The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was one of the most widely used psychological tests administered to adolescents. The MMPI-A is a revised version of the MMPI that was developed specifically for adolescents. The purpose of this study is to establish clinical correlates for the MMPI-A standard scale codetypes.

TAT stories and demographic information of 30 violent and 30 nonviolent juvenile delinquents were obtained. Institutional assessment records at Dallas County Juvenile Department (DCJD) served as the data base for this study. TAT stories and demographic information of 30 violent and 30 nonviolent juvenile delinquents were obtained. Institutional assessment records at Dallas County Juvenile Department (DCJD) served as the data base for this study. Differences with respect to object relations functioning between juveniles charged with two categories of index offenses: property offenses and aggravated assault were examined. Object relations were assessed utilizing a scoring system designed for use with the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). The scoring system encompasses a psychoanalytic perspective and consists of four dimensions representing separate but interrelated aspects of object relations. It was hypothesized that juvenile delinquents who commit violent crimes would exhibit lower object relations functioning as compared to juvenile delinquents who commit nonviolent crimes.

With the advent of increased juvenile delinquency in our nation, the need for prevention and rehabilitation is paramount. Juvenile delinquent acts are becoming more serious and violent with offenders perpetrating at younger ages. Analysis suggests an increase in juvenile crime in the near future (Stone, 2000). Pinpointing the cause of delinquency is an arduous task because of the many contributing factors (e.g., impulsivity, aggression, low intellect, poor family attachment, drug, and alcohol abuse). By changing the emotional deficits found in beginning delinquency, the likelihood of developing delinquent behavior may be impeded. Research indicates that adolescents who commit crimes are lacking in empathy (e.g., Aleksic, 1975; Cohen & Strayer, 1996; Ellis, 1982; Gibbs, 1987; Marcus & Gray, 1998), thus, promoting empathy may be an avenue for prevention and rehabilitation. This study examined the levels of empathy of adjudicated youth in four juvenile correctional facilities in Texas. Using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), empathy levels of 170 youth were examined. Youth in the study demonstrated low levels of empathy. The study found that empathy levels of adjudicated youth were differentiated by incarcerating facility, IQ, type of offense, disability status, and phase level of a re-socialization training program. Age was not found to be a significant factor for differentiating empathy levels. Youth demonstrated similiar empathy levels at three of the four incarcerating facilities. However, empathy scores were still below average. IQ ranges were differentiated by the IRI, and found to be lower than normed scores. Type of committing offense was discriminated and found to indicate low empathy levels. Youth without an identified disability scored lower than subjects with emotional/behavioral disorders (E/BD) and youth with learning disabilities (LD). This may reflect the pattern of underidentification of juveniles in correctional facilities (Nelson, Rutherford, & Wolford, 1987). Phases of Re-socialization is an instructional therapuetic program with an empathy component used at the Texas Youth Commission correctional facilities. Data from the study indicated that youth at higher phase levels demonstrated increased empathy. Much of the data are inconsistent, thus establishing the need for further research. A deeper understanding of the impact of each factor (e.g., incarcerating facility, age, IQ, type of offense, disability status, phase) may be accomplished by further research. However, data from this study is consistent with previous research (e.g., Daberman, 1999; Ellis, 1982; Gibbs, 1987; Lee & Prentice, 1988), indicating a link between juvenile delinquents and empathic deficits.

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Several risk factors have been identified for adolescent sex offenders and non-sex offenders. Such risk factors include physical and/or sexual abuse, and exposure to community and/or domestic violence. Additionally, the presence of disinhibitive factors, such as substance use and exposure to violent or pornographic media are also commonly reported in the backgrounds of both sex and non-sex offenders. Similarly, adolescent offenders have reported traumatic reactions to environmental factors such as abuse and violence. Similarities in exposure to the risk and disinhibitive factors described above between adolescent sex and non-sex offenders do not provide an explanation for why some adolescents commit sex offenses, whereas other adolescent offenders do not. This study investigated the discriminative ability of traumatic reactions as a risk factor between male adolescent sex and non-sex offenders. The inclusion of traumatic reactions increased the accuracy of risk factors distinguishing between sex and non-sex offenders. Thus, not only the presence of risk factors, but also the adolescent's reaction to the risk factors, are important predictors of whether he will commit a sexual offense.

