2023/08/01 by Julia Lesnick, Laura S. Abrams, Elizabeth S. Barnert
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Child Abuse and Trauma #Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis #Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
paper · doi:10.1086/725710
openalex publication_date 2023/08/01 · crossref created 2023/08/01 · crossref issued 2023/12/01 · crossref published 2023/12/01 · crossref published-print 2023/12/01 · crossref deposited 2024/01/09 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · crossref indexed 2026/07/30 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
The United States juvenile legal system changed substantially during the twenty-first century. Notable shifts occurred with progressive reform trends aimed to promote developmentally-aligned, trauma-informed, and equitable youth justice systems. Now, in an increasingly complex and polarized landscape, the future of progressive change for youth justice faces a crossroads, with some calling for transformation and others advocating a path of continued gradual reform. In this critical literature review, we analyze the role of leading paradigms driving patterns of progressive reform in the US juvenile legal system during the twenty-first century. From this review, we reflect on strengths and limitations of predominant paradigms that have guided progressive change in youth justice, and offer key lessons to inform the path forward.