Connections between youth mental health and the juvenile justice system

Many experiences shape the mental health of children and youth, including relationships with family and peers, traumatic events and interactions with the juvenile justice system. By ensuring the health and well-being of children, juvenile justice policies can prevent delinquent behavior and improve community safety.

This brief outlines the root causes of mental health challenges for youth at risk for justice involvement and includes nine policy options that state policymakers can implement to improve mental health outcomes for at-risk youth and prevent justice involvement, while preventing delinquent behavior, promoting accountability and cultivating community safety.

Click here for a two-page executive summary