What Youth With Special Needs in Juvenile Justice Say About Reentry: Listening to Their Voice

The purpose of this study was to listen to what youth with special needs in juvenile justice (JJ) settings say they need to be successful during reentry. The three instruments used to gain an understanding of their perspectives on reentry and their perceptions of barriers include (a) intake interviews, (b) focus groups, and (c) semi-structured post-release interviews. Major themes shared are related to reentry programming, post-release transition activities, barriers to success, influences, and outcomes. This article also notes the differences between productively engaged and not productively engaged youth. Finally, the article discusses implications of these findings on transition programming and reentry practices for youth and JJ settings.