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Danielle Smith, a 16-year-old African-American girl newly detained at juvenile hall, presents for psychiatric evaluation. She describes a history of sexual abuse by her foster father and 2 years of commercial sexual exploitation after running away at 14 years of age. Scarcely more than 100 pounds, she endorses drug use, primarily marijuana, and notes prior use of cocaine and methamphetamine, provided by her trafficker (described as her "boyfriend"). She has a timid smile and uses music and journaling as her refuge. Danielle is unclear about past psychiatric diagnoses but does recall receiving medication from a psychiatrist while in foster care and expresses interest in resuming treatment. Girls in the juvenile justice system are a vulnerable population with overlapping substance use, reproductive, and mental health care needs. The conceptual framework of "intersectionality" is useful to better understand the multiplicity of biopsychosocial needs of girls involved in the justice system. Intersectionality is defined as "a theoretical framework for understanding how multiple social identities (ie, race, gender, and sexual orientation) intersect at the micro level of individual experience to reflect systems of oppression (ie, racism, sexism, classism) at the macro level."1 In this article, we propose the pragmatic application of the concept of intersectionality to better conceptualize the high unmet health needs of these youth. We conclude by providing recommendations for meeting their needs using the proposed "think, ask, act" approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several states have made considerable investments into large-scale implementation of evidence-based treatments (EBTs), yet little is known about key success indicators for these implementation efforts such as cost and sustainability. To that end, the present study examined the economic impact of statewide implementation of multisystemic therapy (MST; Henggeler, Schoenwald, Borduin, Rowland, & Cuningham, 2009), a family- and community-based behavioral EBT for serious juvenile offenders in New Mexico. Participants were 1,869 youth who received MST across 23 teams during the study period. We conducted a cost-benefit analysis using metrics from state data sources that compared the cost of MST to its benefits (i.e., avoided expenses from pre- to posttreatment) in two domains: (a) behavioral health services (i.e., Medicaid claims) and (b) juvenile crime (i.e., taxpayer expenses, tangible and intangible expenses to crime victims). MST costs were based on Medicaid claims, which were reimbursed at an enhanced billing rate that was intended to cover expenses for both clinical and implementation (e.g., training, quality assurance) activities. Results suggest that implementation of MST in New Mexico over the 7-year study period may have produced net benefits, through 2 years posttreatment, of more than $4,643 per youth in avoided behavioral health claims and $15,019 per youth through reductions in juvenile crime. Stated differently, every dollar that New Mexico spent on MST appeared to have returned $3.34 for a total benefit of $64.2 million over the course of the study. We discuss implications of these findings for policymakers, administrators, and researchers who are interested in increasing the sustainability of complex EBTs in community settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral health needs in justice-involved adolescents are an increasing concern, as it has been estimated that two-thirds of youths in the juvenile justice system now meet the criteria for one or more psychological disorders. This article describes the application of the Sequential Intercept Model (SIM), developed to describe five "points of interception" from standard prosecution into rehabilitation-oriented alternatives for adults (Munetz & Griffin, 2006), to juvenile justice. The five SIM intercepts are: (1) first contact with law enforcement or emergency services; (2) initial hearings and detention following arrest; (3) jails and courts (including problem-solving courts); (4) re-entry from jails, prisons and forensic hospitals; and (5) community corrections and community support, including probation and parole. Modifying the SIM for application with justice-involved adolescents, this article describes three examples of interventions at different intercepts: Intercept 1 (the Philadelphia Police School Diversion Program), Intercept 3 (problem-solving courts for juveniles), and Intercept 5 (juvenile probation). Relevant research evidence for each example is reviewed, and the further application of this model to juveniles is described. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autistic Spectrum Disorders are lifelong conditions characterised by difficulties in social interaction and communication and often associated with restricted or repetitive patterns of thought or behaviour. The clinical expression of ASD is not uniform but varies between individuals, their stage of development, changing environmental demands and with the presence of comorbidities. However, people with ASD typically experience difficulties or misunderstandings in their daily lives as a result of their condition. ASD affects approximately 1 per cent of people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research over the past four decades on decision-making in the juvenile justice system has frequently shown evidence of racial and ethnic disparity when it comes to processing minority youths. To identify and address racial disparities in the juvenile justice system, the US Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention requires that all states and territories track juvenile justice processing at nine decision points, such as referral to court, secure detention, and transfer to adult court. While those decision points are viewed as a useful starting point, disparities have been noted in other aspects of the juvenile justice system, including the utilization of mental health and substance abuse services among juveniles. The purpose of this article is to review 20 years of research literature (from 1995 through 2014) examining referrals to mental health and substance abuse services from within the juvenile justice system. The current research attempts to answer the question, ‘Are there racial disparities in the decisions to refer youths to mental health and substance abuse services from within the juvenile justice system?’ Twenty-six articles met inclusion criteria into this review, and the majority found at least some race effects in the decision to refer youths. