NCJ Number
170497
Journal
Juvenile and Family Court Journal Volume: 49 Issue: 1 Dated: (Winter 1998) Pages: 1-9
Date Published
1998
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study focuses on the assessment and management of problem areas that are believed to contribute to repeated adolescent criminal behavior.
Abstract
Psychological assessments were completed on 50 adolescent offenders ages 13 through 18. All evaluations had been court-ordered to assist with legal disposition and focused on assessment and management of risk factors believed to contribute to repeated criminal behavior. The article describes a process for the psychological evaluation of problem areas and the development of management strategies to address those areas. Problem areas included, but were not limited to, severe school problems, previous aggression, negative peer influences, guardedness/denial, a lack of supervision and limits, underlying affective states, and substance abuse. In the future, an empirically derived list of problem areas may be available with weightings based on degree of risk. In the meantime, information extracted from psychological evaluations can assist the courts with educated opinions concerning risk for inappropriate behaviors with recommendations for managing those behaviors. Table, references