Individual and Institutional Facilitators and Barriers to Reentry Preparedness Among Detained and Committed Youth

Youth who are detained and committed to juvenile justice facilities often struggle to successfully reintegrate into their communities following release. Research has found that there are many individual- and institutional-level barriers that can complicate the reentry process. The development of comprehensive transition plans can be helpful as youth navigate the reintegration process and reenroll in school or obtain employment. Using youth surveys and administrative data from the Center for Improving Youth Justice’s Performance-based Standards National Database for Researchers, this study explores the individual- and institutional-level factors affecting youths’ perceptions of reentry preparedness. Results indicate that youth who received assistance with their educational and intrapersonal skills while incarcerated were more likely to feel prepared, whereas youth who faced structural barriers were less likely to feel prepared. We conclude with a discussion of the policy implications for improving the reentry process for youth.