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We describe the Experimental Health Unit, a special forensic mental health facility in Brazil, created by court order and administered by the São Paulo Department of Health. It was designed for young offenders receiving compulsory inpatient treatment for severe personality disorders. All nine patients admitted to date came from Foundation CASA (a socio-educational centre of assistance for adolescents, the juvenile correctional centres managed by the São Paulo state Department of Justice). The court decision is questionable, relying on a new interpretation of the Child and Adolescent Statute and the law that regulates psychiatric treatment in Brazil. The public health system and psychiatry have been supporting the isolation of some individuals from society, based on the seriousness of their crimes and possession of particular personality characteristics. The decision to commit and send a small group of personality disordered individuals to this unit as inpatients is an unfair decision, since jails and correctional centres hold a high number of psychopathic who have also committed barbaric crimes. The central mental health issue is the role that the public health system should play in the custody of dangerous people; the cost-effectiveness of this model, the accuracy of risk assessment and tractability of people with severe personality disorders are also debatable. From a legal perspective, the operation of this facility raises questions about age of legal majority, the maximum period of incarceration of young offenders and use of whole-life sentences for certain types of crimes and criminals in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We examined the provision of behavioral health services to youths detained in Indiana between 2008 and 2012 and the impact of services on recidivism. Method. We obtained information about behavioral health needs, behavioral health treatment received, and recidivism within 12 months after release for 8363 adolescents (aged 12-18 years; 79.4% male). We conducted survival analyses to determine whether behavioral health services significantly affected time to recidivating. Results. Approximately 19.1% of youths had positive mental health screens, and 25.3% of all youths recidivated within 12 months after release. Of youths with positive screens, 29.2% saw a mental health clinician, 16.1% received behavioral health services during detention, and 30.0% received referrals for postdetention services. Survival analyses showed that being male, Black, and younger, and having higher scores on the substance use or irritability subscales of the screen predicted shorter time to recidivism. Receiving a behavior precaution, behavioral health services in detention, or an assessment in the community also predicted shorter time to recidivating. Conclusions. Findings support previous research showing that behavioral health problems are related to recidivism and that Black males are disproportionately rearrested after detention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses certain behavioral disorders in prison environment, and also their nature and content of adolescent offenders and recidivists. The socio-dynamic criminal behavior is analyzed in general and that of the recidivist offenders as well, there are also established the correlations between the factors that contribute to the social maturation, the formation of collective consciousness in relation to the accelerated pace of somato-psychic development, the endogenous or exogenous conditions that favor a development that is early, disharmonic, perverted and masked, which, by their persistence, maintain the criminal phenomenon confirmed by the psychological evaluation. Behavioral disorders have an upward trend, and we observe within the first step the repeating of the same type of crime (the mono-criminal), then a second stage which is the polymorphic phase (the specialization of relapse), and the last stage is that of the general recidivism. The probability of recidivism is highlighted by eight factors: heredity, abnormal character, educational environment, educational problems, and consciousness of self, inappropriate use of time and entertainment, the gender and the severity of crime committed. As strategies of recovery regarding the criminal personality predisposed to recidivism, we propose the following measures of social intervention: family adjustment, vocational adjustment, social adjustment. An important role in this regard plays the social rehabilitation measures, to improve ecological conditions of the individual (in family, workplace, at school, in the community group), by specific social actions, focusing on psychological counseling of young offenders by specialized people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the use of expressive sandwork as a form of psychological support for a youth with psychosocial vulnerability. A case study, which emanated from a community outreach project, is briefly described of a male black participant, from a low socioeconomic background, who is currently in correctional services care. The participant engaged with sandplay over five weekly sessions, lasting approximately an hour each. The data obtained during these sessions were thematically analyzed and the findings suggest that expressive sandwork enabled this individual to become more aware of his emotional wellbeing and foster a sense of hope. Expressive sandwork offers a form of short-term psychological support in circumstances where limited or no help is available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study examined the interagency collaboration strategies used by juvenile probation officers in the treatment of delinquent youths. Methods: Thirty-one juvenile probation officers were interviewed about the strategies they use with youths who have mental disorders. Transcriptions of these interviews were analyzed with grounded-theory conventions. Results: Interagency collaboration was described in a framework of three models. The monitoring model involved minimal involvement of probation officers with treatment providers, the teamwork model involved collaborative decision making and frequent consultation, and the partnership model involved the direct involvement of probation officers in the treatment process. Conclusions: Results of this study provide a framework for conceptualizing interagency collaboration and juvenile court authority. This framework may be used in case and program planning as well as in research to develop evidence-based strategies for the treatment of court-involved youths with mental disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies and policy documents have recognised the need for support for adolescent offenders under the age of 18 who experience both mental health and behavioural difficulties. Although mental health