In 2007, youth across the state completed the Minnesota Student Survey (MSS) in which 9th and 12th graders were asked to self-report on a variety of behaviors, attitudes and wellness indicators. Fourteen correctional placements, many of which are secure programs, also participated and administered the survey to 587 residents through their education programs.

Creating a Comparison Group: The corrections youth who participated in the survey were 77 percent minority race or ethnicity, were 86 percent male, and were between the ages of 11 and 20. Mainstream youth respondents were 15 percent minority race or ethnicity, were 49 percent male and, were between ages 13 and 20.⁴²

In order to reduce the impact of demographic differences between the two groups of respondents, the responses from the correctional facility youth were matched by age, race and gender with mainstream public school youth who took the Secondary Minnesota Student Survey. This created a public school comparison group that very closely mirrored the corrections youth group.

Differences and similarities between these two matched groups will hopefully illuminate how the behaviors, attitudes, experiences and life circumstances of youth who enter juvenile correctional facilities differ from similar youth in the community. Youth in correctional placements do not represent the attitudes and experiences of all justice system involved youth, but hopefully this data can provide insight for further support and interventions for these youth. A full analysis and report on this topic is in progress through the Office of Justice Programs, however here are some key findings:

Differences:

Individualized Education Plans (IEPs):

• Mainstream youth and youth in correctional facilities of the same race, age and gender demographics have significant differences in their involvement in Special Education Services. Less than one third (28%) of mainstream youth had IEPs whereas over half (53%) of correctional facility youth had IEPs. No information is available from this survey regarding if the IEPs are related to physical, emotional or developmental disabilities. 

Free or Reduced Price Lunch:

• Mainstream youth and youth in correctional facilities of the same racial and gender demographics have significant differences in whether or not they receive free or reduced priced lunch; the only economic indicator on the Minnesota Student Survey. Almost twice as many correctional facility youth (74%) reported they received free or reduced priced lunch in the most recent school year, as opposed to 39 percent of students in the community.

Living Arrangement:

• The family living arrangement is also substantially different for the matched group of students. Students completing the survey had many living arrangements from which to choose, but the following two categories had large differences: Mainstream youth were more likely to live with both biological parents (43%) versus 13 percent of youth in correctional facilities. Conversely, 44 percent of youth in correctional facilities lived with only their mother versus less than one quarter (24%) of mainstream youth.

Chemical Use:

• The 2007 Minnesota Student Survey also found that youth in correctional facilities began using drugs at an earlier age. Correctional facility youth have higher rates than mainstream youth of trying the following by the age of 13: Alcohol (61% vs. 29%), marijuana (70% vs. 11%) and other drugs (19% vs. 4%).

• Youth in correctional facilities reported significantly more current drug and alcohol use than their mainstream peers. In addition, youth in correctional facilities self-identified consequences associated with using at higher levels such as problems with family, relationships, health, abstaining, and the law.

 

Mental Health:

• The 2007 Minnesota Student Survey found that youth in correctional facilities reported being treated for chemical dependency (44%) and mental health (41%) at a rate significantly higher than youth in mainstream schools (15% and 5%).⁴³  

• Youth in correctional facilities reported higher rates of having an emotional or mental health problem lasting longer than 12 months (30 % vs. 14%).

• Youth in correctional placement self reported more issues than mainstream youth on almost all the mental health related questions including feeling stressed, sad, angry/irritable, hopeless, poor concentration, impulsive, and attempting suicide. 

• Self-reported suicide attempts are two times higher for youth in correctional facilities (20% v. 10%).

Self-reported Victimization: 

While youth in placement generally self-report engaging in more criminal behavior and victimization of others, they also report being victimized more than mainstream youth.  

• Youth in correctional facilities report over twice the physical abuse by an adult or other person in their household than mainstream youth.

• Youth in correctional facilities report being victims of almost  twice as much sexual abuse both by a family member and by non-family members.

