“Finding Your Purpose Doesn’t Come Overnight”: How Youth Describe Vocational Training Opportunities in Juvenile Justice

Olivia R. Hester, Kimberly P. Odom, Allyson Pitzel, Kristine Jolivette, Sara Sanders, Aimee J. Hackney, Department of Special Education, University of Alabama, Department of Special Education, University of Southern Mississippi, Department of Special Education, University of New Mexico

Journal of Career Development

Published online on March 06, 2026

Abstract

Journal of Career Development, Volume 53, Issue 3, Page 290-307, June 2026.
Youth (adolescents aged 11 to 17) with a history of juvenile justice involvement experience some of the lowest employment rates that continues into adulthood. Research and federal entities continue to echo the need for juvenile justice systems to provide ...