Impact of Juvenile Justice on Later Life Outcomes
A Special Issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760) belonging to the section "Crime and Justice".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 430
Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to offer the opportunity to publish your quality work in this Special Issue focused on the topic of how contact with, and penetration into, the juvenile justice system impacts later life outcomes for youth. This topic is important, as the majority of work on juvenile justice focuses narrowly on system processing, immediate outcomes and early recidivism, ignoring the lasting impact early contact with the justice system has on individuals and their families over the life course. We welcome studies that include theoretical tests of system contact (e.g., age-graded theory, social bonds, interactional theory, differential association theory). We also welcome extensions of outcomes beyond recidivism that push past this common topic to explore all aspects of an individual’s life, including, but not limited to, employment, education, civil participation, marriage and parenthood experiences, and health outcomes. Studies may also include the transfer of youth to adult courts and blended sentencing practices. Both qualitative and quantitative studies that use rigorous methods will be considered. While longitudinal research is preferred, other analysis methods such as interviews, ethnographies and life history analysis will be accepted. All authors will be asked to submit a short abstract of their work by 31 May 2026, and if selected, a full paper for peer review by 30 November 2026. Accepted papers will be published and available in open access format, which enhances the ability for your research to have a broader impact on the field.
Prof. Dr. Megan Kurlychek
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- juvenile justice
- life-course outcomes
- juvenile transfer
- collateral consequences
- longitudinal research
- life-history analysis
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