Using Linked Administrative Data to Examine Pathways, Cumulative Contact, and Racial Disproportionality in the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems
Analyses of children in child-serving agencies have generally focused on point in time (in service on a given day), entry-based (entering care during a specified period), or exit-based (leaving care during a specified period) examinations. Although appropriate in certain contexts, none of these approaches can give a full picture of the total number of children in the population who have experience with systems such as child welfare and juvenile justice. Given the increased racial disproportionality as children penetrate deeper into these systems, analyses also need to address racial/ethnic differences.
Using linked administrative data from multiple child-serving systems, this study examines the cumulative involvement and pathways into these systems over the first 13 years of life. Questions include: 1) What is the cumulative incidence of contact with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems for children born in 2000? 2) What are the overlap and pathways of contact between these two child-serving agencies?
Methods
The paper uses data from a multi-agency data collaborative that facilitates comprehensive, data-driven, evidence-based decision-making in Maryland through the use of a linked data system. Children who were born in 2000 and came into contact with child welfare, juvenile justice system, or both before age 13 are included in this analysis.
Children’s experiences with child welfare or juvenile service systems range from cursory contact (referral) to more invasive practices (removal from the birth family through either placement or incarceration). This analysis examines two levels of contact with child-serving systems for children in the year 2000 birth cohort: 1) investigations/referrals to juvenile justice; and 2) entries into out-of-home care (either child welfare placement or incarceration). We also examined the trajectory of children into these child-serving systems. Cumulative contact and contact with the child welfare system prior to juvenile services contact or vice versa were explored in total, and by race/ethnicity to examine disproportionality of youth into and through the child-serving systems.
Results
Of the 74,226 children in the birth cohort, almost 9% experienced a child welfare or juvenile services contact prior to age 13. Multiple entries and exits to both systems were observed. Over 80% of the children who had experience with the juvenile justice system also had child welfare experience. Further, there is a higher overall incidence of cumulative contact with child serving systems for African American children compared to all other children.
Conclusions and Implications
This study furthers knowledge about youth in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems as it approaches the cross-system involvement in child welfare and juvenile justice from a statewide population to examine risk over time in a vulnerable birth cohort. This knowledge can inform early intervention programs to address needs early and prevent further system involvement. Examining the issue over time helps inform critical time points in which children penetrate deeper into systems, suggesting areas of system improvement. Racial/ethnic disparities over time also suggest opportunities for reducing disproportionality at key time points. Future research will continue to monitor this birth cohort over time regarding cross-system involvement.