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Date: November 22, 2024 Fri
Time: 11:42 am
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Results for adolescents
34 results foundAuthor: Priebe, Gisela Title: Adolescents' Experiences of Sexual Abuse: Prevalence, Abuse Characteristics, Disclosure, Health and Ethical Aspects Summary: The purpose of this thesis was to investigate aspects of self-reported sexual abuse during childhood and adolescence in a population-based study of Swedish high school students. The aim of this thesis was first to investigate the lifetime prevalence of sexual abuse of varying severity and characteristics as well as the associations between sexual abuse, gender, socio-demographic characteristics and consensual sexual experiences. Details: Lund, Sweden: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 2009 Source: Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 117347 Keywords: AdolescentsChild Sexual Abuse |
Author: Feinstein, Clare Title: Children's and Adolescents' Participation and Protection from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Summary: This paper presents an overview of government commitments concerning children's and adolescents' participation in the fight against sexual abuse and exploitation; children's and adolescents' own recommendations to end sexual abuse and exploitation of children; and inspiring case studies that provide concrete recommendations for strengthening children's and adolescents' involvement in child protection. Details: Florence, Italy: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, 2009 Source: Innocenti Working Paper; 2009-09 Year: 2009 Country: Italy URL: Shelf Number: 114869 Keywords: AdolescentsChild Sexual Abuse |
Author: Warburton, William P. Title: The Impact of Placing Adolescent Males into Foster Care on their Education, Income Assistance and Incarcerations Summary: Understanding the causal impacts of taking youth on the margins of risk into foster care is an element of the evidence-base on which policy development for this crucial function of government relies. Yet, there is little research looking at these causal impacts; neither is there much empirical work looking at long-term outcomes. This paper focuses on estimating the impact of placing 16 to 18 year old male youth into care on their rates of high school graduation, and post-majority income assistance receipt and incarceration. Two distinct sources of exogenous variation are used to generate instrumental variables, the estimates from which are interpreted in a heterogeneous treatment effects framework as local average treatment effects (LATEs). And, indeed, each source of exogenous variation is observed to estimate different parameters. While both instruments are in accord in that placement in foster care reduces (or delays) high school graduation, the impact of taking youth into care on income assistance use has dramatically different magnitudes across the two margins explored, and, perhaps surprisingly, one source of exogenous variation causes an increase, and the other a decrease, in the likelihood of the youth being incarcerated by age 20. Our results suggest that it is not enough to ask whether more or fewer children should be taken into care; rather, which children are, and how they are, taken into care matter for long-term outcomes. Details: Bonn, Germany: Institute for the Study of Labor, 2011. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: IZA Discussion Paper No. 5429: Accessed February 1, 2011 at: http://ftp.iza.org/dp5429.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://ftp.iza.org/dp5429.pdf Shelf Number: 120643 Keywords: AdolescentsFoster CareJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Offenhauer, Priscilla Title: Teen Dating Violence: A Literature Review and Annotated Bibliography Summary: This annotated bibliography and summary of research identify significant research carried out in the decade since 1999 on the issue of dating violence among high school and middle school youth. The survey provided by the bibliography and summary covers quantitative and qualitative literature on the definition and prevalence of, as well as risk factors for, adolescent dating violence, also called teen relationship abuse. Commonly researched risk factors, correlates, or predictors of teen dating violence include demographic and community-level factors, as well as more proximate family-level, individual-level, and situational risks. Particular note is taken of longitudinal work on such factors. The survey also encompasses research on the deleterious effects of dating violence both in the context of the current relationship and in future intimate partnerships. Finally, the bibliography and summary cover the literature on the effectiveness of prevention programs and on responses to the issue of dating violence in the law and legal systems. Details: Washington, DC: Library of Congress, Federal Research Division, 2011. 91p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 11, 2011 at: http://www.ncdsv.org/images/LibraryOfCongress_TDV-AnnotateBibliography_4-2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncdsv.org/images/LibraryOfCongress_TDV-AnnotateBibliography_4-2011.pdf Shelf Number: 122367 Keywords: AdolescentsDating ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Berlin, Lisa J. Title: Juvenile or Adult? Adolescent Off enders and the Line Between the Juvenile and Criminal Justice Systems Summary: Most states’ juvenile justice systems have two main goals: increased public safety and the rehabilitation of adolescent offenders to prevent future crime. Policymakers and others need balanced information about the most effective ways to meet both goals. Currently, North Carolina, New York, and Connecticut are the only states that prosecute 16- and 17-year-olds charged with a crime in adult criminal court. The North Carolina General Assembly is addressing the question of whether 16- and 17-year-olds charged with a crime should be prosecuted in juvenile court instead. The question of whether adolescent offenders should be prosecuted in the juvenile or adult system is important because off enders aged 16-24 account for 37 percent of arrests for violent crimes in the United States and North Carolina. Policies that impact the frequency and duration of criminal activity among 16- and 17-year-olds have a major impact on overall crime rates and public safety. This Family Impact Seminar briefing report addresses the line between the juvenile and adults systems. A “family impact perspective” on policymaking informs this report. Just as policymakers routinely consider the environmental or economic impact of policies and programs, Family Impact Seminars help policymakers examine impact on families by providing research findings and evidence-based strategies. This report consists of five briefs: Brief 1 provides background and recent history on the handling of adolescent offenders in the United States and North Carolina; a description of how the current North Carolina juvenile justice system works; recent North Carolina juvenile justice statistics; and information on programs and facilities for adolescent offenders in North Carolina and other states. Brief 2 discusses research on youth development pertaining to three issues central to policies for adolescent offenders: blameworthiness, competence to stand trial, and the potential for an adolescent’s character to change. Brief 3 details how other states treat adolescent offenders. Brief 4 discusses research on how juvenile crime rates respond to changes in punishment laws. Brief 5 presents three policy options and a series of further considerations. The briefing report concludes with a glossary, a list of acronyms, a list of additional resources, and a chart of the current legal age in NC for different activities. Details: Durham, NC: Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University, 2007. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 20, 2012 at: http://www.childandfamilypolicy.duke.edu/pdfs/familyimpact/2007/BriefingReport_07.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.childandfamilypolicy.duke.edu/pdfs/familyimpact/2007/BriefingReport_07.pdf Shelf Number: 123690 Keywords: AdolescentsJuvenile Court TransferJuvenile OffendersWaiver (of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction) |
Author: Gibson, Chris L. Title: Unpacking the Influence of Neighborhood Context and Antisocial Propensity on Violent Victimization of Children and Adolescents in Chicago Summary: This research combines social disorganization and self-control theories to understand violent victimization among children and adolescents. In doing so, several research questions are investigated to explore the independent and interactive influences that neighborhood disadvantage and low self-control have on violent victimization risk. Data from the 9, 12, and 15-year old cohorts of the Longitudinal Cohort Study in the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN-LCS) were used in this study. Data analyzed were from self-reports of children, adolescents, and their primary caregivers during waves 1 and 2 of the longitudinal data collection effort. In addition, neighborhood structural characteristics from the U.S. Census were also analyzed. Results from a combination of hierarchical generalized linear models and multivariate logistic regression models with robust standard errors revealed that violent victimization did not significantly vary across neighborhoods, and independent of various behavioral and lifestyle choices made by children and adolescents, low self-control increased the risk for becoming a victim of violence. Additionally, choices made by them also influenced their risk of violent victimization; those who reported engaging in violent offending, spending more time in unstructured activities, and having more delinquent peers had a higher risk of being a victim of violence. Further analysis shows that the association between low self-control and violent victimization risk varies across levels of neighborhood concentrated disadvantage in which youth live; low self-control’s influence in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods dissipated while it was amplified for those living in the least disadvantaged neighborhoods. Unstructured socializing with peers was the only factor that significantly influenced violent victimization risk across low, medium and high disadvantaged neighborhoods. Findings are consistent with a “social push” perspective, which suggests that disadvantaged environments provide social pressures that may override the influence of individual differences on vulnerability to violent victimization. Implications of this study’s findings are discussed as they relate to policy, prevention and theory; while also setting forth a research agenda on neighborhoods, antisocial traits, and violent victimization risk for future research. Details: Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, 2012. 79p. Source: Final Report: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2012 at https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/237731.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/237731.pdf Shelf Number: 124181 Keywords: AdolescentsCrime StatisticsJuvenile VictimsSelf-Report StudiesVictimizationViolent Crime |
Author: Bowlby, Jeffrey W. Title: At a Crossroads: First Results for the 18 to 20-Year-old Cohort of the Youth in Transition Survey Summary: This report provides a descriptive overview of the first results from the 2000 Youth in Transition Survey (YITS) for 18-20-year-olds in Canada. The YITS, developed through a partnership between Human Resources Development Canada and Statistics Canada, is a longitudinal survey designed to collect a broad range of information on the education and labour market experiences of youth. This report provides new information on high school dropout rates as of December 1999 and compares high school graduates and dropouts on a number of dimensions, including family background, parental education and occupation, engagement with school, working during high school, peer influence, and educational aspirations. This report also provides a first look at pathways followed by young people once they are no longer in high school, including their participation in post-secondary education, employment status, self-assessed skills levels, and barriers to post-secondary education. Details: Ottawa: Human Resources Development Canada, Statistics Canada 2002. 73p. Source: 81-591-XIE: Internet Resource: Accessed March 2, 2012 at http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-591-x/81-591-x2000001-eng.pdf Year: 2002 Country: Canada URL: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-591-x/81-591-x2000001-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 124363 Keywords: (Canada) Longitudinal StudiesAdolescentsEducationEmployment |
