Date

4-29-2026

Department

Helms School of Government

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice (PhD)

Chair

Jared Linebach

Keywords

Juvenile mental health courts (JMHCs), recidivism, therapeutic jurisprudence (TJ), therapeutic legal procedures, collaborative approaches, community integration

Disciplines

Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration

Abstract

Juvenile Mental Health Courts (JMHCs) intend to address mental health issues that are related to youth delinquency through a therapeutic justice model rather than a punitive justice model. Still, the question of whether JMHCs decrease recidivism among young offenders in Georgia remains understudied due to limited empirical research on these programs. This quantitative, causal-comparative study addresses this gap by examining two key aspects: (1) the impact of JMHC participation on recidivism rates and (2) the predictive role of individual program components. The study included 300 juveniles (150 JMHC and 150 standard court participants) across five Georgia counties. Recidivism was operationally defined as new adjudications or convictions within program participation. In line with the Therapeutic Jurisprudence Theory informing the research, the findings revealed a statistically significant difference in recidivism rates. JMHC participants exhibited a lower recidivism rate (24.0%) compared to juveniles processed through standard court proceedings (34.7%)(πœ’Β² (2, 𝑁 = 300) = 9.49, 𝑝 = .009). However, further analysis indicated no statistically significant relationship between recidivism and the length of JMHC participation or the measured individual program components (like service utilization, judicial oversight). The results suggest that the effectiveness of JMHCs in reducing recidivism is due to the holistic therapeutic ecosystem created by the court, reinforcing the utility of the therapeutic justice model. This study contributes to the limited empirical research on JMHCs, offering evidence to inform policy and practice in juvenile justice and enhance knowledge regarding the effectiveness of therapeutic approaches for justice-involved youth.

Download

Share

COinS