Broadly defined, crossover youth are those who experience both maltreatment and delinquency and come into contact with both child welfare and juvenile justice agencies. Child welfare agencies may not be aware of a youth’s juvenile justice involvement and juvenile justice agencies may not be aware of a youth’s child welfare involvement. Studies estimate that between 10 percent and 29 percent of child welfare–involved youth have contact with the juvenile justice system; most maltreated youth do not have official records and do not self-report delinquency; and the proportion of crossover youth increases as penetration in the juvenile justice system deepens.(1)
 
Supporting and serving crossover youth requires strong communication, collaboration and coordination. This webinar provides overviews of the relevant research on the characteristics, traits and needs of youth involved in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Presenters will discuss prominent challenges related to serving crossover youth, practical strategies for supporting them through enhanced inter- and intra-agency relationships including education agencies, and related lessons learned. This webinar featured:

• Definitions of “crossover youth” and the pathways they travel.
• Characteristics and prominent needs of this population.
• The challenges systems face in meeting their needs, including collaboration with educators.
• Recommendations and strategies to better support this population.