• Youth in correctional placements report over twice as much dating violence and slightly more forced sexual behavior within dating relationships. When female responses are separated from the males, the percentage experiencing forced sexual behavior in a dating relationship skyrockets from 12 percent to 37 percent.

• Correctional youth in Minnesota overall appear to experience greater victimization at the hands of family, dating partners and non-familial relationships than mainstream youth, which must be taken into account when providing services and interventions.

Similarities:

Whereas there are many differences between these groups of youth, there are also some fundamental similarities in their experiences and perceptions. In several areas there was no statistical difference between correctional facility youth responses and mainstream youth responses.

Supports:

• Youth overwhelmingly agreed that they can talk to their mothers about problems they are having. Seventy-eight percent of youth in correctional facilities agreed versus 73 percent of mainstream youth.

• There was no statistical difference between how much youth in both groups felt their parents cared about them; other adult relatives cared about them; and how much religious and spiritual leaders cared for them.

• Mainstream youth were more likely than correctional facility youth to say that teachers or other adults at school and other adults in their community cared about them.

• Parents and other adult relatives are clearly a great resource for youth, as both groups feel cared for by their family and expressed ability to talk about their problems, especially with their mothers. This illustrates why it is imperative that families be included in processes and programming decisions about their children.

How are girls in the correctional facilities unique?

It is generally accepted that male and female youth do not enter the juvenile justice system for the same offenses or because of the same risk factors in their lives. This phenomenon is illustrated by differences in male and female responses to the Minnesota Student Survey within the cohort of youth in correctional facilities.

Though the statistical differences between the genders are too plentiful to explain in this Snapshot, they will be explored by the Office of Justice Programs in a future report. Suffice it to say at this time, the environmental factors and personal drivers contributing to girls’ involvement in the juvenile justice system are unique and speak to the importance of programming and interventions responsive to the needs of girls.

Victimization of Girls:

• Victimization rates are significantly higher for female youth in correctional facilities than males. Over half of girls reported experiencing physical abuse in their home by an adult or in their home by another. Over half also reported being hurt or afraid in a dating relationship. For males the rates were closer to one quarter for abuse in the home.
• Between one quarter and one-third of girls in correctional facilities (28%) reported experiencing familial sexual abuse. Over one third (39%) report sexual abuse by someone outside their family and forced sexual behavior in dating relationships (37%). For males in correctional facilities, none of these rates exceeded 10 percent.
• Two thirds of corrections girls reported having run away from home at least once in the past year, as opposed to one third of boys. This mirrors arrest rates for males and females for runaway.

Chemical and Emotional Health:

• More girls than boys report using drugs for the first time before age 13 (28% vs. 17%).
• Over 50 percent of girls agreed or mostly agreed that they get a lot of headaches, stomach aches or sickness (61%); that they are often irritable or angry (79%); they are often unhappy, depressed or tearful (51%); they have felt sad all or most of the time in the past month (51%); and that they feel under pressure or stress in the past month (62%). All were higher than the male response rates to these questions.
• Girls are more likely than boys to report having been treated for a mental or emotional health problem (56% vs. 38%). This may or may not represent a difference in diagnoses or willingness to follow through with treatment recommendations.
• Girls had significantly higher rates of self harm: Fifty-nine percent reported hurting themselves on purpose; 61 percent reported suicidal thoughts, and 41 percent reported suicide attempts. One quarter or less of boys reported self harm or suicidal thoughts and 15 percent had a suicide attempt.

The Institute for Women’s Policy Research in partnership with the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota created a 2008 report entitled: Status of Girls in Minnesota: Research Overview. This document has myriad wellness indicators about girls using current Minnesota Student Survey data and other resources. This document also makes policy recommendations as it relates to strengthening supports and improving outcomes for female adolescents. Though it is an examination of all girls versus juvenile justice system involved girls, it addresses juvenile justice system risk factors and is a useful reference tool: http://www.wfmn.org/PDFs/StatusOfGirlsInMN_ResearchOverview.pdf