Juvenile Disposition

Dispositional evaluations for juvenile offenders are comprehensive psychological evaluations much like child clinical evaluations. They are often court-ordered to address issues such as treatment needs and  placement recommendations for the juvenile offender. We strive to identify the least restrictive environment that meets the juvenile's needs while simultaneously preserving the safety of his or her family members and community members. We typically address functioning in the following areas: socio-emotional, educational, family, community/legal, and substance abuse. We often work with special populations, such as juveniles with intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, reactive attachment disorder, and emerging personality disorders. Because of our familiarity with these populations, we are often able to resolve conflicting opinions in the juvenile's treatment record or refer the juvenile to a specific program or program(s) most appropriate for his or her needs.

For juvenile offenders for whom the court questions the likelihood of recidivism, we recommend juvenile sex-offender or violence risk assessments. These are forensic evaluations that include actuarial risk assessments identifying static and dynamic factors leading to recidivism.