Author: The Schapiro Group Title: Men Who Buy Sex with Adolescent Girls: A Scientific Research Study Summary: This report details a first-of-its-kind study to quantify, describe, and understand demand for CSEC (Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children) in Georgia. It paints a clear picture of the adult men who exploit adolescent females by paying for sex with them. The study involved an innovative survey methodology that yielded 218 completed useable surveys over a 2-month period in fall 2009. Almost half these men are the age 30-39, with the next largest group being men under age 30. The mean age is 33 and the median 31. The youngest survey participant was 18, and the oldest was 67. The data clearly debunk the myth that CSEC is a problem relegated to the urban core. Men who respond to advertisements for sex with young females come from all over metro Atlanta, the geographic market where the advertisements in this study were targeted. Not only are 65% of men who buy sex with young females doing so in and around suburban metro Atlanta, but 9% of men who buy sex with young females in metro Atlanta gave their location as near the airport. This finding is consistent with advocates’ claims that travel and tourism play a major role in sustaining CSEC. The numbers are staggering — 12,400 men each month in Georgia pay for sex with a young female, 7,200 of whom end up exploiting an adolescent female. Craigslist is by far the most efficient medium for advertising sex with young females; ads on this site received 3 times as many responses compared to identical ads placed on other sites. (See Appendix). These men account for 8,700 paid sex acts with adolescent females each month, which means that each adolescent female is exploited an average of 3 times per day. Over 700,000 men have bought sex with females in Georgia, including both “young” and “not young” females. With approximately 3 million adult men in Georgia, this study finds that 23% have purchased sex with females, and 20,700 men do so in any given month. While many of the men who exploit these children are not seeking adolescent females per se, the study also shows that just under half are willing to pay for sex with a young female even when they know for sure she is an adolescent. Local, state, and national lawmakers need to be made aware of the magnitude of the demand for CSEC, as well as the nature of the demand. Advocates need to debunk the myth that CSEC is perpetrated by a small number of “sexual predators.” Details: Atlanta, Georgia: The Schapiro Group, Inc., Undated. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2012 at http://www.womensfundingnetwork.org/sites/wfnet.org/files/AFNAP/TheSchapiroGroupGeorgiaDemandStudy.pdf Year: 0 Country: United States URL: http://www.womensfundingnetwork.org/sites/wfnet.org/files/AFNAP/TheSchapiroGroupGeorgiaDemandStudy.pdf Shelf Number: 124585 Keywords: AdolescentsAdult Offenders, Male (Georgia)Child Exploitation (Georgia)Sexual Exploitation (Georgia) |
Author: Dottridge, Mike Title: Children, Adolescents and Human Trafficking: Making Sense of a Complex Problem Summary: This Issue Paper presents current knowledge about the scope and meaning of child trafficking. Although it might seem to be a simple subject to describe, it is not. First, there is the question of what a ‘child’ is. The international definition in the Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a ‘child’ as a person under the age of 18 but, at the same time, it recognizes the evolving capacity of adolescents to engage in certain activities and make certain decisions (UN Child Rights Convention, UN Committee on the Rights of the Child 2003). Additionally, there is confusion about how to distinguish between child employment, which is permissible, and child labor, which is not. Also, there is a conflict between international law and local practices because, in many countries, children routinely start to work before reaching the minimum legal age for employment set by international law. Details: Washington, DC: Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law, Washington College of Law, American University, 2012. 21p. Source: Issue Paper 5: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2012 at http://rightswork.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Issue-Paper-5.pdf Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://rightswork.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Issue-Paper-5.pdf Shelf Number: 126025 Keywords: AdolescentsChild LaborChild TraffickingChild VictimsHuman Trafficking |
Author: Arnold, Leah Title: 'Breaking the Cycle of Violence': A Quantitative Evaluation of an Educative Intervention Aimed at Improving the Self-Concepts and Behaviours of Vulnerable Adolescents Summary: The present research offers an evaluation of the LINX Programme; an intervention for young people who have been exposed to domestic violence and ultimately have severe self-concept and violence related issues. The methodology primarily consists of quantitative likert-scale surveys which are administered to the participants both before they begin the programme and 12 weeks later upon its completion. Therefore the data collection has been a longitudinal process. Additionally, reoffending data has been collected from past LINX participants and is used in conjunction with the survey data. For a significant statistical majority of young people, both self-concepts and behaviours had improved following the LINX Programme. Likewise, to highlight further the achievement of this intervention, no significant variance of scores was found across either gender or age. This suggests that the programme has been consistently delivered and is applicable for the majority of young people in attendance; however due to certain limitations other alternative explanations for this statistical outcome are discussed. This study has an extensive rationale due to the currently very limited academic focus on intervention efforts. Particularly minimal are studies which adopt a quantitative approach. Furthermore, this investigation takes an original approach by developing very informative regional comparisons where the same intervention is employed within four different counties of the United Kingdom. Beyond its contribution to social psychological research, this study has implications for the LINX Programme itself, by effectively applying social scientific knowledge to the evaluation of an existing intervention. In conclusion to the project, recommendations for extensions to the present research and the future development of the LINX Programme are identified. Details: Southampton, UK: University of Southampton, 2011. 51p. Source: Dissertation: Internet Resource: Accessed September 4, 2012 at http://www.hamptontrust.org.uk/what_we_do/linx/la_dissertation_breakingthecycleofviolence.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.hamptontrust.org.uk/what_we_do/linx/la_dissertation_breakingthecycleofviolence.pdf Shelf Number: 126254 Keywords: AdolescentsCrime Prevention ProgramsDomestic ViolenceIntervention Programs |
Author: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Title: Teen Drinking and Driving: A Dangerous Mix Summary: The percentage of teens in high school who drink and drive has decreased by more than half since 1991, but more can be done. Nearly one million high school teens drank alcohol and got behind the wheel in 2011. Teen drivers are 3 times more likely than more experienced drivers to be in a fatal crash. Drinking any alcohol greatly increases this risk for teens. Research has shown that factors that help to keep teens safe include parental involvement, minimum legal drinking age and zero tolerance laws, and graduated driver licensing systems. These proven steps can protect the lives of more young drivers and everyone who shares the road with them. Details: Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012. 4p. Source: CDC Vitalsigns: Internet Resource: Accessed October 7, 2012 at http://www.cdc.gov/VitalSigns/pdf/2012-10-vitalsigns.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.cdc.gov/VitalSigns/pdf/2012-10-vitalsigns.pdf Shelf Number: 126581 Keywords: AdolescentsAlcohol AbuseAlcohol Related Crime, DisorderDriving Under the InfluenceDrunk Driving |
Author: Decker, Scott H. Title: Leaving the Gang: Logging Off and Moving On Summary: Why do people leave a group that they have been a member of? What do they do to leave their group? What role, if any, do the use of social media and the Internet play in this process? These questions and more are addressed in this paper, which is a follow-on to the Summit Against Violent Extremism (SAVE) held by Google Ideas and CFR in Dublin in June 2011. In criminology the focus on desistance has been a part of the life course study of crime. This approach examines involvement in crime across the life span, and pays particular attention to initial involvement in crime during adolescence as well as declines in crime that tend to occur beginning in the early twenties. This latter process is referred to as desistance from crime and tends to occur rather rapidly, usually starting in the late teens. This is typically a period of considerable maturation, marked by the movement from adolescence into adulthood and the increasing involvement in family and the labor market. Social media play an increasingly important role in the lives of adolescents as they transition to adulthood. We examine the results from 177 in-person interviews conducted in Fresno, California; Los Angeles, California; and St. Louis, Missouri. These interviews focus on embeddedness in the gang, use of the Internet, and involvement in offending and victimization. The interviews document why and how individuals leave their gang, and also examine the consequences of leaving the gang. We hope through this research to shed additional light on these important issues. Details: New York: Council on Foreign Relations, 2011. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 15, 2012 at http://i.cfr.org/content/publications/attachments/SAVE_paper_Decker_Pyrooz.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://i.cfr.org/content/publications/attachments/SAVE_paper_Decker_Pyrooz.pdf Shelf Number: 126745 Keywords: AdolescentsCriminal CareersDesistance from GangsGangs |
Author: Veen, Violaine Title: Risk Profiles of Youth in Pre-Trial Detention: A comparative study of Moroccan and Dutch male adolescents in the Netherlands Summary: Moroccan male adolescents in the Netherlands are highly overrepresented in youth crime, compared to both native Dutch and other ethnic minority groups. The current thesis has been the first to examine the characteristics of Moroccan adolescent offenders in the Netherlands in relation to various environmental and individual risk factors, using quantitative data from both an offender population and from the general population. The objective of the present study was a) to identify the risk profile of Moroccan youth offenders in pre-trail detention, b) to compare this risk profile with that of native Dutch adolescents in pre-trail detention, and c) to draw intra-ethnic comparisons of various risk factors by using comparison samples from the respective general populations. Participants in this study were 299 boys aged 12-18 years, placed in pre-trial detention in 10 juvenile justice institutions in the Netherlands. From all incarcerated boys, 141 were of Moroccan origin and 158 were native Dutch. Of the participants, 168 parents participated in the study. Overall, a less problematic profile was found for Moroccan adolescents in pre-trial detention than for native Dutch adolescents in pre-trial detention. First, analysis of police record data showed that the offending behavior of Moroccan adolescents in pre-trial detention was characterized by relatively less serious delinquent acts (i.e., property-based offences) compared to native Dutch. Second, individual risk factors such as mental health problems and psychopathic traits, were found to be less prevalent among Moroccan adolescents in pre-trial detention than among native Dutch. Third, less control and less affection expression characterized the mother-son relationship in Moroccan families in general. Finally, the level of orientation towards Dutch society was higher for Moroccan adolescents in pre-trial detention than for Moroccan adolescents from the general population. In sum, the risk profile of Moroccan youths in pre-trial detention was found to be less problematic compared to the risk profile of incarcerated native Dutch, and incarcerated Moroccans were found to be more orientated towards the Dutch society than their Moroccan peers in the general population. The characteristics of Moroccan boys are indicative of various theoretical explanations for their overrepresentation in crime. First, being strongly oriented towards the Dutch society may make Moroccan youths more likely to use natives as a basis of social comparison, and therefore may make them more prone to experience frustration regarding their unfavorable socio-economic and socio-cultural position in the Netherlands. As a consequence, Moroccan immigrant youths may be more likely to engage in criminal activities. Second, a lack of social control exerted by for instance school and mothers in Moroccan families, is thought to contribute to problem behavior in Moroccan boys. Third, there are indications that discriminatory processes in the juvenile justice system may to some extent account for their overrepresentation in youth crime, and our findings on the relatively less problematic risk profiles of Moroccan boys are in line with these indications. Support is warranted for Moroccan boys, for example by creating more educational opportunities and better chances on the labor market and by helping Moroccan families accessing mental health services. Details: Utrecht: Utrecht University, 2011. 170p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed June 26, 2013 at: http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/dissertations/2011-0819-200943/UUindex.html Year: 2011 Country: Netherlands URL: http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/dissertations/2011-0819-200943/UUindex.html Shelf Number: 129187 Keywords: AdolescentsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Offenders (Netherlands)Minority GroupsPre-Trial DetentionRisk AssessmentSocioeconomic Status |
