A Tailored Approach for Justice Involved Youth With an Intellectual Disability: The Suitability of a Small-Scale Community-Integrated Approach

Abstract

Youngsters with intellectual disabilities are overinvolved within the youth justice system. The aim of this study was to explore the suitability of a small-scale community-integrated approach for justice involved youngsters with intellectual disabilities. This study compared the numbers of transfers, the number, type, and rate of change in incidents, and the possible mediating effect of resilience thereon, between 40 youngsters with and 19 youngsters without intellectual disabilities, placed in a small-scale facility. There were no differences in the number of transfers, the number, type, and rate of change in incidents, and no mediating effect of resilience was found. A small-scale community integrated approach for youth justice facilities can be suited to provide tailored placement for youngsters with intellectual disabilities, given the presence of protective factors and motivation. Both youngsters with and without intellectual disabilities showed a low number of incidents and were able to continue or initiate structural daytime activities.