New article alert: Sex-based measurement invariance in the YLS/CMI juvenile risk assessment tool

Dr. Cavanagh's latest article, titled Examining Sex-Based Measurement Invariance in the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory, was recently published in Crime & Delinquency. Because girls have distinct pathways in and out of delinquency relative to boys, is it appropriate to use the same instruments to assess risk in both boys and girls who have been arrested? In this study, we tested differences in the psychometric properties of the YLS/CMI between court-involved boys and girls. First, we found that model configuration and factor structure were equivalent for boys and girls on the YLS/CMI, suggesting that scores from the YLS/CMI have consistent implications for risk between boys and girls. However, boys and girls differed appreciably in the types of risk presented, suggesting that juvenile rehabilitative approaches must be tailored to the unique social context that primes girls towards delinquency.