Author: Bruce, Judith Title: Violence Against Adolescent Girls: A Fundamental Challenge to Meaningful Equality Summary: Societies, rich and poor alike, are increasingly articulating commitments that guarantee girls safe and equal access to entitlements, services, social participation, and economic opportunities. Yet threats of violence in many forms—culturally affirmed (child marriage, female genital mutilation), intimate (carried out by family members and partners), casual (carried out by strangers), and planned (trafficking)— intervene to prevent girls from claiming their rights. Many countries are signatories to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and stipulate equality between males and females in their constitutions. Theoretically, safe access to resources and facilities is equally afforded to girls and boys, however a far higher proportion of boys and a smaller subset of usually more privileged girls may actually claim their rights and opportunities. The graphic on the right provides a general illustration of how violence impedes structural access. Girls’ lives are often conditioned around the possibility of violence. And acts of violence exert additional power over girls because the stigma of violence often attaches more to a girl than to her perpetrator. The experience of violence is devastating at the individual emotional and physical level. Its power to interrupt or fully disable girls’ access to entitlements, social participation, and—crucially— safe and decent livelihoods is an equally compelling reason to stop it. Violence is so pervasive in many societies that it has the feeling of being an active “plan” or even an opposing sector undermining the investments made by other sectors in girls’ well- being. Part of the “plan” to deny the rights of girls, even when society has made progress, is to condition them to avoid opportunity in order to manage risk. As girls internalize their responsibility for managing this risk, they begin to precensor their potential. Details: Washington, DC: Population Council, 2011. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: A Girls First! Publication: Accessed July 18, 2013 at: http://www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/2012PGY_GirlsFirst_Violence.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/2012PGY_GirlsFirst_Violence.pdf Shelf Number: 129446 Keywords: AdolescentsFemale VictimsGender-Based ViolenceViolence Against Women, Children |
Author: DePrince, Anne P. Title: Preventing Revictimization in Teen Dating Relationships Summary: Revictimization refers to the occurrence of two or more instances of violence and poses an enormous criminal justice problem. Adolescent girls in the child welfare system are at high risk of revictimization in adolescence. Most interventions with teens have focused on primary prevention (that is, prevention in teens not previously exposed to violence) of physical (usually not sexual) violence. In addition, interventions have frequently targeted youth in school settings, though youth in the child welfare system experience frequent transitions in housing/care that disrupt regular attendance at a single school. Thus, child welfare youth at high risk of revictimization may not receive prevention programming as consistently as their peers. Thus, the current study compared two active interventions designed to decrease revictimization in a diverse sample of adolescent girls in the child welfare system. The interventions targeted theoretically distinct risk factors for revictimization. The social learning/feminist (SL/F) intervention focused on concepts derived from social learning and feminist models of risk, such as sexism and beliefs about relationships. The risk detection/executive function (RD/EF) intervention focused on potential disruptions in the ability to detect and respond to risky situations/people due to problems in executive function. We enrolled 180 adolescent girls involved in the child welfare system. Participants were assessed four times: pre-, immediately post-, 2-months, and 6-months after the intervention ended. Assessment procedures included a comprehensive battery of self-report and behavioral tasks designed to assess the processes implicated by the two revictimization intervention approaches. We examined revictimization (the presence/absences of sexual or physical assault in any relationship) as well as a range of aggressive conflict tactics in current dating relationships. Participants were randomized to complete the RD/EF (n=67) or SL/F intervention (n=67). A group of youth (n=42) emerged who engaged in the research assessments and not the interventions. This offered an opportunity for a post-hoc, nonrandomized comparison group. Teens in the three conditions (RD/EF, SL/F, assessment only) were comparable in terms of demographic variables examined. Adolescent girls in the RD/EF condition were nearly 5 times more likely to not report sexual revictimization over the course of the study period compared to girls in the assessment-only group. A trend suggested that girls who participated in the SL/F intervention were 2.5 times more likely to not report sexual revictimization relative to the comparison group. For physical revictimization, the odds of not being physically revictimized were 3 times greater in the SL/F condition and 2 times greater in the RD/EF condition compared to the assessment-only group. The active interventions did not differ from one another in rates of revictimization, suggesting that practitioners have at least two viable options for curricula to engage youth around revictimization prevention. Further, the groups did not differ in attendance. Adolescents attended an average of nearly 70% of sessions, suggesting both interventions were acceptable to youth. We also examined adolescent girls' ratings of physical, emotional, and sexual conflict tactics in dating relationships using a continuous measure of aggression. Across time, adolescents reported significant decreases in their own and their partners' aggressive conflict tactics; the groups did not differ from one another. As part of demonstrating that high-risk youth can be successfully engaged outside of school-based programs, we also examined participants' responses to taking part in violence-focused interviews. Drawing on systematic assessments of participants' responses to the research interviews, adolescents reported that the benefits of violence-focused interviews outweighed the costs. As evidence increasingly points to the need to screen for and address trauma as part of providing effective mental and physical healthcare, this study has implications for thinking about assessing violence exposure as a routine part of practice. Details: Final Report to the U.S. Department of Justice, 2013. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2014 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/244086.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/244086.pdf Shelf Number: 131994 Keywords: AdolescentsDate RapeDating ViolenceRevictimizationSexual Violence |
Author: Smith, Stephanie Title: Young Men in Custody: A report on the pathways into and out of prison of young men aged 16 and 17' Summary: The broad purpose of this report was to examine young men's journeys into and out of custody. The Centre for Youth & Criminal Justice (CYCJ) was invited to undertake research to look at the pathways of young men under 18 currently in custody as identified in the action plan of the Reintegration & Transition Champions Group. This report draws together the findings of a review of mainly prison psychology files, along with some social work reports, for a total of 125 young men. These young men were aged 16 to 17 at the time of entering HMYOI Polmont during the year prior to data collection (October 2012 to September 2013) and semi-structured interviews were carried out with 11 young men who were serving sentences at the time of the data collection. Details: London: Centre for Youth & Criminal Justice, 2014. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 27, 2014 at: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Young-men-in-custody-research-report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Young-men-in-custody-research-report.pdf Shelf Number: 133830 Keywords: AdolescentsMale Juvenile Offenders (U.K.)ReintegrationYouthful Offenders |
Author: U.S. Department of Justice. United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Title: CRIPA Investigation of the New York City Department of Correction Jails on Rikers Island Summary: Attorney General Eric Holder and United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara announced today the completion of the Justice Department's multi-year civil investigation pursuant to the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act ("CRIPA") into the conditions of confinement of adolescent male inmates on Rikers Island. The investigation, which focused on use of force by staff, inmate-on-inmate violence, and use of punitive segregation during the period 2011-2013, concluded that there is a pattern and practice of conduct at Rikers Island that violates the rights of adolescents protected by the Eighth Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The investigation found that adolescent inmates are not adequately protected from physical harm due to the rampant use of unnecessary and excessive force by New York City Department of Correction ("DOC") staff and violence inflicted by other inmates. In addition, the investigation found that DOC relies too heavily on punitive segregation as a disciplinary measure, placing adolescent inmates in what amounts to solitary confinement at an alarming rate and for excessive periods of time. Many of the adolescent inmates are particularly vulnerable because they suffer from mental illness. Details: New York: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, 2014. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 30, 2014 at: http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/pressreleases/August14/RikersReportPR/SDNY%20Rikers%20Report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/pressreleases/August14/RikersReportPR/SDNY%20Rikers%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 133871 Keywords: AdolescentsCorrectional AdministrationInmate ViolenceJail AdministrationJails (New York City)Prison ViolencePrisoner AbusePrisonersRikers IslandSegregation |
