FWSN-advisorybd-repo.. - The Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance

C. Young FWSN Children
In 2006 there were approximately 280 total FWSN referrals to the court for children
under the age of 11. Of the 280 referred, 153 were 11 years old. Oftentimes, these
children are referred to the court because community and mental health agencies believed
that the court had access to additional services, or school systems believed that the court
would be able to intervene and resolve the school-related problems.
Young FWSN children present with a multitude of problems. They often have a history
of trauma. They or their parent(s) may have mental health issues. There may be prior or
current DCF involvement with the family and there may have been prior child or family
involvement with police. Some parents may have past or present substance abuse
problems. Parents of these children may turn to the court for help because of behavior
problems at home or an incident in which the police were called.
The complexity of analyzing the needs of these children and families has led to increased
collaboration between probation, the juvenile prosecutors, the public defenders, DCF and
the police to determine the best and safest intervention for these young children.
D. Assessment of FWSN Children’s Risk and Needs
1. Initial Risk Screening (IRS)
All children referred to the Court receive an Initial Risk Screening (IRS); children who
score within a certain range on the IRS receive further screening.
2. Juvenile Assessment Generic (JAG)
The Juvenile Assessment Generic (JAG) is the instrument used by juvenile probation
officers to determine risk, need, and protective factors for juveniles. It is administered in
certain cases when the Initial Risk Screen tool indicates a score above a certain level.
From the JAG, some vital information is derived when looking at the population of
children served by the court. In addition, the assessment helps in understanding the
racial/ethnic make up of children assessed.
3. The Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument Second Version
(MAYSI-2)
The Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument Second Version (MAYSI-2) is another
assessment tool used by juvenile probation officers to screen children for indicators of
behavioral health. The MAYSI-2 is administered to FWSN children by juvenile
probation based on criteria established by CSSD.
In 2005, using the MAYSI-2, 1784 children referred for FWSN were assessed. The
results of using the MAYSI-2 with FWSN children showed a high instance of
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