Who’s Been Served and How?

• Author: Chris Lee,Amanda Pearson,Marc Winokur,Rebecca Orsi
• Published date: 01 January 2018
• Date: 01 January 2018
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/1541204017721614
• Published By: Sage Publications, Inc.
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Who’s Been Served and How?

Permanency Outcomes for

Children and Youth Involved

in Child Welfare and

Youth Corrections

Rebecca Orsi

1

, Chris Lee

1

, Marc Winokur

1

, and Amanda Pearson

2

Abstract

Child welfare systems were created to protect maltreated children. However, adolescents today

can be involved with child welfare for reasons other than maltreatment, including behavior issues.

Such youth are also commonly involved in the youth corrections system. This study examines youth

characteristics and risk factors which predict attaining permanency at case closure for youth

involved in child welfare primarily for behavioral reasons. The sample consists of 5,691 youth aged

10–17 served in Colorado between 2007 and 2013. A multinomial logit model identified predictors

of nonpermanent outcomes and of placement with return home, compared to remaining home

throughout case involvement. Results show that the following characteristics and risks have a

positive relationship with nonpermanent outcomes: longer case duration, prior child welfare pla-

cement, felony involvement, crimes against persons or property, truancy, running away, and gang

membership. Services provided by the child welfare system are negatively related to nonpermanent

outcomes.

Keywords

child welfare, juvenile justice, youth corrections, crossover youth, congregate care, beyond control

of parents

Introduction

Child protective services (CPS) and the broader child welfare system were originally created to

protect children from abuse and neglect (Schene, 1998). Close to 400,000 young people in the

United States reside in foster care in a given year, with more than one third comprised of youth

1

School of Social Work, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA

2

School of Education, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA

Corresponding Author:

Rebecca Orsi, School of Social Work, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.

Email: becky.orsi@colostate.edu

Youth Violence and JuvenileJustice

2018, Vol. 16(1) 3-17

ªThe Author(s) 2017

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DOI: 10.1177/1541204017721614

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