Author: Walker, David Title: Sexual exploitation of adolescent girls in Uganda. The drivers, consequences and responses to the 'sugar daddy' phenomenon Summary: The phenomenon of cross-generational sex - defined as sexual relationships between an adolescent and a partner who is older, usually by 10 or more years - can be linked to many immediate and life-long negative consequences for both girls and boys. These can include entering into transactional sexual relationships - one in which the exchange of commodities and obligations can be considered as payment - as well as increased exposure to major health risks and several foregone opportunities. In development studies and other disciplines, the study of these exploitative relationships has largely been neglected, or examined as a public health issue - most often with respect to HIV&AIDS. Systematic examinations of cross-generational sex as a child protection issue - in which the impacts of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation are highlighted - are negligible, and are desperately needed to help development practitioners understand the issue and find long-lasting solutions. This study therefore seeks to understand the multiple and overlapping reasons behind cross-generational relationships in Uganda, as well as associated interventions, in order to promote more comprehensive responses to the issue. Through on-the-ground research we explore the consequences of adolescent experiences of these exploitative relationships, and analyse the extent to which policy and programming are currently failing this phenomenon. In particular, the research looks at the extent to which income poverty collates with discriminatory social norms in Uganda which contribute to this particular form of child protection violation. The study is part of a two-year Oak Foundation-funded programme of work that explores the potential for greater linkages between child protection and anti-poverty work in low- and middle-income countries. It is one of three country case studies that looks at sexual violence and exploitation, physical violence, early marriage and inadequate care, and their relationship to income poverty in Uganda, Ethiopia and Vietnam. Details: London: Overseas Development Agency, 2014. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 9, 2014 at: http://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/9274.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Uganda URL: http://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/9274.pdf Shelf Number: 134291 Keywords: AdolescentsChild ProstitutionChild ProtectionChild Sexual AbuseChild Sexual Exploitation (Uganda)Females |
Author: Copp, Jennifer E. Title: Neighborhood Disadvantage, Strain, and Intimate Parner Violence: Linking Structural Context to Emotional Response Summary: Objectives. Many theoretical treatments of intimate partner violence (IPV) focus on micro-level processes, and dynamics associated with social control theories. Some researchers have attempted to situate IPV within the larger neighborhood context but few studies have sought to link macro-level social structural factors and micro-level processes. The current analyses fill a research gap by examining IPV from the combined lenses of strain theory, gendered emotions, and the mental health literature. Methods. Using data from waves one and four of the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS) and from the 2000 Census, this study employs hierarchical logistic regression models to highlight complex associations between neighborhood structure, social psychological processes (anger and depression), and the experience of IPV. Results. Findings indicate that social psychological processes mediate the influence of structural disadvantage on IPV. Further, results suggest that structural strain moderates the effect of emotional responses, and that these processes operate differently for men and women. Conclusions. Results underscore the need to move beyond a micro- and social control-oriented focus of IPV, and suggest the need for additional research to explore other emotional mediators and neighborhood characteristics that can amplify or perhaps ameliorate partner violence. Details: Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University, Center for Family and Demographic Research, 2014. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: 2014 Working Paper Series; Accessed October 20, 2015 at: http://www.bgsu.edu/content/dam/BGSU/college-of-arts-and-sciences/center-for-family-and-demographic-research/documents/working-papers/2014/WP%202014-04%20Copp.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.bgsu.edu/content/dam/BGSU/college-of-arts-and-sciences/center-for-family-and-demographic-research/documents/working-papers/2014/WP%202014-04%20Copp.pdf Shelf Number: 137027 Keywords: AdolescentsFamily Violence Intimate Partner Violence |
Author: Tonigan, Alexandra Toscova Title: Adolescent Treatment Centers: Literature Review and Issues in New Mexico Summary: Residential Treatment Centers (RTC) are designed to offer medically monitored intensive, comprehensive psychiatric treatment services to adolescents with mental illness, severe emotional disturbance, and/or cognitive delays. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) describes RTC"s as, "a facility that provides children and adolescents with a residential multidisciplinary mental health program under medical supervision and leadership. It is often utilized when the child cannot be treated in a community-based setting," (AACAP, 2010). In other words, practitioners emphasize the importance of trying alternatives before turning to inpatient treatment settings. In most cases, an adolescent is only referred to RTC"s after one or more unsuccessful attempts for treatment in less restrictive programs (Cigna 2012). There is no official definition of what it means to be a residential treatment facility. RTC"s vary in several ways. While there are some common characteristics, RTC"s vary in function, perspective, approaches and philosophies, staff education and qualifications, treatment organization and services offered, family and parental involvement, and post-discharge/ transitional support (OJJDP). One of the few ways in which RTC"s can be systematically categorized is through the source of funding - RTC‟s can be private or public. It is argued by many that private and public RTC"s are fundamentally different (Behrens, Satterfield, 2011). Each RTC is unique and so currently, researchers and practitioners are faced with determining what exactly works and for whom. Over the past ten years, researchers have established a substantial body of literature on the efficacy of RTC"s for adolescents. A large portion of this literature has shown that RTC"s, when implemented correctly, are an effective treatment model for adolescents. Still, much can be learned about the gaps in adolescent treatment - "there is a lack of research that measures or examines the influence of these factors on the success of treatment, so it remains unclear what program elements are important and beneficial to the treatment process" (OJJDP). Moreover, the majority of existing research and literature focuses on public RTC"s. In fact, much less is understood about private RTC"s, especially in terms of their outcomes. A primary purpose of this report is to briefly review existing literature on publically funded adolescent RTC"s in relation to New Mexico"s Sequoyah Adolescent Treatment Center. Specific areas of interest include gaining a better understanding of the best practices and guidelines for RTC"s, as well as a better understanding of the challenges such Details: Albuquerque: New Mexico Sentencing Commission, 2014. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 16, 2015 at: http://nmsc.unm.edu/reports/2014/adolescent-treatment-centers-literature-review-and-issues-in-new-mexico.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://nmsc.unm.edu/reports/2014/adolescent-treatment-centers-literature-review-and-issues-in-new-mexico.pdf Shelf Number: 137301 Keywords: AdolescentsMental Health ServicesResidential Treatment Centers |
Author: Averdijk, Margit Title: Recommendations for reducing sexual violence among teenagers: A specialist report Summary: The teenage years from ages 13 to 19 constitute an important step for adolescents on their path from childhood to adulthood. This period also includes their first romantic relationships and sexual experiences. This transitional period, however, is also accompanied by risks as shown by the Optimus Study. The study survey conducted within the context of the Optimus Study Switzerland shows that sexual assaults by adolescents of the same age play an important role. The students questioned were asked to give information about their relationships to the abusers. An evaluation of their responses suggests that a considerable proportion of sexual assaults take place between adolescents, who know one another through school or leisure activities. A considerable proportion of these involve victimization carried out by a current or former romantic partner. Since sexual assault within adolescent relationships is clearly widespread, the Optimus Study also paid particular attention to the corresponding risk factors. Do victims of such assaults share common characteristics? Do they differ from other victims who have been abused not by their partners, but by somebody else? Details: Zurich: UBS Optimus, 2013. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2016 at: http://www.advocacy.ch/fileadmin/user_upload/_temp_/Optimus_Study_EN_Recommendations_2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Switzerland URL: http://www.advocacy.ch/fileadmin/user_upload/_temp_/Optimus_Study_EN_Recommendations_2013.pdf Shelf Number: 139436 Keywords: AdolescentsRape Sexual Assaults |
Author: Clark, T.C. Title: Sexual and reproductive health and sexual violence among New Zealand secondary school students. Findings from the Youth'12 national youth health and wellbeing survey Summary: This report presents findings from Youth'12, the third national health and well-being survey of secondary school students in New Zealand. This is New Zealand's largest and most comprehensive survey of the health and well-being of New Zealand's young people in secondary schools. Included in the survey are a range of factors that impact on the healthy development of young people, including family/whanau, community, education and social environments. This report focuses on reporting the sexual violence experiences and the sexual and reproductive health of students in secondary schools. The information in this report was provided by a representative sample of 8,500 students from secondary schools throughout New Zealand in 2012. There are three parts to this report: (1) Experience of unwanted sexual contact, (2) Sexual and reproductive health and (3) Ethnic specific information for Maori and Pacific students. Also reported are selected time trends from the 2001, 2007 and 2012 surveys. Details: Auckland, NZ: University of Auckland, Adolescent Health Research Group, 2016. 110p. Source: Internet Resource: Youth2000Survey Series: Accessed September 7, 2016 at: https://www.fmhs.auckland.ac.nz/assets/fmhs/faculty/ahrg/docs/Sexual%20Health%20Report%20Final%209%206%2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: New Zealand URL: https://www.fmhs.auckland.ac.nz/assets/fmhs/faculty/ahrg/docs/Sexual%20Health%20Report%20Final%209%206%2016.pdf Shelf Number: 147892 Keywords: Adolescent HealthAdolescentsSex CrimesSexual Violence |
Author: Oudekerk, Barbara A. Title: Co-Offending Among Adolescents in Violent Victimization, 2004-2013 Summary: Presents estimates of nonfatal violent victimizations perceived by the victim to be committed by adolescents ages 12 to 17 during 2004-13. This report compares the characteristics of violent victimizations committed by adolescents acting alone, with other adolescents, and with young adults ages 18 to 29. Victim, offender, and incident characteristics are highlighted, including the type of crime, weapon use, victim injury, and whether reported to police. Data are from the National Crime Victimization Survey, a self-report survey administered every 6 months to persons age 12 or older from a nationally representative sample of U.S. households. Highlights: Adolescent offenders who acted alone or with others committed 50.0 nonfatal violent victimizations per 1,000 adolescents. Adolescent offenders committed 22% of all violent victimizations, while making up 10% of the U.S. population age 12 or older during this period. In violent victimizations committed by adolescents who acted with at least one other person, co-offenders were most commonly other adolescents (59%) or young adults (28%). More violent victimizations were committed by adolescents who acted alone (64%) than those who acted with co-offenders (36%). Simple assaults made up a greater percentage of violent victimizations committed by adolescents acting alone (77%) or with other adolescents (71%), compared to victimizations by adolescents acting with young adults (53%). Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2016. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 19, 2016 at: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/caavv0413.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/caavv0413.pdf Shelf Number: 140356 Keywords: AdolescentsCo-OffendingCrime StatisticsVictimizationVictimization SurveyVictims of CrimeViolent Crime |
