Pathways and Predictors of Juvenile Justice Involvement for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Youths: A Focus on Gender

Abstract

Despite the growth of Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) youths in court and correctional involvement, studies of their delinquency and juvenile justice involvement are quite limited, and the literature becomes almost nonexistent when examining gender differences. Using case file analysis of 150 Native Hawaiian/part-Hawaiian and Pacific Islander juvenile offenders, this article addresses this dearth of research by showing NHOPI’s overall backgrounds and pathways to delinquency and youth corrections, ascertaining gender differences in such pathways, and analyzing those factors that impact incarceration. Overall, chronic law violations, crystal methamphetamine addiction, and death of an important adult emerged as the significant pathway predictors of correctional involvement, whereas official child welfare/protective service records of physical abuse and neglect decreased juveniles’ odds of commitment. Underscoring gender, this article also shows how NHOPI girls have more extensive histories of sexual abuse, suicidal ideation, and crystal methamphetamine use than their male counterparts despite having less serious offense histories, and are more likely to be committed for probation violations. This article concludes with recommendations for social work policy and practices.