MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES

Mental Health Challenges

Mental Health Challenges

Introduction

Recently, researchers and juvenile justice administrators have recognized that rates of mental health disorders are remarkably high among adolescent offenders. This finding carries significant implications for policy and practice. Youth justice facilities are mandated to provide necessary mental health treatment to detained adolescent offenders with mental health needs. Furthermore, mental disorders may interfere with youths' capacities to stand trial and/or culpability. This entry discusses some recent advances that have been made in our understanding of mental health issues among juvenile offenders and points out key gaps in knowledge (Grisso, 2004).

Discussion

The mental health of adolescent offenders has been identified as one of the single most important issues currently faced by the youth justice system. Reported rates of mental disorders among youths vary depending on how mental disorders are measured and at what point in the system youths are assessed. However, it is apparent that rates of mental disorders among juvenile offenders are much higher than those of general community samples of youths.

Recent studies have indicated that approximately 60% to 70% of youths in juvenile detention facilities meet the criteria for at least one mental disorder. The types of disorders found in adolescent offenders are diverse. Not surprisingly, many adolescent offenders meet the criteria for conduct disorder, a disorder that is characterized by illegal and antisocial behaviors, such as violence and stealing. However, even after conduct disorder is excluded from definitions of mental disorder, estimated rates of mental disorders remain extremely high among adolescent offenders; as many as 60% of detained male youths and 70% of detained female youths meet the criteria for a disorder other than conduct disorder (Grisso, 2005).

Besides conduct disorder, a number of other mental disorders are very common among adolescent offenders, including major depression, which includes symptoms such as depressed or irritable mood; posttraumatic stress disorder, which is characterized by symptoms such as flashbacks and avoidance of experiences that are reminiscent of the earlier trauma; attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, which includes symptoms such as difficulties attending to information, hyperactivity, and impulsivity; and substance use disorders, which involve inappropriate use and overuse of substances such as alcohol and drugs in a manner that has detrimental effects on a youth's functioning. Many detained youths meet the criteria for multiple disorders.

The rates and types of mental disorders exhibited by mentally ill youths differ depending on the demographic characteristics of the youth. Female offenders experience some disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder and major depression, at considerably higher rates than male offenders. In addition, preliminary research has reported that many types of mental disorders are more common among detained non-Hispanic White youths than among detained Black or Hispanic youths. However, it may be that the tools that are used to detect mental disorders are less accurate when used with minority populations. For instance, individuals from ethnic minority groups may be less likely to reveal mental disorders (Teplin, 2005).

Future research on mental disorders in detained youths could benefit from international ...