Author: Parsons, Jim Title: Impact Evaluation of the Adolescent Behavioral Learning Experience (ABLE) Program Summary: In 2012, New York City launched the Adolescent Behavioral Learning Experience (ABLE) program, a large-scale initiative serving 16- to 18-year-old youth held at the Rikers Island jail complex. The ABLE program provided Moral Reconation Therapy to young people with the aim of improving individual outcomes and reducing the number of youth who were rearrested and returned to the jail. Notably, the program was the first initiative in the U.S. to be funded using a social impact bond (SIB)—an innovative form of pay-for-success contracting that leverages private funding to finance public services. The investment bank, Goldman Sachs, provided initial funding for ABLE with the understanding that they would be reimbursed if the program reduced recidivism by at least 10 percent. The City of New York agreed to provide Goldman Sachs a return on their investment if the program reduced recidivism by 11 percent or more, based on savings associated with incarcerating fewer people at Rikers. The Vera Institute of Justice evaluated ABLE using a quasi-experimental design to assess whether the program led to reductions in recidivism for youth passing through the jail. The results of the evaluation determined whether the program met its contractual benchmarks. While the ABLE program reached the majority of 16- to -18-year-olds in the study cohort, it did not lead to reductions in recidivism and therefore did not meet the program's pre-defined threshold of success. Based on the findings of Vera's evaluation, the ABLE program was discontinued on August 31, 2015 Details: New York: Vera Institute of Justice, 2016. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 27, 2016 at: https://storage.googleapis.com/vera-web-assets/downloads/Publications/rikers-adolescent-behavioral-learning-experience-evaluation/legacy_downloads/rikers-adolescent-behavioral-learning-experience-evaluation.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://storage.googleapis.com/vera-web-assets/downloads/Publications/rikers-adolescent-behavioral-learning-experience-evaluation/legacy_downloads/rikers-adolescent-behavioral-learning-experience-evaluation.pdf Shelf Number: 145010 Keywords: AdolescentsBehavioral ModificationCorrectional ProgramMoral Reconation TherapyRecidivismRikers Island |
Author: CNDH Mexico Title: Adolescentes: Vulnerabilidad y Violencia Summary: This report Examines the impact of poverty, social disorganization, and the influence of peers and adults that encourage crime and violence among juveniles in Mexico. It consists of interviews who explain how and why they became involved in organized crime. Details: Mexico: CNDH, 2016. 188p. Source: Internet Resource: Informe Especial: Accessed February 17, 2017 at: http://www.cndh.org.mx/sites/all/doc/Informes/Especiales/Informe_adolescentes_20170118.pdf (In Spanish) Year: 2016 Country: Mexico URL: http://www.cndh.org.mx/sites/all/doc/Informes/Especiales/Informe_adolescentes_20170118.pdf Shelf Number: 147326 Keywords: AdolescentsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ViolenceOrganized CrimePovertySocial DisorganizationSocioeconomic Conditions and Crime |
Author: Demant, Jakob Title: What Did They Do? A qualitative review of the content of alcohol and drug prevention programmes targeting adolescents Summary: As a group, adolescents exhibit a high rate of use of alcohol and illicit drugs, and a very broad range of preventative interventions have been employed to target this problem. A correspondingly large number of studies have been carried out to test the effects of such interventions. However, the impact studies rarely describe the actual content of the interventions in detail. Consequently, less is known about what was actually done in the prevention programmes than about their effects. This study is designed as a review focused on grouping the qualitatively different content components of the various approaches into a number of categories. This is achieved through a systematic review of literature from Western countries on the topic of school-based interventions and prevention initiatives targeting young people aged 12-20 and their consumption of alcohol and other drugs. We employ a modified version of the narrative synthesis approach described (Rodgers et al., 2009). The initial database used for the study consisted of 897 peer-reviewed academic articles published between January 2010 and December 2014 and retrieved from the databases Web of Science, PubMed, Sociological Abstracts and PsycINFO. This number was reduced to 33 studies through the elimination of irrelevant papers. Five categories of intervention were identified: 'Information-based or testing-based primary prevention approaches', 'Primary prevention approaches incorporating skill-training components', 'Universal or primary prevention approaches that include family components', 'Targeted approaches incorporating skill-training components', and 'Approaches incorporating digital features'. Only four studies were identified that employed any form of targeting or profiling of the subjects prior to the delivery of the prevention intervention or initiative. It is suggested that the skewness found in the categorisation towards primary prevention skill-training approaches should be addressed, given the very diverse consumption patterns found among adolescents in any given age group. Details: Copenhagen: Rockwool Foundation, 2016. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Study Paper 115: Accessed August 28, 2017 at: http://www.rockwoolfonden.dk/app/uploads/2016/12/Study-paper-115-med-forside-Final_WEB.pdf Year: 2016 Country: International URL: http://www.rockwoolfonden.dk/app/uploads/2016/12/Study-paper-115-med-forside-Final_WEB.pdf Shelf Number: 146903 Keywords: AdolescentsAlcohol Abuse Drug Abuse Prevention Drug Abuse Treatment Substance Abuse Treatment |
Author: Day, Laurie Title: Evaluation of the Sefton Community Adolescent Service (CAS): Research report Summary: In December 2014, Sefton Council was awarded $1.1m from the Department for Education as part of the Children's Social Care Innovation Programme, to establish a new multi -professional service dedicated to vulnerable adolescents aged 12 to 25 years - the Sefton Community Adolescent Service (CAS). The project received a further L3.9m from the Council and local partner organisations, with the aim of bringing about a step change in support for vulnerable young people, and achieving better outcomes. In March 2015, Ecorys (UK) was appointed to undertake an independent evaluation of the CAS. A mixed methods design was deployed, incorporating desk research, qualitative interviews with key stakeholders within the CAS service and partner organisations; qualitative interviews with young people and their families, and a Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA). The work took place between summer 2015 and autumn 2016. Key findings - overall, the project achieved mixed success. The original plan was overly ambitious, incorporating too many sub-pilots, and the CAS was rolled out while management and supervisory structures were still under development. Nonetheless, a boost to management capacity in early 2016 and a new joint protocol, helped to establish a niche for the CAS, bridging Early Help and Children's Social Care (CSC) - the CAS was characterised by its organisation into multi-professional co-located team(s), underpinned by social pedagogy and restorative practice, and combining a key worker model with a residential short-term breaks unit. While bearing some resemblance to Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST), the CAS was wider in scope, with less focus on youth justice issues and a greater emphasis on family reunification - the ability to capture and measure outcomes was hindered by a lack of centralised data held on individual young people referred to the CAS and their families. This situation arose as a result of delays in establishing a fit-for-purpose case recording system, and limited access to data from partner organisations. The changing structure of the CAS, and the shift towards a co-working arrangement with CSC in the later stages of the project, also meant that cases from different periods were not always comparable - the available management data provides a broadly positive overall picture of the CAS. Approaching two thirds (65 per cent) of CAS cases were closed because the original aims in the family plan were achieved. A smaller proportion of cases were closed due to withdrawal of consent (26 per cent), or moving out of area (9 per cent) - around 5 per cent of young people who were the subject of a CAS episode went on to become LAC at some point afterwards. The main factors identified by CAS teams included the complexity of some of these cases, and the young people's long history of involvement in the care system. CAS practitioners considered that some young people were referred too late for the CAS to offer an alternative to becoming LAC - young people and families consistently self-reported positive changes to their lives through the qualitative interviews. These included improvements to self confidence, family relationships, engagement in education, healthier lifestyles and behaviours, and being able to remain at home safely. The trust in the relationship with the key worker, and participation in setting goals, were particularly valued by young people, although they often had high expectations of the accessibility of their key worker - a wide range of outcomes were also reported indirectly by practitioners, although the format of the CAS assessment and case management tools meant that these were not always recorded systematically. Practitioners had routinely observed: stronger relationships between family members; re-engagement with education; reductions in missing episodes; reductions in levels of illegal substance misuse; securing access to temporary accommodation for homeless young people; facilitating access to specialist assessments (e.g. SEND, mental health); - there was some evidence of savings arising from service improvements, including reduced numbers of different professionals involved per individual CAS case, and streamlining of administrative processes. Quantifiable savings also accrued from a reduced incidence of missing episodes, and cases stepped down from CIN or CP plans. These savings were offset by the costs of young people who became LAC Details: London: Department of Education, 2017. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Children's Social Care Innovation Programme Evaluation Report 39 Accessed September 9, 2017 at: http://cdn.basw.co.uk/upload/basw_74516-6.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://cdn.basw.co.uk/upload/basw_74516-6.pdf Shelf Number: 147197 Keywords: AdolescentsAt-Risk YouthSocial Services |
Author: Great Britain. Ministry of Justice Title: Exploratory analysis of 10-17 year olds in the youth secure estate by black and other minority ethnic groups Summary: In January 2016, the Prime Minister asked the Rt Hon David Lammy MP to lead an independent review, sponsored by Ministry of Justice (MoJ), to investigate the treatment and outcomes of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) individuals within the Criminal Justice System (CJS) in England and Wales. The Review focuses on issues arising from the involvement of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) onwards, including the court system, prisons and rehabilitation in the community; policing was not in scope of this review. In November 2016, emerging findings from the Review were published highlighting the high proportion of young black people in youth custody. Following this publication, the Lammy Review team commissioned MoJ to conduct specific analysis of outcomes for young black people in youth custody. The aim of this report is to explore further the possible factors that may explain why there is a high proportion of young black people in youth custody. It concentrates on the throughput of cases in the youth justice system, the offences committed by and sentences given to young people, and their key characteristics; including identified risk factors and information on their educational background. The analysis focuses on young black people but comparisons are made throughout the report to other BAME groups and to those from white ethnic backgrounds. The youth justice system in England and Wales is a distinct justice system that prosecutes and convicts persons 10-17 years of age who commit criminal offences. The principal aim is to prevent offending by children and young people and there is a separate sentencing framework, recognising that young people are different to adults, with an emphasis on restoration and rehabilitation. The youth justice system includes a separate Youth Court (a type of magistrates' court) with specially trained magistrates and different sentencing powers and a higher threshold for the use of custody. Whilst a magistrates' court can issue an immediate custodial sentence for adults of up to six months or up to 12 months in total for more than one offence, a youth court can issue an immediate custodial sentence for a maximum of 24 months. The youth secure estate or youth custody is distinct from the adult prison estate and is for young people aged 10-17 although some 18 year olds remain in youth custody if they are close to being released. There are three youth secure sectors: under-18 Young Offender Institutions, Secure Training Centres and Secure Children's Homes. The vast majority of young people accommodated in the youth secure estate are male and aged between 15-17 years (96% were male and 96% were aged 15-17 in 2015/16). Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2017. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 9, 2017 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/641481/Exploratory-analysis-of-10-17-year-olds-in-the-youth-secure-estate-by-bame-groups.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/641481/Exploratory-analysis-of-10-17-year-olds-in-the-youth-secure-estate-by-bame-groups.pdf Shelf Number: 148089 Keywords: AdolescentsEthnic GroupsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersMinority GroupsYouthful Offenders |
