| This study examined relevant factors and the needs of suitable placement youth, with a particular interest on gender and recidivism. Current national trends substantiate the need for the exploration of this population.;Girls under the age of 18 are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. juvenile justice population (Leve, Chamberlain, & Reid, 2005). Not surprisingly, policy makers, juvenile court personnel, administrators, and practitioners alike have been compelled to evaluate effective prevention and treatment approaches for these female offenders. Coupled with the growing challenges facing the juvenile justice system aside from sheer volume of juvenile admissions, it must also address the rise of youth with serious behavioral and mental health needs.;To help rehabilitate the youth who are sentenced by juvenile delinquency court to placement, the juvenile justice probation officers and administrators recommend suitable placement for the youth. Because the youth involved in this system often present with vast and multidimensional problems, it is important to make attempts to tailor programs and interventions at each juvenile justice setting at which they reside.;The intent of this study was to investigate key predictor variables, such as gender, age, incarcerations, previous times at placement, clinical diagnosis, and medication support and their effect on recidivism. This study used archival data from the juvenile justice division of a large, metropolis county in Southern California. Three hundred and forty-seven records of placement youth during a 3-month period were examined for recidivism 12 months after release. The data were studied and an analysis was done, using a logistic regression model.;The results of this study indicate that gender is an important factor. Female youth were found to have more serious clinical diagnoses compared to their male counterparts and were taking psychotropic medications at a higher rate; however, females did not have higher rates of recidivism compared to males. Although hypotheses supported that female youth had more problems in the mental health arena than did males, gender was not found to significantly contribute to the likelihood that suitable placement youth would recidivate, but age and number of detentions did. Further discussion about these findings and suggestions for further researcher were discussed. |
