Qualitative Study of Relationships Among Parenting Strategies, Social Capital, the Juvenile Justice System, and Mental Health Care for At-Risk African American Male Youth

• NCJ Number: 237497
• Journal: Journal of Correctional Health Care Volume: 17 Issue: 4 Dated: October 2011 Pages: 319-328
• Author(s): Joseph B. Richardson, Jr., Ph.D.; Mischelle Van Brakle J.D.
• Date Published: October 2011
• Length: 10 pages
• Grant Number(s): 5R25MH080669
• Sponsoring Agency: William T. Grant Foundation; Spencer Foundation; National Institute of Mental Health
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article discusses that for poor, African-American families living in the inner city, the juvenile justice system has become a de facto mental health service provider.

Abstract

For many poor, African-American families living in the inner city, the juvenile justice system has become a de facto mental health service provider. In this article, longitudinal, ethnographic study methods were used to examine how resource-deprived, inner-city parents in a New York City community relied on the juvenile justice system to provide their Africa-American male children with mental health care resources. The results of three case studies indicate that this strategy actually contributed to an escalation in delinquency among the youth. (Published Abstract)