title: Working with complex problem behaviors in juvenile institutional care: staff's competence, organizational conditions and public value.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Institutional staff encounter juveniles with complex problems (externalizing and internalizing) which calls for adequate formal education/training and professional experience to deliver quality treatment, contributing to an effective organization and increasing public value. The purpose of this paper is to investigate staff's formal education, professional experience and the institutions' organizational strategies providing knowledge and clinical training to staff.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study includes staff questionnaires from eight wards (n=102). In addition, 39 in-depth interviews were conducted with management and staff members.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results show that institutions lack clearly defined target groups, 70 percent of staff members lack college education, 30 percent has never been offered education within the organization, and the vast majority of staff does not feel competent in performing their daily work. Practical implications - The results from this study shed light on an overlooked area in institutions, detention centers and prison settings, and are important to policy makers and governmental organizations responsible for coercive care of juveniles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Unlike previous studies, treatment and detention organizations are emphasized as similar to manufacturing industry and profit organizations, and the results are discussed with departure in organizational theory.
authors.affiliation: Dr Lia Ahonen and Dr Jürgen Degner, both are based at School of Law, Psychology and Social Work, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ahonen
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Degner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011330:Prisons / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D011361:Professional Competence; D013192:Staff Development; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Clinical training; Detention centres; Juvenile offenders; Prison psychiatry; Prison staff; Public value