Young people’s Perception of Group Climate in Juvenile Justice Centers in an Australian State, a Pilot Study

• Author: Veronique S.L. van Miert,Peer van der Helm,Murray Robinson,Anna L. Dekker
• DOI: 10.1177/0306624X211022664
• Published date: 01 June 2022
• Date: 01 June 2022
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X211022664

International Journal of

Offender Therapy and

Comparative Criminology

2022, Vol. 66(8) 856 –875

© The Author(s) 2021

Article reuse guidelines:

sagepub.com/journals-permissions

DOI: 10.1177/0306624X211022664

journals.sagepub.com/home/ijo

Article

Young people’s Perception

of Group Climate in Juvenile

Justice Centers in an

Australian State, a Pilot Study

Veronique S.L. van Miert1,2* , Anna L. Dekker1,2*,

Peer van der Helm1,4, and Murray Robinson3

Abstract

There is ample evidence to demonstrate that a positive group climate in juvenile

justice centers contributes to improvements in motivation for positive behavior

and reducing incidents and even recidivism. Being provided opportunities for

growth and development and being actively supported by well-trained staff creates

a positive atmosphere and minimal repression. Such a pedagogical group climate

is strongly related to fulfilling the basic psychological needs of the young people

and is promoted by relational security. Following a series of challenging situations

inside youth justice centers in Australia, we explored the opportunities for investing

in staff training on awareness of basic psychological needs of these young people

and introducing the concept of an open, positive group climate. This study reports

the results of an explorative measurement of perceived group climate in four units

of two juvenile justice centers in Victoria (Australia). The young people (N = 57)

were provided with the Prison Group Climate Instrument. The results of the group

climate research and a cross-cultural comparison show that there are inherent

strengths but also important opportunities for improvement in the group climate

experienced by young people. Recommendations to improve the group climate are

discussed in this paper.

1University of Applied Sciences, Leiden, The Netherlands

2VU Amsterdam, The Netherlands

3Department of Justice and Community Safety, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

4University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

*These authors have shared first authorship.

Corresponding Author:

Veronique S.L. van Miert, University of Applied Sciences, Zernikedreef 11, Leiden 2300 AJ, The

Netherlands.

Email: miert.van.v@hsleiden.nl

1022664IJOXXX10.1177/0306624X211022664International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminologyvan Miert et al.

research-article2021

van Miert et al. 857

Keywords

group climate, young people, juvenile justice centers, self-determination, relational

security

Introduction

Juvenile delinquency and recidivism constitute serious problems in society (Loeber &

Farrington, 1998). In most countries, young people who are convicted for severe

offences are send to juvenile justice centers. The aim of incarcerating young people in

most Western societies is to serve the goals of punishment and deterrence, but it is also

aimed at rehabilitation, socialization, and recidivism reduction (Gatti et al., 2009;

Liebling & Maruna, 2005). In these secure facilities there is a fixed day structure and

the young people participate, as much as possible, in (educational) activities.

The vast majority of young people are characterized by a long history of adverse

childhood experiences, including maltreatment and neglect (Lamers-Winkelman &

Visser, 2009; Prinzie et al., 2008; Spinhoven et al., 2010) and they face a the prospect of

living in a criminogenic environment after detention and with little support and supervi-

sion after their release. These factors reduce the likelihood of young people making

sustained positive changes in their behavior and attitudes and increase the likelihood of

them reoffending after their release and in the community behavior (Biehal, 2010; Farrall

et al., 2010; Loeber et al., 2008; Pritikin, 2008; Wikstrom & Butterworth, 2006). Ideally,

a stay in a juvenile justice center can break the cycle of reoffending and enhance a young

person’s wellbeing and positive participation in society. This experience will decrease

the likelihood of them reoffending after they leave custody (Gatti et al., 2009; Liebling

& Maruna, 2005). In other words, youth justice services have a pedagogical responsibil-

ity to provide incarcerated young people with an environment that stimulates this posi-

tive change. Effective and well-run centers offer young people opportunities for

developing life skills, undertaking education, and developing prosocial attitudes.

Typically, these centers have well-trained staff who are supportive but firm and provide

young people with an individual package of interventions and support which helps them

develop self-agency and develop prosocial social networks and lifestyle upon release.

Effectively implementing a positive climate is premised on centers ensuring that young

people feel and are safe. That their basic psychological needs, according to Self

Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2012; Ryan & Deci, 2017; Skuse & Matthew,

2015) are fulfilled, that is an environment that offers a safe place in physical, psychologi-

cal, and socio-emotional sense. The latter concerns the physical characteristics of the

environment as well as the prevailing culture and the social climate.

Fulfilling Basic Psychological Needs in a Juvenile Justice

Center

The Skuse and Matthews’ (2015) Trauma Recovery Model for youth justice centers,

posits that healthy growth can only occur when basic psychological needs have been