Early Versus Late Contact with the Youth Justice System: Differences in Characteristics Measured at Birth, Child Protection System Contact and Adolescent Mental Health Outcomes

Abstract

Early contact with the youth justice (YJ) system leads to poorer health, wellbeing and recidivism. However, there is little known about how early versus late YJ contact (i.e., before age 14 versus age 14 or older) influences YJ contact patterns, or whether early life circumstances and associated outcomes differ by early versus late YJ contact. This study uses whole-of-population linked data to examine differences between young people who have early versus late YJ system contact. Data were from the Better Evidence Better Outcomes Linked Data (BEBOLD) platform including children in South Australia born 1991-1998, followed from birth to age 18 (n=169,172), of which 1.9% had YJ contact. Compared to the late contact group, young people with early YJ contact had: more serious YJ contact patterns (e.g., 91% versus 59% ever experienced custodial supervision); were more disadvantaged at birth (e.g., 63% versus 44% born into jobless families); had more serious child protection contact by age 10 (e.g., 40% versus 27% had experienced out-of-home care); and experienced more mental health-related hospitalisations from ages 12-18 (e.g., 48% versus 35%). This analysis demonstrates the complex circumstances that precede and co-occur with YJ involvement and point to the need for investment in early supports.