Author: Heerde, Jessica A. Title: Prevent crime and save money: Return-on-investment models in Australia Summary: Finding effective ways to prevent crime is important. This project was designed to demonstrate the feasibility of combining data from a 12-year Australian longitudinal study (N=2,885) with prevention strategy investment data to estimate potential returns, including a reduction in intimate partner violence and prison entry. The project investigated the return on investment achievable in Victoria with a $150 million investment in a mix of six evidence based prevention strategies. The study estimated that the 10-year lag effect of investing an extra $150 million was a five percent reduction in incarceration and a four percent reduction in cases of intimate partner violence involving physical force. The net return from the $150 million investment in prevention was conservatively estimated at $191 million. It appears feasible and cost-effective to prevent intimate partner violence, while also reducing incarceration rates. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 545: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi545 Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi545 Shelf Number: 150068 Keywords: AdolescentsAnti-social BehaviorCost-Benefit AnalysisCosts of CrimeCrime PreventionEvidence-Based PoliciesIntimate-Partner Violence |
Author: White, Elise Title: Changing the Frame: Practitioner Knowledge, Perceptions, and Practice in New York City's Young Adult Courts Summary: With funding from the New York Community Trust, the Center for Court Innovation sought to change standard approaches and resultant poor outcomes by creating age-appropriate programming for criminal defendants up to age 24 across the city. By expanding services and court mechanisms already in place for 16- and 17-year-olds, the Center developed short-term alternative-to-incarceration programs for young adults (age caps varied across boroughs).1 Services included short-term counseling; developmentally-appropriate community service; educational and vocational services; substance abuse treatment, mental health and trauma counseling; and cognitive behavioral therapy sessions. Through a variety of programs, the Center worked with courtroom practitioners to make use of alternative, age-appropriate interventions in lieu of incarceration, criminal convictions, fines, or other sanctions. Methodology The study included two components: - Sentencing Practices Survey: A 42-item online survey was administered to courtroom practitioners across three boroughs with active young adult court programs (Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Manhattan) to identify current practices, attitudes, and knowledge among general practitioners. The link was distributed by supervising attorneys at each agency to their staffs, reaching an estimated 1202 practitioners, 194 of whom participated, for a response rate of 16%. Note that 727 of these were 18B attorneys reached via use of a listserv, only 9 of whom participated. The response rate for the remainder of the sample was 39%. - Practitioner Interviews: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten legal practitioners across four agencies centrally involved in Brooklyn's Young Adult Court (the most active of the young adult court parts) to obtain a clear understanding of its mechanics and evolving attitudes regarding appropriate court responses to young adults. The Young Adult Court Model The implementation of the young adult court model differs by borough. The Brooklyn Young Adult Court represents the most extensive implementation of the model, and is consequently featured in this report as a case study. Launched in 2012, the first iteration of the young adult court in Brooklyn was the Adolescent Diversion Program (ADP). As described earlier, through this initiative, specialized courtrooms were established in each borough for the cases of 16- and 17-year-olds. Specially-trained judges with an expanded array of dispositional options available to them presided over the ADP court calendars. The goal of the court was two-fold: (1) to connect teenage defendants with services that might enable them to avoid future criminal justice system contact and (2) to avoid the legal and collateral consequences associated with criminal prosecution. In 2014, practitioners embarked on a second iteration: expanding to include 18- to 24-yearolds in Red Hook and Brownsville, two neighborhoods where the Center runs operating projects with the capacity to support programming for defendants. Finally, in 2015 the Center, in partnership with the Kings County District Attorney's Office, received funding through the U.S. Department of Justice Smart Prosecution Initiative. In 2016, practitioners created the third iteration of the initiative, further expanding the court to include the cases for all 16- to 24-year-olds charged with misdemeanors in Brooklyn.2 Findings Interview Findings in Brooklyn Interview findings suggest that practitioners in Brooklyn generally feel that the specialized court is functioning well, with several key factors driving that success: 1. Strong judicial leadership; 2. A mandatory referral process, facilitated by the Office of Court Administration, in which all age-eligible cases not resolved at arraignment are automatically routed to the young adult court (rather than allowing defendants to opt out); 3. Training in topics relevant to the adolescent and young adult target population, provided to all interested providers by the Center for Court Innovation; and 4. Prosecutorial buy-in and collaboration. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, 2017. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 11, 2018 at: https://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2018-03/changing_frame_nyc_young_adult_courts.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2018-03/changing_frame_nyc_young_adult_courts.pdf Shelf Number: 150159 Keywords: AdolescentsYoung Adult CourtsYoung Adult OffendersYouthful Offenders |
Author: Heerde, Jessica A. Title: Prevent crime and save money: Return-on-investment models in Australia: Full report Summary: Adolescent antisocial behaviour, such as violence, is both a serious and costly issue in Australia and known to peak during adolescence. Depending on how adolescent antisocial behaviour is defined and measured rates of this behaviour vary, however in Australia are generally between 5 and 20%. The cost of crime in Australia is estimated to be $47.6 billion per year with rates of crime highest in the age 15-24 group. Adolescent antisocial behaviour has important implications for feelings of safety within the community and community members' enjoyment of their local environments. Thus, finding effective ways to reduce the developmental pathways to youth antisocial behaviour is important. An area of increasing importance is demonstration of the costs and benefits of effective approaches to reducing adolescent antisocial behaviour (so-called returnon-investment analyses). This report presents new analyses from the International Youth Development Study (IYDS), an ongoing longitudinal study of antisocial behaviour in Victorian young people which began in 2002, designed to demonstrate the feasibility of combining Australian longitudinal cohort data with prevention strategy investment data to reduce crime versus expenditure on prisons in Australia. The project investigates rates and predictors of antisocial behaviour and violence from the early waves of the IYDS (age 11 years) to young adulthood (age 25 years) to estimate the return-on-investment in Victoria achievable with a $150 million investment in a mix of 6 evidence-based prevention strategies. The aims of the current project were to: 1. Report population rates in the Victorian context of different forms of antisocial outcomes at different points in the life-course; 2. Estimate effect sizes for modifiable risk factors; and 3. Estimate the return-on-investment in Victoria a $150 million investment would have in a mix of 6 evidence-based strategies. To investigate these aims data from 2,884 IYDS participants was used to estimate the reduction in incarceration and intimate partner violence achievable in the State of Victoria by investing $150 million in a mix of evidence-based prevention strategies. Baseline data were obtained in the IYDS at average age 15 from a sample recruited in 2002 to be state-representative of students in Victoria. Follow-up data were obtained at average age 25 in 2014/15. Evidence-based prevention strategies included: Nurse Family Partnerships, Triple P Universal and Triple P Level 4 groups, Secondary School Age Alcohol Supply Reduction, Tutoring by Peers and Screening and Brief Intervention for young adult alcohol problems. Based on the IYDS in 2014/15, findings showed, for those of average age 25 (range 21 to 29) the annual incarceration rate (any police or court apprehension) was estimated at 3.5% (1.0% for 1-day or more) and involvement in intimate partner violence involving physical force was 8.5% (causing physical injury was 3.0%). Multivariate regression analyses were used to identify the effect of age 15 risk factors (socioeconomic disadvantage, family problems, child behaviour problems, substance [including alcohol] use and school problems) and age 21 alcohol problems on age 25 incarcerations and intimate partner violence involving physical assault. Analyses revealed the 10-year lag effect of having invested an extra $150 million would have been a reduction in 2015 of 1,624 cases of incarceration (5% reduction) and 3,034 cases of intimate partner violence involving physical force (10% reduction). In addition to these estimated 1-year effects, benefits would also have been observed in each of the prior nine years and in subsequent years. The prevention strategy investment mix investigated in this report was: Nurse Family Partnership for low income ($35 M), Triple P Universal ($34 M), Triple P Level 4 groups ($51 M), Secondary School Age Alcohol Supply Reduction (SAASR; $14 M), Tutoring by Peers ($9 M) and Screening and Brief Intervention for young adult alcohol problems ($7 M). The net return from the $150 million prevention strategy investment was conservatively estimated at $191 million. Project findings demonstrate several modifiable factors for antisocial behaviour that could be targeted in early intervention and prevention programs to reduce the developmental pathways that lead to youth perpetration of intimate partner violence and incarceration. The results of the current study demonstrate the importance of considering childhood and adolescent family and school-based problems/risk factors, as well as youth substance (including alcohol) use and previous engagement in antisocial behaviour. The present analysis reveals there is sound data to perform return-on-prevention investment analyses in Victoria suggesting it is feasible and cost-effective to prevent problems such as intimate partner violence, while also reducing incarceration rates. Together, project findings can be used to inform policy in Australia about financially viable and effective programs to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour. This project will contribute to understanding that imprisonment and family violence are preventable and that there are significant economic benefits in implementing evidence-based prevention and early intervention approaches. Details: Sydney: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2018. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed July 5, 2018 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1718/18-1415-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1718/18-1415-FinalReport.pdf Shelf Number: 150764 Keywords: AdolescentsAnti-Social BehaviorCost-Benefit Analysis Costs of Crime Crime Prevention Evidence-Based Policies Intimate-Partner Violence |
