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Predictors of sexual and reproductive health among girls involved in the juvenile legal system: The influence of resources, race, and ethnicity

NCJ Number
307153
Journal
Children and Youth Services Review Volume: 136 Issue: 12 Dated: 2022
Author(s)
McKenzie N. Berezin; Shabnam Javdani; Erin Godfrey
Date Published
May 2022
Annotation

The findings of this study suggest that resource access challenges significantly predict sexual and reproductive health (SRH) among girls, with high resource needs and access challenges predict Black girls’ SRH specifically.

Abstract

The findings of this study suggest that, over and above individual and familial level predictors, resource access challenges significantly predict girls’ sexual and reproductive health (SRH), while high resource needs and access challenges predict Black girls’ SRH specifically. Girls involved in the juvenile legal system are at among the highest risk for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) challenges, yet few studies focus on girls or examine multiple predictors of their SRH in tandem. In addition to individual and familial-level risk factors (e.g., trauma, substance use, parental monitoring), this study also examines the influence of structural disadvantage on girls’ SRH by assessing the degree to which girls’ self-identified resource needs and access challenges across multiple areas (e.g., housing, employment, healthcare) predict SRH risk. Cross-sectional data collected from 269 girls involved in the legal system and their caregivers were analyzed using hierarchical regression analyses. Implications for programming, policy, and research are delineated.