Juvenile Justice Involvement as a Negative Turning Point

The larger body of research suggests that juvenile justice is a negative turning point for many youths, leading to an increased likelihood of negative young adult outcomes including adult incarceration (Assink et al., 2015; Carter, 2018; Farrington, 2007; Ferguson et al., 2013; Makarios et al., 2017; Piquero et al., 2012; Ramchand et al., 2009; Robison et al., 2017; Sampson & Laub, 1993). This chapter provides a chronological review of research that examines this link between juvenile justice involvement and adult offending. A review of research pointing to the negative effect of juvenile justice involvement on educational and employment outcomes is also provided. Connections of these research findings to the life course labeling theory are discussed.