Author: Fitz-Gibbon, Kate Title: Investigating Adolescent Family Violence in Victoria: Understanding experiences of practitioner perspectives Summary: This report looks at adolescent family violence and highlights that it has long-term implications on the health and wellbeing for those affected. The report draws on the insights of those who have experience adolescent family violence as well as experts, service providers, general practitioners and health service providers. It uses these insights to discuss the nature and impact of adolescent family violence, the adequacy of current criminal justice, service and therapeutic responses, and the need for future practice and policy reform. In identifying patterns in the experiences of those affected, the report found that: Adolescent males more commonly used violence in the home than their adolescent female counterparts, and mothers were more likely to be victimised than male adults within the home Adolescent females more commonly used verbal violence and property damage as mechanisms for control, while adolescent males were more commonly reported using physical violence. The report finds that adolescent family violence had long-term health and wellbeing implications for those affected, which can include educational, relational, health and economic impacts. It also makes recommendations for policy and practice. Details: Melbourne: Monash Gender and Family Violence Program., 2018. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 16, 2018 at: https://arts.monash.edu/gender-and-family-violence/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2018/07/Adolescent-Family-Violence-in-Victoria-Final-Report.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://arts.monash.edu/gender-and-family-violence/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2018/07/Adolescent-Family-Violence-in-Victoria-Final-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 151144 Keywords: AdolescentsFamily Violence |
Author: Child, Early and Forced Marriage and Sexuality Programs Working Group Title: Tackling the Taboo: Sexuality and Gender Transformative Programmes to End Child Marriage Summary: INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY The control and regulation of sexuality - in particular, the control of adolescent girls' sexuality - remains a critical and often unaddressed way in which gender inequality manifests across different cultural contexts. Virtually all communities place legal, religious, political or socio-economic restrictions on: - how sensuality, intimacy and pleasure are experienced - how people - in particular girls - express their sexuality, including sexual orientation and gender identities - how people engage in sexual and other intimate relationships - how they understand and ensure their own sexual and reproductive health - the exercise of sexual agency and bodily autonomy in general. For adolescent girls, these restrictions are exacerbated because age and gender are key dimensions of power inequalities, and girls usually lack access to power and are highly constrained in their ability to make decisions for themselves. Marriage, as a social, cultural and economic institution, also plays a key role in this control of girls' sexuality and bodily autonomy. Over the past few years, there has been a growing awareness that patriarchy and the control of sexuality matter in terms of understanding both the complex causes of and the diverse solutions to the practice of child, early and forced marriage (CEFM). Girls may struggle to develop a healthy view of their sexuality in the face of prevailing beliefs that deny their sexual desires and define female sexuality as passive and vulnerable. Girls' lives and mobility are under constant scrutiny, and any deviation from the dominant gender norms is severely penalised. The sexuality and mobility of married girls, too, is often highly restricted and limited to household activities and childbearing. The Child, Early and Forced Marriage and Sexuality Programs Working Group (CSPWG) commissioning this report acknowledges that sexuality is intrinsically linked with power dynamics and as such requires an understanding of different dimensions of inequality including age, class, caste, sexual orientation and gender identity and highlights the importance of challenging practices of CEFM with gender-transformative approaches (GTAs). The ultimate goal of this research is to identify promising gender-transformative programming that addresses sexuality and links with reducing CEFM, including by highlighting promising gender-transformative work taking place in politically and culturally conservative contexts. This research foregrounds successful empowerment approaches that consider the inequalities and harmful social norms that married and unmarried girls and young women disproportionately face, and focuses on and identifies initiatives that recognise and support girls' autonomy with skills, knowledge, and agency (including sexual agency). Working definition of gender-transformative programming Gender Transformative Approaches (GTAs), seek 'to reshape gender relations to be more gender equitable, largely through approaches that free individuals across the gender spectrum from the impact of destructive gender and sexual norms'. Gender-transformative approaches encourage critical awareness of gender roles and norms; promote the position of girls and women; challenge the distribution of resources and allocation of duties between men and women; and/or address the power relationships between girls and women and others in the community, such as service providers or traditional leaders. The ultimate aim of GTA is to achieve gender equality, empowering women, girls and gender non-conforming young people, promoting health and eliminating violence. Gender-transformative approaches may require working at all levels of an ecological model (individual - family/ relationships - communities society etc.) and may be highly contextually specific. Research methodology -- The consultant team undertook extensive information-gathering and a detailed analysis of selected programmes and organisations to identify and understand promising programming and approaches with potential for replication. Through a highly iterative process with multiple phases, a review of 190 programmes was narrowed down to a pool of 26 using a set of parameters developed in consultation with the CSPWG and based on existing knowledge of what constitutes gender-transformative sexuality programming. The analysis of the 26 short-listed programmes surfaced promising approaches and positive outcomes linked to sexuality and CEFM. The project put special effort into uncovering lesser known and under-documented grassroots organisations, as well as paying attention to diversity, including context and geography among other factors. Nevertheless, a large number of organisations were excluded from the analysis due to lack of response or ability to provide documentation. FINDINGS -- Addressing the control of adolescent sexuality from a rights framework that includes issues like consent, choice, and pleasure is very challenging. Such efforts are often met with reluctance and resistance at all levels - from families, communities, schools, health service providers, community-based organisations, government officials, and policymakers. Issues around sexuality are widely considered to be taboo, and the extreme sensitivity around these issues is palpable. In particular, organisations working in highly conservative and religious settings tend to use other entry points to address sexuality (sports and formal education scholarships, for example), and some introduce the topic of sexuality through more general or indirect lenses (through health or hygiene). The review looked carefully at promising approaches that are making significant strides in achieving normative and legal change and positively impacting the lives of girls. While even well-articulated programmes that involved the parents and the communities experienced some form of backlash, it can be argued that this iterative and complex journey is already 'transformative' as it shakes the foundations upon which unequal gender norms are established. Below are some of the components of programmatic success found through this review. The full report and findings will be available later in 2018. - Grounding programmes in the contexts where they are implemented Formative research ahead of programme design and implementation is critical to understand the specific local drivers of CEFM (including gender norms) and the ways in which sexuality is generally conceived in a community. In addition, in-depth contextual analysis helps to gain community trust and develop tailored strategies. Hiring staff that know the values and practices of their community is also instrumental in building trust, gaining community buy-in, and driving change. This is especially important when addressing issues around sexuality, to minimise backlash against the language and approaches used during programme implementation. But it is important to note that, even with the involvement of communities, resistance and opposition are still very common. Interestingly, some organisations have found that this process of dealing with and responding to opposition can be part of the journey of transformation that leads to longer-term and more sustainable change. - Gender-sensitive, flexible, context-specific and relatable curricula The majority of organisations note that the language used in curricula should be given special attention to ensure that it is culturally appropriate, as well as relevant and relatable - using, for instance, current and site-specific case studies. Curricula, some argue, must be developed with a grassroots approach, starting with the girls and boys themselves and engaging them in the actual design and adaptation processes. Many organisations have their curricula and resource materials evaluated and pilot-tested before implementation, making any necessary revisions with the help of reviewers drawn from among the target girls themselves, and from civil society representatives, religious scholars, educators, subject experts, teachers, and parents. - Girls as agents of change and leaders: ownership, involvement, and training Young people need to be recognised as crucial partners in sexual and reproductive health interventions, and not treated merely as recipients or beneficiaries. Indeed, girls' ability to speak up for their own rights played a major part in the achievement of some of the organisations' results: once they asserted their own rights, it was generally easier for others, such as their parents, to support their decisions. However, as the YP Foundation points out, "young people don't just run on motivation and fresh air"; strong support networks are needed, as well as strategies that include connecting participants and graduates with further learning and development opportunities. Beyond training young people and strengthening their individual leadership skills, many organisations note that collectivising girls to take joint action has empowered them to voice their opinions and concerns at the community level and enabled them to collectively work out solutions to their problems. Once girls form a critical mass that is seen in public behaving according to new social norms, these new platforms can sustain other activities and efforts that benefit other women in their communities. - Community ownership: partnerships with parents and other gatekeepers Established networks and trust within communities are widely cited as indispensable assets in the implementation of activities that address sensitive issues. When working with adolescent girls, who seldom have a voice in the public sphere, it is critical to create an enabling community environment through community mobilisation and involvement. Consulting, engaging with and securing buy-in from religious leaders and religious scholars may be very important in informing and developing strategies of resilience to any backlash. Parents and adult community members are critical gatekeepers to changing the social institutions that support CEFM and hamper girls' bodily integrity and sexual agency. Securing their support from the outset can help reduce resistance and identify allies and partners. - Addressing gender norms and challenging stereotypes about femininity and masculinity by engaging men and boys as active agents of change for gender equality Challenging inequitable gender norms is at the core of successful gender-transformative programming and is a critical approach for achieving sexual and reproductive health rights and CEFM outcomes. Besides working with girls and women, most successful approaches not only involve, educate, and empower men and boys, but challenge them to understand