eight articles address issues and activities related to the prevention of juvenile delinquency and enlightened policies and procedures for managing juveniles involved in the justice system.
The first part of this issue addresses the factors that contribute to a reduction in juvenile recidivism and support successful reentry for youth institutionalized by the justice system. One article examines how juvenile facility operations influence recidivism. Using State evaluation data from juvenile facilities in Florida, one article examines facility operations that include health care, intervention management, facility security, and program management. The study found that the nature and quality of these institutional factors impact recidivism. Another article reports on an examination of the effects on juvenile recidivism rates of neighborhood characteristics, such as availability of jobs, prosocial activities, and schooling. A third article reports on an analysis of qualitative data from a focus group that discussed how girls transitioning to home after incarceration perceive their supports and challenges. Another article discusses the use of conjoint analysis in examining the decision-making process of juvenile probation officers. An article reports on a study that analyzed the impact that job resumes of both white and Black delinquent and non-delinquent job applicants have on the perceptions of hiring managers. Other articles in this issue focus on gender comparisons in the outcome of intervention programs, the use of evidence-based, decision-making support tools for judges; and a review of the benefits and challenges of participatory research for the implementation of a behavioral health study.