Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health

MAY2002

Why is it necessary to include cultural issues when planning for juvenile offenders?

Despite the overrepresentation of minority youth of color in the juvenile justice population, very little attention has been paid to the importance of cultural competence in the field of juvenile justice. Plans often fall apart because they are not executable in the circumstances and situations that youth have to negotiate daily. Several researchers and writers have developed broad outlines to consider when working with Latino and African American youth. Research has shown there are significant intergenerational and gender issues that affect the development of culturally respectful and responsive plans for youth. Many researchers have also found that the different levels of delinquent involvement (or no delinquent involvement) in resource-poor neighborhoods of minority families is related to the amount and quality of time that youth in these neighborhoods spend with their families.

Efforts to develop culturally specific programming have generally not been successful. For example, Wooldredge, Hartman, Latessa and Holmes (1990) developed a program for African American youth on probation for felony offenses. The program involved active case management, substance abuse treatment, a "family enhancement" component (parenting skills), as well as a "cultural enhancement" component (self-esteem and multicultural tolerance). At one-year follow up, there were no differences between youth in the program and youth receiving regular probation.

It may be the case that the most successful culturally competent treatments are those that are highly individualized (such as Wraparound, Multi-Systemic Therapy, Functional Family Therapy or Treatment Foster Care) rather than those that cluster youth based on ethnic identification. In the highly individualized models, a comprehensive training program is implemented to help staff become proficient at asking the questions that yield cultural response. Staff are also taught to use that information in the plan so that it is individually significant to the child and his/her family. The resultant successes from individualized plans for children and their families are powerful, long lasting, and build resilience.

Home About Us About Systems of Care Contact Us Events & Presentations Newsletter Consultant Pool Special Topics Column Grantee Locator Webinars Resource Specialties Child Welfare Education Family Involvement Juvenile Justice Mental Health Primary Care Substance Abuse Sustainability Youth Involvement Regional Technical Assistance Region I Region II Region III Region IV Region V Region VI Communities of Practice Cultural and Linguistic Competence Early Childhood Transition-Aged Youth	Juvenile Justice and Systems of Care Frequently Asked Questions
	MAY2002 Why is it necessary to include cultural issues when planning for juvenile offenders? Despite the overrepresentation of minority youth of color in the juvenile justice population, very little attention has been paid to the importance of cultural competence in the field of juvenile justice. Plans often fall apart because they are not executable in the circumstances and situations that youth have to negotiate daily. Several researchers and writers have developed broad outlines to consider when working with Latino and African American youth. Research has shown there are significant intergenerational and gender issues that affect the development of culturally respectful and responsive plans for youth. Many researchers have also found that the different levels of delinquent involvement (or no delinquent involvement) in resource-poor neighborhoods of minority families is related to the amount and quality of time that youth in these neighborhoods spend with their families. Efforts to develop culturally specific programming have generally not been successful. For example, Wooldredge, Hartman, Latessa and Holmes (1990) developed a program for African American youth on probation for felony offenses. The program involved active case management, substance abuse treatment, a "family enhancement" component (parenting skills), as well as a "cultural enhancement" component (self-esteem and multicultural tolerance). At one-year follow up, there were no differences between youth in the program and youth receiving regular probation. It may be the case that the most successful culturally competent treatments are those that are highly individualized (such as Wraparound, Multi-Systemic Therapy, Functional Family Therapy or Treatment Foster Care) rather than those that cluster youth based on ethnic identification. In the highly individualized models, a comprehensive training program is implemented to help staff become proficient at asking the questions that yield cultural response. Staff are also taught to use that information in the plan so that it is individually significant to the child and his/her family. The resultant successes from individualized plans for children and their families are powerful, long lasting, and build resilience.

Juvenile Justice and Systems of Care Frequently Asked Questions