“Finding Your Purpose Doesn’t Come Overnight”: How Youth Describe Vocational Training Opportunities in Juvenile Justice

Abstract

Youth (adolescents aged 11 to 17) with a history of juvenile justice involvement experience some of the lowest employment rates that continues into adulthood. Research and federal entities continue to echo the need for juvenile justice systems to provide vocational training to youth served in their juvenile justice facilities to reduce the likelihood of juvenile recidivism. We conducted a qualitative study to capture how youth described the vocational training experiences they were receiving while in a juvenile justice facility and how those experiences may impact their future careers. We identified five themes from a semi-structured focus group (N = 7): (1) these hands are tools, (2) you have to earn it, (3) my future career goals, (4) give me more opportunities, and (5) help wanted from the community. We share our findings with direct quotes from youth, discuss limitations, and provide suggestions for future researchers as well as implications for career practice.