Youth Engagement in Custodial Programming: Why it matters and why we should care

Abstract

There has been a tremendous amount of research that has been done into the characteristics of programming that reduce the chances of recidivism. However, there has been limited research into how youth experience that programming or how we achieve sustained and meaningful youth engagement in that programming, particularly for youth who are serving custodial dispositions. Using the lens of critical pedagogy, this study analyses interviews held with four focus groups involving 16 youth in custody. Youth identified what they felt was important, both in program content and in program delivery and implementation. The findings suggest that programs need to be developed and delivered through meaningful engagement with youth, within the context of youth’s individual experiences, and that the content of programs needs to be situated meaningfully within the lived realities of youth who find themselves in custody.