Readiness to change among justice-involved young adults in an alternative sentencing program who screened positive for alcohol or drug risk

•Justice-involved young adults are in need of tailored substance use interventions.•Readiness to change is a key component of substance use behavioral change.•Many justice-involved young adults were ready to change their substance use.•Personal reasons to quit using drugs are a potential intervention target. Readiness to change is a key component of substance use behavioral change; yet little is known about readiness to change among justice-involved young adults. This study 1) describes readiness to change alcohol and drug use and 2) examines predictors of readiness to change alcohol and drug use among justice-involved young adults. Justice-involved young adults (18–24 years; n = 137) who were positive on a validated alcohol and/or drug screening tool completed an interview assessing substance use, readiness to change, and reasons to quit. A multivariable linear regression model examined whether reasons to change and substance use severity, and interactions between these, predicted readiness. More than half of participants were contemplating or had decided to quit/cut down substance use. Personal reasons to quit were positively related to readiness to change; interpersonal reasons were negatively associated. This study contributes information needed to design motivational interventions for substance use among justice-involved young adults. Personal reasons to quit using drugs are a potential intervention target.