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Applying Legal Socialization to the Child Welfare System: Do Youths’ Perceptions of Caseworkers Matter?

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Abstract

Background

Legal socialization is the process through which young people develop beliefs in the legitimacy of the law and legal system. Research has examined how perceptions of interactions with authority figures influence beliefs regarding the legitimacy of laws and legal system, thereby shaping compliance with the law (Fagan and Tyler in Soc Justice Res 18:217–242, 2005). Child welfare caseworkers play an integral role in children and youths’ experiences in the child welfare system. However, limited research exists examining the relationship between youths’ perceptions of caseworkers and outcomes such as delinquency.

Objective

The goal of this study is to address how perceptions of a youth’s child welfare caseworker influence legal socialization and whether it is related to self-reports of delinquency.

Methods

The sample (n = 113) is from youth in two juvenile justice residential facilities. Least trimmed square regressions examine the relationship between perceptions of child welfare caseworkers and legal socialization as a composite measure and its components. The overall measure and individual components are then regressed on self-reports of delinquency.

Results

Results indicate youth with more negative perceptions of caseworkers view the legal system as less legitimate and exhibit lower overall legal socialization. Legal socialization is significantly related to delinquency.

Conclusion

Findings suggest that, similar to other authority figures, perceptions of child welfare caseworkers are linked to young people’s legal socialization and that legal socialization is related to delinquent behavior. Thus, professionals should be aware of the important role of their relationships when working with children and youth.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, University of Maryland, 525 West Redwood Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA

    Karen M. Kolivoski

  2. University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work, 2117 Cathedral of Learning, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA

    Jeffrey J. Shook, Heath C. Johnson, Sara Goodkind & Rachel Fusco

  3. University of Pittsburgh School of Law, 3900 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA

    Jeffrey J. Shook

  4. Department of Sociology, Iowa State University, 103 East Hall, Ames, IA, 50011, USA

    Matt DeLisi

  5. Department of Psychology, Faculty Affiliate of the Center for the Study of Violence, Iowa State University, W112 Lagomarcino Hall, Ames, IA, 50011, USA

    Matt DeLisi

  6. College for Public Health and Social Justice, St. Louis University School of Social Work, Tegeler Hall, 3550 Lindell Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63103, USA

    Michael G. Vaughn

Authors
  1. Karen M. Kolivoski
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  2. Jeffrey J. Shook
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  3. Heath C. Johnson
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  4. Sara Goodkind
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  5. Rachel Fusco
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  6. Matt DeLisi
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  7. Michael G. Vaughn
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Correspondence to Karen M. Kolivoski.

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Kolivoski, K.M., Shook, J.J., Johnson, H.C. et al. Applying Legal Socialization to the Child Welfare System: Do Youths’ Perceptions of Caseworkers Matter?. Child Youth Care Forum 45, 65–83 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-015-9317-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-015-9317-y

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