Reducing out-of-community placement and recidivism: diversion of delinquent youth with mental health and substance use problems from the justice system

For a number of reasons, researchers and policy makers are now focusing on diversion of youth from the juvenile justice system. This study examines New York State's diversion efforts focused on youth with mental health and substance abuse problems who are at risk of out-of-community placement (N = 2,309). Twelve counties participated in the Mental Health Juvenile Justice (MH/JJ) Diversion Project. Overall, the initiative was successful in reducing out-of-community placement and recidivism for diverted youth. In regression analysis site, services received, and problem-profile variables were important predictors of out-of-community placement. Prior record, prior placement, and significant mental health problems were statistically significant predictors of recidivism. This suggests some contrasts in explaining the results of two important goals of the MH/JJ project. Study results and implications for future research and intervention are discussed.     

Revitalizing difference in the HapMap: race and contemporary human genetic variation research

Through an examination of the International Haplotype Map (HapMap), this paper explores some of the ways in which relationships among categories of race and genetic variation are being reconfigured in contemporary genetic research.     

Physical Violence Between Young Adults and Their Parents: Associations with a History of Child Maltreatment

This study investigated the relationship between maltreatment during childhood, parental conflict tactics and the tactics employed by young adults during a disagreement with their parents. Four hundred and sixty nine university students completed the Conflict Tactic Scale and a Childhood History Questionnaire giving details on tactics employed during the previous year and information about their childhood respectively. Overall, 14.5% of students reported using violent tactics with their mother and/or father and 3.8% of them admitted to being severely violent to one or both of their parents. The conflict tactics used by the respondent were found to be significantly related to the reported tactics of their parents and the experience of being maltreated by parents in earlier years.     

Preventing repeat incidents of family violence: a randomized field test of a second responder program

This field test, conducted with the cooperation of the Redlands, California, Police Department, sought to vary one of the parameters thought to affect the impact of second response programs Victims who called the Redlands police with a domestic abuse complaint were randomly assigned (1) to receive a second response within 24 hours, (2) to receive a second response within seven days, or (3) to receive no second response. An examination of police records and surveys with victims six months after the initial complaint was called did not indicate any reduction in new abuse resulting from any second response condition. The current findings, coupled with earlier research results, strongly suggest that second response programs are at best ineffective in reducing the potential for new abuse and at worst may increase the likelihood of new abusive incidents.