Program Description

The Boston Juvenile Court Clinic, Massachusetts

Overview

Massachusetts has a statewide system of Juvenile Court Clinics. The Boston Juvenile Court Clinic was designed to provide evaluation and treatment services to youth involved with the Boston Juvenile Court. It is one of the first such clinics in the United States. In a typical year, the court refers about 900 youth to the clinic. The majority of cases involve delinquency, status offense, and child abuse matters, and problems related to a high prevalence of exposure to various types of trauma. Other cases involve youth with anxiety and mood disorders, substance abuse problems, disruptive behavior disorders, learning disorders, and personality disorders.

At probation intake, a risk/need assessment is performed on all youth. Once in the courtroom, attorneys or social service workers raise the issue of any mental health concerns, including learning disabilities and behavioral problems. The juvenile is then referred by order of the judge to the Juvenile Court Clinic. Any youth coming into the system is eligible, with an age range of 7 to 17 years old. At this point, a comprehensive evaluation is carried out that includes interviews with the child and parents, the school, social services, and any mental health providers with whom the child has had contact, and a report is prepared. During this time, the youth is either in detention, in a residential facility, in foster care or at home.

The evaluator makes referrals for the youth to receive services in whatever setting they are in. Services are provided for the court by a multidisciplinary team, and include evaluation, consultation, and treatment services. In addition, the Clinic runs intervention programs, including: an anger management program for youth who have committed minor offenses, such as truancy, and who are considered at risk for committing more serious offenses; and an alcohol and substance abuse education program for at-risk youth. At one time there was a 2-month period of follow up, but present funding does not allow for it.

An 8-year longitudinal study is underway through the University of Massachusetts Medical School as part of a program that is largely examining post-traumatic stress disorders. The Clinic also has close ties with the Children and the Law Service, a division of the Law and Psychiatry Service of Massachusetts General Hospital.

References

Barnum, R. et al. (1989). Clinical evaluation of juvenile delinquents: Who gets court referred? Bulletin of American Academy of Psychiatry and Law, 17(4), 335-344.

Mass General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and McLean Hospital. (Accessed: 10/24/2004). Available at: http://www.mghmclean.org/child/training_pages/boston.html

National Institute of Justice. (Accessed: 10/27/2004). Child abuse intervention strategic planning meeting: Background paper #1: Intervention strategies for high risk victims of CAN: Program profiles. Available at: http://www.bernco.gov/live/departments.asp?dept=2337&submenuid=2751.

Program Contact

Suffolk Juvenile Court
Juvenile Court Clinic
Edward W. Brooke Courthouse
24 New Chardon Street
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-788-6460
Fax: 617-788-8975