Forensic mental health assessments of juvenile misdemeanor cases involving demoralization (status offenses) and delinquency

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cris.lastimport.scopus2024-10-22T03:10:39Z
dc.abstract.enPurpose The role of evidence-based psychological knowledge in cases of juvenile offending is essential to make appropriate decisions relating to youth who violate legal or social norms, as it carries implications for treatment, intervention and practice. Psychological expert opinions therefore need to meet high formal and methodological requirements while maintaining ethical standards. The purpose of this study is to investigate psychological expert opinions in cases of juvenile misbehavior reported to regional courts in Poland. Juvenile court proceedings concern cases of demoralization and/or delinquent offenses. Demoralization is a legal concept described in the Act of June 9, 2022 on juvenile support and resocialization. This concept was not defined; it was only described through examples of behaviors indicating demoralization. These include the following: violations of the principles of community life; evading compulsory education or schooling; use of alcohol, narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their precursors, substitutes or new psychoactive substances; and prostitution. Design/methodology/approach To reach these goals, court records of juvenile cases in six district courts (N = 253) were gathered and analyzed. A semistructured questionnaire was used to examine the cases in which psychologists were appointed and to analyze the procedures used by these experts for assessing adolescents and their families. Findings Findings revealed that family judges appoint psychologists both in cases of “demoralization” (i.e. status offenses) and in cases of juvenile delinquency. The opinions were delivered by psychologists who were mostly members of diagnostic teams. Results indicate that such opinions generally comply with the minimal standards recommended by the Ministry of Justice, yet a few problems were observed with the determination of levels of demoralization. Originality/value The limitations of diagnostic tools used by psychologists are discussed, and recommendations for future practice are provided.
dc.affiliationWydział Psychologii we Wrocławiu
dc.affiliationInstytut Psychologii
dc.contributor.authorRode, Danuta
dc.contributor.authorKabzińska, Joanna
dc.contributor.authorRode, Magdalena
dc.contributor.authorHabzda-Siwek, Ewa
dc.contributor.authorBoduszek, Daniel
dc.date.access2024-07-10
dc.date.accessioned2024-07-10T09:07:32Z
dc.date.available2024-07-10T09:07:32Z
dc.date.created2023-12-05
dc.date.issued2024-03-26
dc.description.abstract<jats:sec> <jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Purpose</jats:title> <jats:p>The role of evidence-based psychological knowledge in cases of juvenile offending is essential to make appropriate decisions relating to youth who violate legal or social norms, as it carries implications for treatment, intervention and practice. Psychological expert opinions therefore need to meet high formal and methodological requirements while maintaining ethical standards. The purpose of this study is to investigate psychological expert opinions in cases of juvenile misbehavior reported to regional courts in Poland. Juvenile court proceedings concern cases of demoralization and/or delinquent offenses. Demoralization is a legal concept described in the Act of June 9, 2022 on juvenile support and resocialization. This concept was not defined; it was only described through examples of behaviors indicating demoralization. These include the following: violations of the principles of community life; evading compulsory education or schooling; use of alcohol, narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their precursors, substitutes or new psychoactive substances; and prostitution.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Design/methodology/approach</jats:title> <jats:p>To reach these goals, court records of juvenile cases in six district courts (<jats:italic>N</jats:italic> = 253) were gathered and analyzed. A semistructured questionnaire was used to examine the cases in which psychologists were appointed and to analyze the procedures used by these experts for assessing adolescents and their families.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Findings</jats:title> <jats:p>Findings revealed that family judges appoint psychologists both in cases of “demoralization” (i.e. status offenses) and in cases of juvenile delinquency. The opinions were delivered by psychologists who were mostly members of diagnostic teams. Results indicate that such opinions generally comply with the minimal standards recommended by the Ministry of Justice, yet a few problems were observed with the determination of levels of demoralization.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Originality/value</jats:title> <jats:p>The limitations of diagnostic tools used by psychologists are discussed, and recommendations for future practice are provided.</jats:p> </jats:sec>
dc.description.accesstimeafter_publication
dc.description.grantnumber2015/19/B/HS5/01226
dc.description.granttitleOpiniowanie sądowo-psychologiczne w sprawach nieletnich i w sprawach z zakresu władzy rodzicielskiej
dc.description.issue2
dc.description.physical180-195
dc.description.versionfinal_author
dc.description.volume14
dc.identifier.doi10.1108/JCP-10-2023-0069
dc.identifier.issn2009-3829
dc.identifier.urihttps://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/787
dc.identifier.weblinkhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JCP-10-2023-0069/full/html
dc.languageen
dc.language.abstracten
dc.language.subjecten
dc.pbn.affiliationpsychologia
dc.rightsCC-BY
dc.rights.questionYes_rights
dc.share.articleOPEN_REPOSITORY
dc.subject.enForensic mental health assessment
dc.subject.enJuvenile delinquency
dc.subject.enPsychological expert opinion
dc.subject.enExpert opinion
dc.swps.sciencecloudsend
dc.titleForensic mental health assessments of juvenile misdemeanor cases involving demoralization (status offenses) and delinquency
dc.title.journalJournal of Criminal Psychology
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeArticle