Article Critique



WSUArticle CritiqueChild maltreatment, Placement Strategies and Delinquency SW:3810- W Jennifer Fye4/15/2013IntroductionChildren who suffer from maltreatment are 4.8 times more likely to be arrested as juveniles and 11 times more likely to have an arrest for a violent crime as compared to other juveniles (Baskin, & Sommers, 2011). The link between maltreatment of children and the correlation of juvenile delinquency is not a new perspective. This current study builds on previous research and adds to it by using children who have suffered from a complete spectrum of maltreatment. There are different forms of child maltreatment such as general neglect, severe neglect, and exploitation, physical, sexual and emotional abuse. This study also provides for a full range of arrest, they could be violent, non-violent crimes or district attorney filed charges. Researchers that accomplished this study are Dr. Deborah R. Baskin and Ira Sommers. The study was an analysis completed of official recorded data of children from the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Data was comprised of children from the time they entered DCFS to potential involvement in the criminal justice system. Researchers also utilized a matched control design.For the purposes of this study researchers used delinquency as their dependent variable. Delinquency was measured in terms of arrest charges, age, and dates of arrest. The independent variables used were demographics, maltreatment types, placement(s), placement type, placement instability, and time at risk. Furthermore, the researchers used the Cox Regression method for their survival analysis. The model adjusted for variations by censoring observations. Each model included controls for age, sex, race/ethnicity, age at placement, placement instability, and type of abuse. This model confirmed the distinction that youth placed in group homes were more likely to become delinquents. Sexually abused youth were less likely to be arrested than youth who were in other abuse categories. The other analysis completed showed ten percent of all maltreated youth within this research had at least one arrest. Researchers found delinquency was related to placement type; those children placed in group homes were notably more likely to be arrested and charged for both violent and non-violent crimes. Any professional working with children who have suffered from abuse can use the information from this study. These results can aid in the decisions made by social workers and lawmakers while considering the best care for these children. It is challenge to help children who have been abuse; and help assist them in becoming responsible law abiding citizens. According to this study, types of placements and the age of child are an important part to meeting this goal.MethodologyThe researchers’ study was comprised of a prospective analysis, a matched control design, and a survival analysis. The DCFS and Los Angeles County Probation department (PD) submitted their data to the researchers for the prospective analysis portion. For the purpose of this study two criteria were utilized. First, subjects had to be new petitions to DCFS for the years 1990- 1993; the child could have no previous history with DCFS. Secondly, the child could have no previous arrests to entering the DCFS. After that, a random sample was taken of children from birth to 12 years of age for each placement group. The sample size total was 1,235: comprised of 371 children in group homes, 446 children in foster care, and 418 children in family maintenance (Baskin, & Sommers, 2011).The match control design took the DCFS cases and compared them to a non-dependent control group. This comparison group was made from unfounded referrals to DCFS over six years, 1990-1995. The Mahalanobis distance was then used as a modified matching procedure. Researchers compared the distance between participants and all comparison group members, then compared the distance for all members of the comparison group that were previously matched to participants. The cases were selected and matched from a population of 25,361; this left a final sample size of 1,235. To test the effects of placement type on delinquency, the Cox regression analysis was used (Baskin, & Sommers, 2011).Use of a control group is strength in this study; and the scope measured more variables of delinquencies than previously researched. The weaknesses of this study include the limited sample size, limited data fields, use of only official arrests, and limited variables for background of delinquents. The sample size of children used was limited to one county; this does not represent the whole population of children. A small sample size affects the ability to generalize, which changes the external validity of the results. Another weakness was the limited availability of data entered into the DCFS and PD records. The study accounted for a multitude of risk factors, but could not incorporate personality, substance abuse, age of onset of substance abuse, and genetic factors these were beyond the scope of this study (Baskin, & Sommers, 2011).ResultsGeneral neglect was found to be the most prominent form of abuse against children. The second most prominent form of abuse is physical; then, in order, caretaker absence, emotional abuse, sexual abuse severe neglect, and other abuse. While 10% of all youth in this study had at least one arrest, only 5% youth had charges filed by the district attorney. The prospective analysis showed a correlation between placement changes and delinquency. The Cox regression analysis results found, placement change and delinquency held no significance. However both analyses showed placement type did; there was a significant difference in terms of those placed in group homes. Youth that were placed in group homes were two times more likely to be arrested. Those who entered the system at an older age were also more likely to be arrested. The length of time spend in the system was directly correlated likelihood of being arrested (Baskin, & Sommers , 2011).In terms of types of maltreatment, those who were sexually abused were less likely to be arrested than those of other forms of maltreatment. Whites were more likely to have arrests than African Americans. Gender did not show a significant role in overall arrests. However, for violent crimes, males were more likely than females to be arrested. The study showed that for violent crimes youth who were older at time of placement, in care longer, and had at least one placement change were more likely to be arrested ( Baskin& Sommers,2011).Those youth who entered the system at an older age, with one or more placement changes, were two times as likely to be charged by the district attorney. There were two main differences in the analysis of those arrested and those charged. Unlike the arrest model, the youth who had experienced sexual abuse, were more likely to be charged with a crime. Also, Placement type did not show to have any significant in the cases in which youth were charged (Baskin, & Sommers, 2011). DiscussionThe researchers in this study came to their conclusion directly based on the results of their analysis. One of the strengths of this quantitative research is the use of a control group. Another strength of is the researchers’ acknowledgment of the study’s limitations. One weakness of this study was its limited range of samples, narrowing the ability to generalize. Another weakness is the limited knowledge of other risk factor, such as substance abuse, associated with delinquency. Consistent with other studies these researchers’ found the most consistent results in regarding the correlation between youth and delinquency are placement instability and age at time of placement. Also youth are more likely to be charged and arrested for violent and non-violent crimes, which were older at time of placement and experienced one or more placement changes (Baskin, & Sommers, 2011). As a social worker, working with children who have been maltreated in their homes of origin, gathering information is important. This evidence - based study could be useful when making placement decisions. The conclusion from this research shows that while not all children are harmed by group home placement, those who are older when placed are more likely to cross to delinquency. Not all children who have been abused and mistreated become criminals, but with this study we can better understand which children should be in our trajectory.Reference pageBaskin, & Sommers, (2011). Child maltreatment, placement strategies, and delinquency. American Journal of Criminal Justice : AJCJ, 36(2), 106-119 doi: ................
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