Abstract
BackgroundApproximately 40–70% of justice-involved youth have untreated mental health problems. There is no current research that directly compares the mental health profiles of youth involved in the justice system to that of inpatients and outpatients. The research reported is significant because it directly compares the needs of these population by use of the same suite of standardized assessment tools.MethodsThe sample consisted of 755 youth aged 16–19 years recruited from youth justice and mental health facilities in Ontario, Canada. Participants completed semi-structured assessment interviews using the interRAI child and youth suite of instruments to assess for internalizing and externalizing concerns as well as exposure to traumatic life events.ResultsFindings indicated that justice-involved youth experienced higher levels of certain types of trauma. Analyses examining sex differences indicated that, controlling for age, males in the youth justice group reported higher cumulative trauma compared to male outpatients but not inpatients. Females in the youth justice group reported experiencing higher cumulative trauma compared to female outpatients and inpatients. In addition, controlling for sex and age, the youth justice group reported lower internalizing symptoms scores than inpatients and outpatients. Finally, males in the youth justice group scored lower than inpatients in externalizing symptoms, whereas females within the youth justice group scored higher in externalizing symptoms compared to inpatients and outpatients.ConclusionsResults indicated that youth who are involved with the justice system exhibit significant psychosocial issues that represent complex service needs which require unique interventions in order to be addressed appropriately.
Highlights
40–70% of justice-involved youth have untreated mental health problems
Prevalence of traumatic life events by case type To test the hypothesis regarding higher rates of traumatic events in youth within the justice system compared to mental health outpatients and inpatients, frequencies of traumatic life events were examined first
The current study investigated the mental health similarities and differences of youth across three service settings: (1) youth in justice, (2) youth receiving inpatient mental health services, and (3) youth receiving outpatient mental health services
Summary
40–70% of justice-involved youth have untreated mental health problems. There is no current research that directly compares the mental health profiles of youth involved in the justice system to that of inpatients and outpatients. Adolescence is a developmental period characterized by substantial biological, psychological, and social changes Such changes can lead to risk factors that can increase vulnerability to the development of mental health problems (e.g., changes in mood, conflict with caregivers, identify formation, risky behaviours [1, 2];). The current study, provides much needed estimates of the prevalence of trauma exposure and mental health problems among male and female youth in these service sectors, further emphasizing the importance of proper identification of these issues through high-quality assessments geared to the prevention of continued offending and adverse long-term sequelae. Youth within the justice-involved group were more than five times as likely to have one or more disorders (e.g., high level of comorbidity), as compared to the community sample (63 and 12%, respectively)
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