The Strengths/Structured Assessment for Youth (S/SAY): Evaluating Strengths in a Case Study of a Justice-Involved Youth

[en] Risk assessment is a key focus in juvenile justice systems. Current evidence-based methods emphasize risk factors, often neglecting youths’ strengths. This paper introduces a strengths-based approach, addressing conceptual and methodological challenges in the evaluation of positive aspects of justice-involved youth. We examine the Strengths/Structured Assessment for Youth (S/SAY), the first structured assessment prioritizing strengths, through a case study analysis. Clinical implications highlight the S/SAY’s capacity to enhance assessment accuracy and guide balanced interventions that integrate both risk factors and positive aspects of the justice-involved youth

Disciplines :

Criminology

Author, co-author :

Mathys, Cécile ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de criminologie > Criminologie clinique et interpersonnelle

Brassine, Nadège ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Cité

Parent, Geneviève ; Department of Psychology and Psychoeducation, University of Québec in Outaouais ; International Center for Comparative Criminology (ICCC), Research Team on Youth Adaptation Difficulties and Rehabilitation Interventions (Équipe AJIR), Québec, Canada

Language :

English

Title :

The Strengths/Structured Assessment for Youth (S/SAY): Evaluating Strengths in a Case Study of a Justice-Involved Youth

Publication date :

20 April 2026

Journal title :

Child and Youth Services

ISSN :

0145-935X

eISSN :

1545-2298

Publisher :

Informa UK Limited

Pages :

1-31

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/0145935X.2026.2656753

Funders :

F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique
SSHRC - Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Funding number :

1.F.015.22F; 892-2021-2044

Available on ORBi :

since 23 April 2026

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