Statistical Analysis Length of Stay in Custody for Youth Aging Out of State’s Custody Is Affected by Race, Gender, Location, or Adjudication

Memo
TO: Dr. Smith
FROM: Karen Abbott
DATE: October 20, 2011
SUBJECT: Tennessee youth exiting state custody in the past 2 years

Executive Summary:  

This report seeks to find if length of stay in custody for youth aging out of state’s custody is affected by race, gender, location, or adjudication. Based on the analysis, the reason for custody is the only variable that has a significant effect on length of stay in custody. Youth that enter custody due to parental neglect stay in custody significantly longer than youth that commit delinquent acts.

  1)   Introduction:
The Youth Villages Transitional Living Program is a program dedicating to assisting youth with successfully transitioning to independent adulthood. The program works with youth ages 17-24 and targets areas such as education, employment, housing and support. In Tennessee, the Transitional Living program receives funding from the Department of Children Services to provide services to youth who have spent a minimum of one year in custody after turning 14 or a minimum of one day after turning 17.   Services can be offered to youth after turning 18. The majority of the youth served by the Transitional Living program are youth who have “aged out” of custody. These are youth who are exiting legal custody of the state on their 18th birthday.
It was of interest to study this population in regards specifically to length of stay in custody. This is important because older youth (ages 16-18) are more likely to live in group homes or institutions which are the least “family like” settings.   Youth in these settings are less likely to form permanent relationships with adults that will help them progress toward independence (Courtney, 2005). Research has shown that the long term outcomes for youth who spend a significant portion of their childhood in the foster care system are poor (Pecora, Kessler, Williams, O'Brien, & Downs, 2005). Because young adults aging out of state custody are facing the... [continues]

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