Early versus late contact with the youth justice system: opportunities for prevention and diversion

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorMalvaso, C.
dc.contributor.authorMagann, M.
dc.contributor.authorRibeiro Santiago, P.H.
dc.contributor.authorMontgomerie, A.
dc.contributor.authorDelfabbro, P.
dc.contributor.authorDay, A.
dc.contributor.authorPilkington, R.
dc.contributor.authorLynch, J.
dc.date.issued2024
dc.description.abstractChildren who have ‘early contact’ with youth justice (YJ) are a group of significant policy interest. Understanding circumstances which precede or co-occur with YJ contact can support the development of preventive investments and inform debates about systemic reform, such as ‘raise the age’. Using whole-of-population administrative data from the SA Better Evidence Better Outcomes Linked Data (BEBOLD) platform, we examine differences between children who have early (i.e. between the ages of 10 and 13 years) versus late (i.e. at age 14 or older) YJ contact, relative to the general population. Children born 1991–2022 were followed from birth to age 18 (N = 249,995). Compared to the late-contact group, children with early contact experienced more serious YJ contact (91% versus 59% experienced custody); were more disadvantaged at birth (e.g. 66% versus 45% born into jobless families); had more serious child protection contact by age 10 (26% versus 12% experienced out-of-home care); and experienced mental health-related hospitalisations from ages 12–18 (43% versus 34%). Relative to the general population, both groups were characterised by significant social and economic disadvantage, child protection contact and mental health challenges. The need for investment in early prevention to divert children from the justice system is clear.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityCatia Malvaso, Michaela Maganna, Pedro Henrique Ribeiro Santiago, Alicia Montgomerie, Paul Delfabbro, Andrew Day, Rhiannon Pilkington and John Lynch
dc.identifier.citationCurrent Issues in Criminal Justice, 2024; 36(1):16-41
dc.identifier.doi10.1080/10345329.2023.2214973
dc.identifier.issn1034-5329
dc.identifier.issn2206-9542
dc.identifier.orcidMalvaso, C. [0000-0003-1227-5434]
dc.identifier.orcidRibeiro Santiago, P.H. [0000-0002-1267-8340]
dc.identifier.orcidMontgomerie, A. [0000-0002-9620-3894]
dc.identifier.orcidDelfabbro, P. [0000-0002-0466-5611]
dc.identifier.orcidPilkington, R. [0000-0001-6974-8496]
dc.identifier.orcidLynch, J. [0000-0003-2781-7902]
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/2440/141413
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherTaylor and Francis Group
dc.relation.granthttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DE200100679
dc.relation.granthttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1187489
dc.relation.granthttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1099422
dc.relation.granthttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/570120
dc.rights© 2024 Informa UK Limited
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1080/10345329.2023.2214973
dc.subjectchild protection; data linkage; developmental criminology; early-onset offending; juvenile justic; emental health; youth justice
dc.titleEarly versus late contact with the youth justice system: opportunities for prevention and diversion
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

Files

Collections

Research Outputs