Risk- and protective factors, delict history and delict severity among youth offenders inside the Local Facilities compared to the Juvenile Detention Centers

Abstract

The present study aims to compare the risk and protective factors, delict history and delict severity amongst youth offenders inside the Local Facilities (LFs) compared to the Juvenile Detention Centers (JJIs). Because of strict selection criteria for the LFs differences it was expected that the LF would have had less risk and more protective factors compared to the JJI. To compare the risk and protective factors The Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY) and the The Structured Assessment of Protective Factors for Violence Risk Youth Version (SAPROF-YV) were used. Data from 59 male youth offenders was used. An ANCOVA was used to compare both groups on risk and protective factors with age covariate. Results showed that there were no differences on the total score which combined the risk and protective factors and on risk and protective factors separately. There were some significant differences on item level. Risk taxation instruments may be beneficial for the LFs’ selection process. Future research should focus on differences in violence behavior and environmental influences between both groups. It is important to look at other (long term) outcome measures like recidivism to see whether the risk and protective measurements can be of added predictive value.