The Prison Adjustment of Juvenile Offenders

While young adult offenders have traditionally been characterized as making a poor adjustment to institutional life, the juvenile incarcerated in an adult facility represents a potentially greater problem. This study examined adjustment after separating the young violent offenders into two groups: those who committed their crimes prior to age 17 and those who committed crimes between 17 and 21. Juvenile inmates were almost twice as likely to be problem inmates, resulting in their not working or earning good-time credit. They were also three times more likely than their slightly older counterparts to be in the most restrictive custody grades. With current legislation enabling the continued incarceration of juveniles in adult facilities, administrators should adopt strategies to manage this special population more effectively.