Child and adolescent behavioral health in the juvenile legal system: Inside the walls and beyond

Abstract

Jason, a 15-year-old adolescent, was recently adjudicated and placed at the Rhode Island Training School (RITS), the state's only secure carceral facility for detained and adjudicated youth. Like many of the youth entering the facility, Jason arrived at the RITS with a complex history of trauma, substance use, and behavioral issues. As a child, his father was incarcerated and his mother struggled with substance use, leaving Jason without a consistent caregiver. His early life was marked by frequent moves between foster homes, unstable housing, and exposure to violence. This instability in his childhood led to feelings of anger and frustration, which often manifested in school through defiant behavior, truancy, and eventually, physical altercations that led to his involvement with the juvenile legal system.