Is concurrent child welfare intervention associated with recurrent juvenile justice contact? Evidence from...

Previous research has documented a relationship between child welfare system (CWS) involvement and juvenile justice system (JJS) involvement. However, research has not sufficiently examined how the nature of CWS involvement that occurs concurrently with initial JJS contact influences continued JJS involvement.

This study aimed to determine how different types of CWS involvement experienced concurrently with an initial JJS disposition affect recurrent JJS contact relative to nonconcurrent involvement among a cohort of dual system youth.

Using linked administrative data from Pennsylvania (N = 10,554), we used flexible parametric survival models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) predicting the risk of a new JJS referral within three years of an initial JJS referral.

Relative to nonconcurrent CWS involvement, placement in a foster home, kinship care, or group home at the time of initial JJS involvement was associated with reduced risk of recurrent JJS contact among males and youth with mental health disorders. In-home CWS services were not associated with reduced risk of recurrent JJS involvement relative to nonconcurrent involvement.

Reducing the use of noninstitutional forms of out-of-home care, including group homes, may not benefit dual system youth absent substantial improvements to alternative service responses. Practice reforms that increase timely identification of youth mental health service needs and expand direct provision of CWS services to youth warrant consideration.