Family-Based Approaches to Juvenile Delinquency: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

The increasing effects of juvenile crime on society have caused attention to shift toward efficacy of offender treatment programs. Traditional methods of treatment with this population have failed to produce satisfactory outcomes. As a result, many researchers are now calling for more systemic approaches to offender treatment that focus on problems embedded within multiple levels (e.g., school, family, peers, culture, and socioeconomic level). Effective approaches, which employ direct and indirect client and community services, tend to be action oriented, multifaceted, preventive and remedial, culturally sensitive, systemic in nature, and comprehensive. This article examines factors contributing to delinquency (e.g., developmental issues, gender-related issues, and environmental factors) and elements of effective approaches for treating delinquency (e.g., multisystemic therapy, functional family therapy, behavioral parent training, and family skills training). The purpose of this examination is to provide readers with information to effectively meet the challenges of therapeutic intervention within the juvenile offender system.