This study highlighted the distinction between retributive and restorative justice. Diversion and the Journey as a diversion option for youth in South Africa was discussed. Literature indicated that certain family aspects such as family cohesiveness, communication, discipline, and conflict in the home could lead to youth offending. Interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires were used to determine possible problematic family interactions as well as parents' needs of a parent programme. It was found that parents experience feelings like anger, disappointment, shock, helplessness, frustration, and humiliation regarding the child's crime. It was established that dealing with parents' feelings, communication, discipline, conflict resolution, and problem solving should be included in the parent programme. An evaluation of the programme was done and the following aspects showed improvement: communication, mother's involvement with the child, understanding and support in the family, youth's independence, affection, family relations, problem solving and the amount of time spent with family. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

Over the last several decades, researchers have documented how impaired reasoning by adult offenders impeded the intelligent waiver of Miranda rights. Logically, it stands to reason that juveniles – who are developmentally less mature and have less life experience than their adult counterparts – would possess even greater impairment, thereby heightening their risk for invalid Miranda waivers. Juvenile Miranda research supports this notion; with some researchers finding that psychosocial maturity, among other factors, affect a juvenile’s understanding of their rights. Yet, relatively few studies have examined its relation to Miranda reasoning and decision-making. Thus, the current study investigated the specific role of maturity in juveniles’ Miranda comprehension and reasoning. Participants included 236 legally-involved juveniles recruited from either a juvenile detention center or a juvenile justice alternative education program. The effects of psychosocial maturity were examined on a variety of Miranda-related measures and assessed a broad range of Miranda abilities. It was found that, in general, immature juveniles performed more poorly on all Miranda measures as compared to their mature counterparts. However, the impact of maturity varied considerably depending on the ability. Specifically, maturity was most important in the context of Miranda reasoning. As a novel addition to the literature, the current study also investigated the effects of developmental timing on maturity (i.e., immaturity-delayed versus immaturity-expected) on Miranda abilities.

Psychopathy, as conceptualized by Cleckley (1941), describes a constellation of psychological and behavioral correlates including superficial charm, untruthfulness, lack of remorse or shame, poor judgment, and failure to learn from experience. Based on Cleckley's initial work, Hare (1991) developed a two-factor model of psychopathy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles that sensation seeking, impulsivity, ADHD, conduct disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder have on adolescents classified as psychopaths. The participants consisted of 79 adjudicated male adolescents in a maximum-security facility. As hypothesized, adolescent male psychopaths had higher levels of sensation seeking, impulsivity, conduct disorder and oppositional defiant disorder. A discriminant function analysis found that sensation seeking, impulsivity, ADHD, Conduct Disorder, and Oppositional Defiant Disorder was moderately useful in classifying adolescent psychopathy. The results suggest that behavioral dysregulation is an important aspect of adolescent psychopathy. The relationship of these data to theories of adolescent psychopathy is discussed.

This study highlighted the distinction between retributive and restorative justice. Diversion and the Journey as a diversion option for youth in South Africa was discussed. Literature indicated that certain family aspects such as family cohesiveness, communication, discipline, and conflict in the home could lead to youth offending. Interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires were used to determine possible problematic family interactions as well as parents' needs of a parent programme. It was found that parents experience feelings like anger, disappointment, shock, helplessness, frustration, and humiliation regarding the child's crime. It was established that dealing with parents' feelings, communication, discipline, conflict resolution, and problem solving should be included in the parent programme. An evaluation of the programme was done and the following aspects showed improvement: communication, mother's involvement with the child, understanding and support in the family, youth's independence, affection, family relations, problem solving and the amount of time spent with family. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

Mentally ill juveniles who are incarcerated in correctional facilities receive minimal or no treatment services. The research in this thesis determines that mentally ill juvenile offenders receive inadequate treatment. It also determined that juvenile correctional officers as well as others in the criminal justice system are not trained properly to deal with mentally ill juveniles.