title: Toward conceptual development and empirical measurement of global risk indicators in the lives of court-involved youth.
abstract: This paper reports work related to the conceptual development and empirical use of global risk indicators meant to measure rapidly and reliably potential threats to the overall development and well-being of adolescents in the juvenile justice system. The development of these indicators and initial data regarding their use with court involved samples are presented. Analysis of data gathered from a sample containing 248 families of adolescents who participated in a family-based diversion program identified a seven-factor structure that corresponded to theoretically derived dimensions of risk in domains associated with prior offenses, family/parenting, education/work, peers, substance use, personality/behavior problems, and attitudes/orientation. Analysis of data gathered from a second sample containing 373 families of adolescents who came into contact with the intake/diversion department of a county juvenile court confirmed the original seven factors of the battery and generated support for an eighth dimension composed of items that reflected leisure activities. The use of these global risk indicators are discussed as part of a practical and effective assessment battery for professionals working with court-involved youth and their families.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development and Family Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, USA. gavazzi.1@osu.edu
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gavazzi
authors.forename: Denim
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Slade
authors.forename: Cynthia K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Buettner
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Partridge
authors.forename: Courtney M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Yarcheck
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Andrews
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003416:Criminal Law / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires