The majority of youths involved with the juvenile justice system struggle to make academic progress. This article reviews the characteristics of youths in these settings and highlights evidence-based instructional practices that are effective with struggling students, as well as practices that have been documented as successful in secure facilities. Implications regarding how these practices may be taught to facility teachers and security officers are presented, and suggestions for measuring the effects of such practices are offered.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BeckerB., & LutharS. (2002). Social-emotional factors affecting achievement outcomes among disadvantaged students: Closing the achievement gap.Educational Psychologist, 37, 197–214.
2.
BillingsleyC., ScheuermannB., & WebberJ. (2009). A comparison of three instructional methods for teaching math skills to secondary students with emotional/behavioral disorders.Behavioral Disorders, 35, 4–18.
3.
BullisM., YovanoffP., MuellerC., & HavelE. (2002). Life on the “outs”: Examination of the facility-to-community transition of incarcerated youth.Exceptional Children, 69, 7–22.
4.
DesimoneL. M. (2009). Improving impact studies of teachers’ professional development: Toward better conceptualizations and measures.Educational Researcher, 38, 181–199.
5.
ElrodP., & RyderR. S. (1999). Juvenile justice: A social, historical, and legal perspective.Aspen, CO: Aspen.
6.
FalkK. B., & WehbyJ. H. (2001). The effects of peer assisted learning strategies on the beginning reading skills of young children with emotional or behavioral disorders.Behavioral Disorders, 26, 344–359.
7.
FoleyR. M. (2001). Academic characteristics of incarcerated youth and correctional educational programs: A literature review.Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 9, 248–259.
8.
FreyL., GreenblattS., & BrownJ. (2007). A call to action: An integrated approach to youth permanency and preparation for adulthood.Baltimore, MD: Annie E. Casey Foundation.
9.
GagnonJ. C., & BarberR. R. (2010). Characteristics of and services provided to youth in secure care facilities.Behavioral Disorders, 36, 7–19.
10.
GagnonJ. C., BarberB. R., Van LoanC., & LeoneP. E. (2009). Juvenile correctional schools: Characteristics and approaches to curriculum.Education and Treatment of Children, 32, 673–696.
11.
GreenwoodC. R., DelquadriJ., & HallR. V. (1984). Opportunity to respond and student academic performance. In HewardW. L., HeronT. E., Trapp-PorterJ., & HillD. S. (Eds.), Focus on behavior analysis in education (pp. 58–88). Columbus, OH: Charles Merrill.
12.
HarrisP., BaltodanoH. M., ArtilesA., & RutherfordR. B. (2006). Integration of culture in reading studies for youth in corrections: A literature review.Education and Treatment of Children, 29, 749–779.
13.
HouchinsD. E., JoiivetteK., ShippenM. E., & LambertR. (2010). Advancing high-quality literacy research in juvenile justice: Methodological and practical considerations.Behavioral Disorders, 36, 61–69.
14.
HouchinsD. E., Puckett-PattersonD., CrosbyS., ShippenM. E., & JoiivetteK. (2009). Barriers and facilitators to providing incarcerated youth with a quality education.Preventing School Failure, 53(3), 159–166.
15.
HouchinsD. E., ShippenM. E., & JoiivetteK. (2006). System reform and job satisfaction of juvenile justice teachers.Teacher Education in Special Education, 29, 127–136.
16.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. §1400 et seq. (2004).
17.
JoiivetteK., HouchinsD. E., JosephsN., WallerK., HallT., & NomveteP. (2008). Providing educational services in secure settings. In BullockL. M., & CableR. A. (Eds.), Seventh CCBD Mini-Library Series on emotional/behavioral disorders: Ensuring a brighter future for troubled children/youth: Challenges and solutions (pp. 1–62). Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.
18.
LaneK. (2004). Academic instruction and tutoring interventions for students with emotional and behavioral disorders: 1990 to the present. In RutherfordR. B., QuinnM. M., & MathurS. R. (Eds.), Handbook of research in emotional and behavioral disorders (pp. 462–486). New York: Guilford.
19.