and reject their privilege, toxic masculinities, and to hold other men and boys accountable. To achieve this, successful programmes tap into young men's interests, whether through a particular vehicle for intervention (e.g., sports), or through its content and messaging (e.g., tailored to incorporate key issues facing young men). - Careful selection, training, and ongoing support of teachers, mentors and facilitators based on clear, well-articulated, and fully agreed principles The attitudes and aptitudes of teachers, mentors, or facilitators around content areas such as sex and gender are key to the successful implementation of the programmes. The selection process should include assessment of a candidate's ability and willingness to teach the curriculum. For example, they must be fully accepting of different aspects of sexuality and should address any prejudices or discomfort they may have beforehand (e.g. with regard to homosexuality or sex before marriage). Before a programme starts, some organisations conduct "values clarification" exercises to ensure whoever is delivering the curriculum fully embraces feminist principles of equal and inalienable rights. While conducting gender-transformative training and "staff transformation" is embedded in the theory of change of a few organisations or programmes, the training and support of teachers, mentors, and facilitators remains a weak component of many organisations. Finally, to ensure consistent and appropriate messaging, it is necessary to regularly follow up with teachers, mentors, and facilitators. - Learning oriented program design, monitoring, and evaluation using evidence-based approaches A core set of learning and evaluation technical capacities were deemed essential to the sustained development, monitoring, and implementation of integrated programming over the long term. These capacities include sufficient monitoring and evaluation (M&E) experience, including participatory approaches; and the capacity to design, implement, and learn from gender-transformative programming. Learning focused M&E provides a basis for course-correction of existing programmes, including the design of additional programme elements that address any critical needs that may emerge. Investing in baseline research and other contextual analysis is also crucial to ensure that programming is clearly and appropriately fine-tuned to achieve results. Moreover, solid baselines are essential for project evaluation and can inform recruiting and retention techniques, as well as other areas of programme design. In some cases, robust evaluation results proved critical in making the case for scaling programmes up, or in ensuring that governments institutionalise programmes. - Ensuring sustainability and developing programmes on a long-term basis Achieving sustainability during and beyond programme implementation requires multi-pronged approaches and strategies that involve working with communities, government, and other stakeholders. Patriarchal gender norms and conceptions of sexuality are deeply rooted and normalised, making the process of ensuring sustainable change around gender and social norms (especially around sexuality) a complex one. Sustainable change requires patience, time, and continuity. Therefore, programmes should be long-term and with adequate resources to support them over time. RECOMMENDATIONS The forthcoming full review and findings will illustrate a substantial number of grassroots organisations working at the intersections of sexuality and CEFM, including some in highly restrictive settings. Based on the review, recommendations emerged for the broader field as well as programme implementers, funders, researchers, and advocates. A comprehensive conceptual framework is needed One critical recommendation emerging from the review is the need for a comprehensive conceptual framework for this type of work. The lack of a conceptual framework on the link between sexuality and CEFM or any agreed-upon measures of success may have negative implications for donors' willingness to fund sexuality work, which obstructs funding flows, dilutes the coherence and effectiveness of programme implementation, and hampers the adequate evaluation of results. It is important that a conceptual framework establishes common measurements and creates robust yet flexible definitions of success. Within CEFM work, it is important to prioritise indicators based on access to services and autonomous decision-making and quality of life in addition to age of marriage. Solely age-focused measures often ignore larger issues of gender inequality as well as issues of choice and consent about their lives and bodies. This conceptual framework should not only focus on the individuals but also seek to describe the ways in which communities and institutions determine and enforce social norms that govern sexuality for all persons, with particular attention to age and gender. Further discussion, research and guidance needed on criminalisation of adolescent sexuality Discussion, research and guidance is needed regarding the criminalisation of adolescent sexuality. Many organisations find themselves in the conundrum of how to respond to the intersections of control of girls' sexuality and CEFM in a way that respects girls' aspirations and desires while also recognising that social norms influence or restrict girls' choices in and outside of marriage. Recommendations for programme implementers 1. Empower girls to be advocates for themselves, create alternative pathways, and give young girls the skills needed to make changes in their lives possible. Programming should put gender-transformative work with girls at the centre. In order to reduce CEFM, it is imperative that programme implementers investigate and generate alternative choices and opportunities (for example advocating for additional years of schooling or income generating opportunities) so that girls and their families can refuse early marriage and not be at risk of sexual shaming, bullying, and physical attacks. Married and unmarried girls of all ages should be included in programming. It is critical to address issues of CEFM by examining the attitudes that underpin the perceived need to regulate girls' sexuality and push them into marriage. 2. Involve men and boys in programming. Work strategically and intentionally with boys and men to mutually reinforce and create a supportive environment for young girls to develop as autonomous individuals. Furthermore, working with boys from an early age is an important approach to challenge and change harmful norms regarding gender and sexuality. More creative approaches need to be developed to bring adult men in as partners for gender equality and to create opportunities. 3. Use an intergenerational approach. Empowering girls to better express their needs, wants and desires so that parents understand and value their daughters' aspirations is critical. Intergenerational approaches can create a more supportive environment within the home so that young people feel comfortable expressing themselves to parents. Intergenerational approaches may also enhance communities' understanding of the lived realities of married girls and women and allow for a broader understanding of how the institution of marriage can be used to limit girls' voices and choices. Approaches cannot focus only on prevention of early or forced marriage but must address the needs of already married girls. 4. Build partnerships with communities and governments to ensure sustainability during and beyond the programme. Sexuality is a relational phenomenon based in power structures and it cannot be addressed without involving individuals, families, communities and governments. Structural approaches that work at the different levels of the ecological model to decrease gender inequality and increased sexual autonomy are important to pursue. Without community-led approaches that bring together multiple stakeholders, programmes will not be successful in the medium or long term. A key aspect of building partnerships is developing trust and ensuring that information gathered is not only accurate but also created within a safe space. Additionally, there is a need to create messages that are appropriate across different levels and to be responsive to the differing needs of stakeholder groups. Doing so requires time, patience, negotiation skills and resources, all of which must be carefully planned for. 5. Mainstream gender-transformative approaches that include sexuality at all organisational levels. It is important that programmers are well-trained and feel comfortable discussing taboo issues. A critical part of the training should be "values clarification" and building meaningful girl engagement skills. Organisations working in this field need to build their internal capacity for gender-transformative programming and embed the practice of self-reflection on gender and sexuality within their organisations and their theories of change. 6. More specific gender-transformative work on sexuality that is inclusive of the most marginalised girls, including girls with disabilities or of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities is needed. The sexuality of people with disabilities - especially girls and young women - is widely overlooked by most programmes. Furthermore, work to encompass sexual orientation and gender identity should be further explored. Many programmes are gender-binary and only a few discuss or work to address these issues in detail. 7. Review all the additional key factors of success articulated in this report and study the feasibility of tailoring different approaches to different contexts, particularly mitigation strategies for backlash. For example, rigid processes and standardised project management procedures might not always be adequate when working on sexuality. It is advisable to include language in project proposals about the need for adaptive programming and high levels of flexibility (which might also have an impact on budgets), and incorporate well-articulated risk and mitigation strategies accordingly. Details: New York, NY: American Jewish World Service, 2018. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 14, 2019 at: https://ajws.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Tackling-the-Taboo.pdf Year: 2018 Country: International URL: https://www.girlsnotbrides2018.org/what-does-gender-transformative-sexuality-programming-look-like-and-why-does-it-matter/ Shelf Number: 154155 Keywords: AdolescentsChild MarriageEvidence-Based ApproachesForced MarriageGender InequalityGender NormsGender-Transformative ApproachesViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Manship, Sharon Title: An Evaluation of Domestic Abuse Programmes for Adolescents in Kent and Medway Summary: LeHegarat's (2010) report on services for children affected by domestic abuse identified that the numbers of victims in the Kent and Medway area was 53,9531 at an estimated cost of L1,012,517,559. The high cost of domestic abuse in both human and financial terms demonstrates a very strong argument for investment in prevention and early intervention services. However, teenagers tend to slip through the net in terms of service provision as most domestic violence services are aimed at adult victims and perpetrators (Jordan 2012). LeHegarat (2010) suggested that partnerships between organisations which may influence domestic abuse services are not necessarily co-terminus, service provision is affected by funding, and areas of deprivation tend to attract more funds than affluent areas, because many services are targeted according to need (2010). The Kent and Medway Domestic Violence Strategy Group (Gilmour, 2010) recommended that more focus on prevention, early identification and low level services will prevent problems escalating, reducing the need for higher level services and therefore would be more cost effective and more effective for service users. The aims of this evaluation were: 1) to undertake a literature review of national and international programmes to provide a contextual background of domestic abuse prevention programmes aimed at adolescents; 2) to investigate the perceptions of what does and does not works well across the domestic abuse prevention programmes for adolescents in Kent and Medway (including how programmes are delivered, establishing best practice and difficulties, and identifying any gaps in provision. Details: Kent, UK: Canterbury Christ Church University; Swale Action to End Domestic Abuse, 2012. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed March 27, 2019 at: http://create.canterbury.ac.uk/14279/1/Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://create.canterbury.ac.uk/14279/1/Final%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 155177 Keywords: AdolescentsDating Violence Domestic Violence Teen Dating Violence Violence Prevention |