Juvenile justice-involved youth, despite their history of poor academic performance, have high educational aspirations for their post-release life. However, few expect to meet their educational aspirations. Barriers in the transition from the juvenile justice setting to the community contribute to the disconnect between youths’ educational aspirations and expectations. However, to date, few studies have included the perspectives of incarcerated youth in assessing barriers to educational attainment. This study addresses the gap in the literature using data from the Survey of Youth in Residential Placement to examine self-reported barriers to meeting the educational aspiration of attending at least some college. Results indicate a lack of interest in school among juvenile justice-involved youth to be the most prevalent and significant barrier to higher educational expectations, despite self-reported high aspirations. We discuss policy implications to improve the reentry process and increase school attachment.
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