Nature and Extent of Mental Health Disorders in the Tri-State Area

doi:10.33513/fsmt/1801-06

Abstract

Highlights

Concern has escalated over the number of youth with significant mental health needs involved with the juvenile justice system
Other recorded types of mental health issues moving through the juvenile justice system in the Tri-State area were Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), Bipolar Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Conduct Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and depression
This study has substantiated the extent of mental health disorders moving through the juvenile justice system in the Tri-State area mirrors that of the national averages

Summary

Introduction

Concern has escalated over the number of youth with significant mental health needs involved with the juvenile justice system. Recent studies have found that 50% to 70% of all juveniles who come into contact with the juvenile justice system meet the criteria for at least one mental health disorder [1,2,3]; 50% among youth at probations intake [4] and 65% to 70% among youth in residential juvenile justice facilities [5]. For many of these juveniles, contact with the juvenile justice system results directly from untreated mental health issues that manifest in delinquent behavior. The juvenile justice system, unlike other child-serving systems, cannot refuse to accept a juvenile and is seen as the only option for accessing these needed services [2].

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Conclusion