Postjuvenile justice reform changes in youths' mental health symptoms

Research has reported high rates of mental disorder and symptoms among youth in the juvenile justice (JJ) system and the racial disparities that these youth are in in secure settings. However, most studies were conducted in only secure settings, and they are dated. The United States has undergone extensive JJ reforms since then, including a widespread push toward diversion for youth with mental health concerns. This study compared Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-Version 2 screening results in JJ settings from 1997 to 2003 with a postreform sample of Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-Version 2 from 2015 to early 2020 (n = 62,482) in five states to examine differences in the presence of self-reported mental health symptoms in secure versus probation settings and by race/ethnicity. Rates of significant mental health concerns among JJ youth decreased by only 5% from pre- to postreform overall; however, there were significant decreases in rates of significant mental health symptoms within secure settings and fewer racial/ethnic disparities. These decreases were most notable for Latinx youth. Given the concomitant increase in youth mental health concerns in the general population during this timeframe, increases in the use of early mental health screening (at probation intake), the push toward diversion and against confinement for youth with mental health concerns, and strategies for reducing racial/ethnic disparities may have improved court decisions. These initiatives should continue. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).