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Abstract
Research has indicated disproportionality among sexual and gender minority youth within the juvenile justice system, with a multitude of increased risk factors leading to system involvement among sexual minority youth when compared to non-sexual minority youth. Given the increased risk for system involvement among sexual minority youth and the greater likelihood of mistreatment within the juvenile justice system when compared to non-sexual minority youth, this study aimed to better understand behavioral, personality, and relational components of sexual minority youth as well as differences in recidivism rates and charge types among sexual minority identifying youth when compared to non-sexual minority identifying counterparts. A sample population of 35 sexual minority identifying juvenile youth (males and females) between the ages of 13 and 17 and 35 matched non-sexual minority identifying juvenile youth of the same age range was used through archival data. Differences in profiles on the BASC-2 SRP-A, the BASC-3-SRP-A, the CROPS, the MMPI-A, the PGQ, and the TSCC were assessed through a one-way ANOVA, and results indicated significant differences on the Pa Clinical Scale and Sc1 Harris-Lingoes Subscale on the MMPI-A and on the Relations with Parents Adaptive Scale on the BASC-2 SRP-A, as well as differences in recidivism rates and charges placed forth against sexual minority identifying youth. A more holistic understanding of factors placing sexual minority youth at risk of system involvement and mistreatment within the juvenile justice system is warranted in order to ensure greater support and care for such youth and to break the disproportionate rates of system involvement.