Justice-involved youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are at an increased risk of recidivism compared to their peers with and without disabilities. Due to the complexity and unique needs of youth with IDD served in the juvenile justice system, transition supports and services must be individualized and youth-centered…

Youth served within juvenile justice facilities are to be afforded the same educational benefits as their peers in nonsecure educational settings, including transition supports. Transition supports include the purposeful delivery of strategies and interventions to build a wide variety of skills based on youth interests and preferences regarding…

Improving the transition and reentry success of youth involved in the juvenile justice system requires comprehensive career development that offers access and exposure to real-world careers, builds self-efficacy, and provides instruction in skills and competencies aligned with labor market needs. This paper describes a STEM (science, technology,…

Reentry, also referred to as transition, is a critical component in preparing at-risk youth in juvenile justice facilities for successful postrelease outcomes. However, successfully preparing these youth for reentry into the community and back to traditional K-12 schools is still difficult for many justice facilities. With the continued calls for…

This cluster-randomized efficacy trial evaluated the impact of the Ready for Wages intervention, a classroom-based social skills program designed to improve the employability of youth living and being educated in juvenile justice settings. Fifteen juvenile justice facility schools participated. Data were collected from 118 classrooms: 59 treatment…

Self-determination refers to a person's ability to have control of their life choices, decisions, and interactions with others. Self-determination skills include: 1) decision-making, 2) goal setting, 3) self-awareness, 4) problem-solving, 5) self-advocacy, 6) self-monitoring, and 7) self-efficacy. Researchers suggest that youth with or at-risk for…

Research on education for youth served in the juvenile justice (JJ) system is limited. Yet in order to ensure equity for these students, JJ teacher knowledge and use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) must be understood. This study aimed to understand JJ teacher knowledge and use of EBPs within JJ classrooms. Based on 157 JJ teachers' responses to…

Youth in juvenile justice (JJ) facilities lack access and exposure to high-quality science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) instruction, career exploration, and employment opportunities. Research on STEM knowledge and career interest of JJ involved youth is virtually non-nonexistent. The purpose of this study was to ascertain how JJ…

It is estimated that 70% of incarcerated youth struggle with mental health challenges (Karger & Currie-Rubin, 2013) in addition to other academic impairments which, in turn, substantially increases their likelihood to reoffend postrelease (Yampolskaya & Chuang, 2012). Consequently, these youth would likely benefit from therapeutic…

Organizational silos have long existed within juvenile justice, presenting a barrier to the provision of effective services and support for the youth in these settings. The present article documents the formation of a Juvenile Justice Community of Practice to address the division and the subsequent dissemination of a survey to better understand…

Few juvenile justice group experimental and quasi-experimental literacy-focused studies document fidelity of implementation (FOI). Even fewer of those studies consider the psychometric properties of the FOI instrumentation used. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a brief FOI instrument used with English language…

Emotional regulation (ER) is essential for youth in juvenile justice facilities (JJFs) so that they can be equipped to identify, process, and resolve complex emotions and stress. Emotions such as anxiety, anger, depression, jealousy, resentment, and disappointment are difficult emotions for any youth to identify and acknowledge, but these emotions…

Youth within juvenile justice facilities (JJFs) are often some of the most vulnerable and marginalized population in our communities. These youth often have experienced trauma, social-emotional learning (SEL) issues as well as difficulties in school. Many of these youth have had little opportunity to express their voice in positive and healthy…

Mentoring programs for incarcerated youth have shown promising outcomes with researchers suggesting that this population can benefit from mentoring relationships. A mentor provides guidance and support to youthful offenders. Having a caring adult involved in the life of a youth at risk may help them overcome adversity and develop the skills…

The field of integrated language arts is an ideal forum for sharing stories, discussing perspectives, expressing emotions in a healthy way, and challenging the systems that govern and shape our lives. Accomplishing this goal in a traditional classroom can sometimes be difficult, but for a moment, consider the physical space of a classroom within a…