Predictors of sexual and reproductive health among girls involved in the juvenile legal system: The influence of resources, race, and ethnicity

McKenzie N. Berezin, Shabnam Javdani and Erin Godfrey

Children and Youth Services Review, 2022, vol. 136, issue C

Abstract: Girls involved in the juvenile legal system are at among the highest risk for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) challenges. Yet, few studies focus on girls or examine multiple predictors of their SRH in tandem. In addition to individual and familial-level risk factors (e.g., trauma, substance use, parental monitoring), this study also examines the influence of structural disadvantage on girls’ SRH by assessing the degree to which girls’ self-identified resource needs and access challenges across multiple areas (e.g., housing, employment, healthcare) predict SRH risk. Cross-sectional data collected from 269 girls involved in the legal system and their caregivers were analyzed using hierarchical regression analyses. Findings suggest that, over and above individual and familial level predictors, resource access challenges significantly predict girls’ SRH, while high resource needs and access challenges predict Black girls’ SRH specifically. Implications for programming, policy, and research are delineated.

Keywords: Girls; Juvenile justice; Sexual and reproductive health; Resource access; Community resources; Economic needs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:136:y:2022:i:c:s0190740922000627

DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106426

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