We are excited to share Phase I of our Juvenile Justice Statewide Geospatial Study. This study identifies youth court referral hot spots across Utah and through a composite risk score develops the Top 100 Priority Neighborhoods for targeted support.

Our next steps focus on partnering with interested communities, youth, and families to develop strength-based approaches that address the root causes affecting youth and families in neighborhoods across Utah.

We present our first spatial study of juvenile justice data in 2023 where we aim to understand the neighborhood impacts on juvenile justice outcomes and where court referrals spatially cluster across Salt Lake County (SLCO). 

The key policy takeaway from the study's result is: How can we mitigate juvenile justice contact by supporting the households and the communities they live in to alleviate socioeconomic and care burdens?

Phase II of the Juvenile Justice Statewide Geospatial Study examines how neighborhood conditions and socioeconomic factors influence juvenile justice outcomes across UT communities.

Using advanced spatial modeling, we will examine the complex relationships between concentrated disadvantage, community resources, and youth referral patterns. This analysis will  inform more effective place-based interventions for UT communities.