LeoneP. E., & MalmgrenK. (1999, November). Improving reading performance of incarcerated youth: Effects of an intensive summer literacy program. Presentation for the 1999 Conference of Teacher Educators for Children with Behavior Disorders, Scottsdale, AZ.
20.
LeoneP. E., MeiselS. M., & DrakefordW. (2002). Special education programs for youth with disabilities in juvenile corrections.Journal of Correctional Education, 53, 46–50.
21.
MacciniP., & GagnonJ. (2006). Mathematics instructional practices and assessment accommodations by secondary special and general educators.Exceptional Children, 72, 217–234.
22.
MaguinE., & LoeberR. (1996). Academic performance and delinquency. In TonryM. (Ed.), Crime and justice: A review of research (pp. 145–264). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
23.
MastropieriM. A., ScruggsT. E., MillsS., CerarN. I., Cuenca-SanchezY., & Allen-BronaughD. (2009). Persuading students with emotional disabilities to write fluently.Behavioral Disorders, 35, 19–40.
24.
MathurS. R., Griller ClarkH., & SchoenfeldN. (2009). Professional development: A capacity building model for juvenile correctional education.The Journal of Correctional Education, 60, 164–185.
25.
MerrellK. W., & WalkerH. M. (2004). Deconstructing a definition: Social maladjustment versus emotional disturbance and moving the E/BD field forward.Psychology in the Schools, 41, 899–910.
26.
MestreJ. P., & CockingR. R. (2000). The science of learning.Special Issue of Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 21, 1–135.
27.
MulcahyC., & GagnonJ. (2008). Teaching mathematics to secondary students with emotional/behavioral disorders. In BullockL. M., & GableR. A. (Eds.), Seventh CCBD Mini-Library Series on emotional/behavioral disorders: Ensuring a brighter future for troubled children/youth: Challenges and solutions (pp. 1–47). Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.
28.
National Center on Education, Disability, and Juvenile Justice. (2010). Juvenile correctional education programs. Retrieved from the National Center on Education, Disability, and Juvenile Justice website http://www.edjj.org/focus/education
29.
NelsonC. M. (2000). Educating students with emotional and behavioral disorders in the 21st century: Looking through windows, opening doors.Education and Treatment of Children, 23, 204–222.
30.
NelsonC. M., JoiivetteK., LeoneP. E., & MathurS. R. (2010). Meeting the needs of at-risk and adjudicated youth with behavioral challenges: The promise of juvenile justice.Behavioral Disorders, 36, 70–80.
31.
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, 20 U.S.C. 70§ 6301 et seq. (2002).
32.
PierceC. D., ReidR., & EpsteinM. H. (2004). Teacher-mediated interventions for children with E/BD and their academic outcomes: A review.Remedial and Special Education, 25, 176–188.
33.
QuinnM. M., RutherfordR. B., LeoneP. E., OsherD. M., & PoirierJ. M. (2005). Youth with disabilities in juvenile corrections: A national survey.Exceptional Children, 71, 339–345.
34.
RutherfordR. B., MathurS. R., & Griller ClarkH. (2003). Promising practices in transition for short term jails and detention centers and long term correctional facilities. Retrieved from the National Center on Education, Disability, and Juvenile Justice website http://www.edjj.org/focus/TransitionAfterCare/
35.
ScottT. M., NelsonC. M., LiaupsinC. J., JoiivetteK., ChristieC. A., & RineyM. (2002). Addressing the needs of at-risk and adjudicated youth through positive behavior support: Effective prevention practices.Education and Treatment of Children, 25, 532–551.
36.
SindelarP. T., BrownellM. T., & BiilingsleyB. (2010). Special education teacher education research: Current status and future directions.Teacher Education and Special Education, 33, 8–24.
37.
SmithT., & IngersollR. (2004). What are the effects of induction and mentoring on beginning teacher turnover?American Educational Research Journal, 41, 681–684.
38.
SwansonH. L. (2001). Research on interventions for adolescents with learning disabilities: A meta-analysis of outcomes related to higher order processing.Elementary School Journal, 101, 331–348.
39.
WangX., BlombergT. J., & LiS. D. (2005). Comparison of the educational deficiencies of delinquent and nondelinquent students.Evaluation Review, 29, 291–312.
