Releasing Their Stories: A Qualitative Study of Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth with Histories of Mental Health Issues and Violence

Abstract

Too often the narratives of youth self-exploration and experience are lost in a drive to prevent, diagnose, or respond to youth-led crime. This exploratory qualitative study looks at and documents the life histories of youth concurrently involved in the juvenile justice system and in clinical treatment independent of the crimes they committed. A purposive sample of 9 male juvenile-justice-involved youth with histories of mental health issues and violence were administered a semi-structured questionnaire. A content analysis of the youths' narratives revealed 3 major themes related to trauma and responses: (a) exposure to a violent world, (b) death and loss of significant others, and (c) positive–negative responses. The implications for forensic social work practice and policy with juvenile justice youth with histories of trauma are delineated.