Speech and Language Disorders and Youth's Ability to Tell Their Story in the Juvenile Justice System
Date
2024
Authors
Varnell, Macie
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
Youth who have a speech or language impairment are more likely to be misjudged and detained within the juvenile justice system. Once in the system, youth offenders with a speech or language disorder are more likely than offenders without a disorder to have difficulty participating in the judicial process, navigating the justice system environment, forming positive relationships, communicating their needs, and expressing their complex histories and stories to advocate for themselves. Residential care facilities are often used as an alternative placement to juvenile detention centers for at-risk youth, but these settings do not always provide the quality of care and attention youth need, including access to services from a speech language pathologist (SLP).
Description
Keywords
Speech disorders, Language disorders, Juvenile justice, Residential care, Youth