Module 2: Screening and Assessment

2B. Screening and Assessment in the Juvenile Justice System

The juvenile justice system provides a continuum of services with varying levels of intervention. The system is required to identify the proper security level for each youth (e.g., probation vs. more restrictive setting, community-based facility vs. training school). Inappropriate matching of youth to security level can result in the placement of nonviolent youth in overly restrictive settings. Conversely, it can result in an increased risk to the community if violent youth or high-risk youth are placed in settings that are unable to manage their behavior. Also, inappropriate matching can result in individual inequities when youth with the same offense and risk are placed at different levels of restriction.

In juvenile justice, one purpose of assessment and classification is to estimate the likelihood of youth continuing to engage in delinquent behavior and to identify what level of intervention is most appropriate for the assessed risk. In addition, juvenile justice staff must determine whether a youth has any acute substance abuse and/or mental health needs.

Every level within the juvenile justice system needs to be able to identify:

• Youth with "acute" mental illness (i.e., requiring immediate attention/intervention)
• Youth experiencing drug/alcohol intoxication or withdrawal (i.e., requiring immediate attention/intervention)
• Youth with severe and persistent mental disorders and/or substance abuse in need of treatment and care (i.e., requiring referral for appropriate treatment)
• Youth with no preexisting mental disorder who may be in crisis as the result of their entry into the system
• Youth with a preexisting mental disorder or substance abuse disorder who require continued treatment