My Future Self: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis of Juvenile Detention Stories

Lauren E. Bucklin, Paul Diamond, Justin T. Richardson, Allison R. Cross, Adam D. Fine, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University, Department of Psychology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, School of Interdisciplinary Forensic Sciences, Arizona State University

Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice

Published online on March 28, 2026

Abstract

Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, Volume 24, Issue 2, Page 104-129, April 2026.
A growing body of criminological research centers on the “future self,” examining how young people link their present behavior to who they would like to become. Within juvenile justice, evidence suggests that the more clearly youth can imagine their ...