| Abstract: | In New Mexico, all male juveniles sentenced to serve time in a state facility eventually go to the New Mexico Boys' School (NMBS), including males who are candidates for a reintegration center. The current study compares a random sample (n = 98) of youths released from the NMBS with a group (n = 92) who completed a reintegration program. Two key questions guided the research: (1) What role do personal-biographical or socio-legal factors play in the decision to assign a youth to the reintegration center rather than to have him remain at the Boys' School? and (2) Among juveniles who participated in either program, what personal-biographical or socio-legal factors provided the greatest insights into the length of their stay in state custody? By addressing these questions, the current study not only examines institutional decision-making processes, but also addresses the outcomes that result from the decisions. The policy implications of both the processes and the outcomes are addressed in this article. |
