The social exclusion of dually-involved youth: Toward a sense of belonging

Abstract

We use an institutional life course perspective to explore the social exclusion of dually-involved youth, or those who are involved in both the juvenile justice and the child welfare systems. We begin by defining the concept of social exclusion and present one mechanism of social exclusion, the set of institutions operating in the lives of dually-involved youth. We use the social exclusion framework to extend the implications of studies of dually-involved youth, and propose three stages of social-exclusion for dually-involved youth. We conclude by emphasizing the importance of broad investments in families, schools, and communities to ensure that dually-involved youth develop a sense of belonging and the capabilities necessary to live meaningful lives.