services are provided within all Young Offender Institution (YOIs), the level of provision is highly variable. Further, these services can find it difficult to meet the needs of young offenders whose mental health needs are compounded and inextricably linked with their behaviours. A specialist facility was established within an adolescent prison in North-West England to meet the needs of this population. The unit used a multi-agency approach in which prison officers worked in collaboration with mental health staff. This article describes the aims of the unit and reports on the first cohort of young people admitted; there were significant improvements in behavioural and social functioning across all three main outcome measures. Implications for future policy, service development and research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Court-ordered outpatient psychotherapy (COT) for juvenile offenders is a complex practice area. Given the legal classification of juveniles as minors, children and adolescents are considered a vulnerable population; it is the responsibility of mental health professionals to advocate for their best interest. However, there have been few explorations of the ethical issues involved for those who wish to practice with this population. We explore the unique ethical considerations involved when offering COT to juvenile offenders and offer guidelines to assist practitioners in exploring and addressing these ethical issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Project Connect is a multilayered county-specific program aimed at linking juvenile probationers to needed mental health and substance use services. In four NY counties, the intervention included cooperative agreements between probation and mental health authorities, program materials to facilitate referral, in-service training for probation officers, and systematic screening for mental health needs. Charts for 583 Baseline youths were reviewed and compared with 594 youths undergoing intake under Project Connect. Compared to Baseline, under Project Connect, referred youths were 2.7 times as likely to access services, regardless of youth or county characteristics, service availability, or when the intervention took place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Although studies reveal substantial mental health treatment needs among youths in the juvenile justice system, far less is known about young offenders transferred to adult criminal court. This statewide study examined the mental health needs of young offenders who committed serious crimes and were transferred to adult court and subsequently incarcerated in a prison for adults. Methods: Sixty-four boys aged 16 and 17 years who were incarcerated in the Texas adult correctional system completed the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-Version 2 (MAYSI-2), a mental health screening measure widely used in the juvenile justice system. Scores from the youths in adult prison were compared with those of a matched sample of youths in juvenile correctional facilities, drawn from the MAYSI-2 normative data. Results: Youths in adult prison reported substantial symptoms of mental health problems. Most youths surveyed (51%) scored above the highest clinical cutoff (the "warning" range) on at least one MAYSI-2 subscale. For every clinical subscale except suicide ideation, the majority of youths (54% to 70%, depending on the subscale) scored above the "caution" range. Juveniles in adult prison reported higher rates of symptoms than did those in juvenile correctional facilities (effect sizes ranged from d=.18 to d=.65, depending on the subscale). Conclusions: Although the mental health needs of youths in the juvenile justice system are well documented, this study reveals that mental health treatment needs appear to be even more pronounced in the small subgroup of youths transferred to the adult criminal justice system and incarcerated in adult prison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined whether African American and Caucasian male youths had similar rates of referral to mental health services in a juvenile justice secure facility when controlling for differences obtained in the initial screening and assessment process. Data from the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-2 (MAYSI-2), Initial Health Care Screening and Youth Level of Services/Case Management Inventory were analyzed from 937 male youths (12-18 years old) admitted to a secure care facility. There were few differences between African American and Caucasian youths on MAYSI-2 scales and no difference on the YLS total score. However, Caucasian youth reported higher frequencies of mental health treatment history than African American youth. Even when controlling for differences in MAYSI-2 elevations and history of receiving mental health treatment, Caucasian youths were provided access to mental health services at a greater rate than African American youth. This study indicates that race is a potential factor in mental health service access for youth in a secure care setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has indicated that the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument - Second Version (MAYSI-2) has clinical utility in screening and identifying justice-involved youth with mental health problems. In an effort to expand research on the validity of the MAYSI-2, the current study investigated patterns of endorsement on MAYSI-2 items to identify “critical items” that may serve as important indicators of serious mental health problems. Results identified a subset of MAYSI-2 items for male (13 items) and female youth (14 items) that hold promise in identifying youth with serious mental health problems. Gender-specific critical items scales were formed with optimized categorical cut-scores identified which were comparable to the standard MAYSI-2 scale scoring procedures. The critical items scales produced excellent internal consistency and promising predictive validity. Potential clinical applications and steps for further validation of this adjunctive scoring approach are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: All 50 states and the District of Columbia have legal mechanisms to try juveniles as adults in criminal court. This study examined the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among youths transferred to adult criminal court and youths processed in the juvenile court. Methods: Participants were a stratified random sample of 1,829 youths, ten to 18 years of age, who were arrested and detained in Chicago. Data from version 2.3 of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children are presented for 1,715 youths, 13 to 18 years of age, including 1,440 youths processed in juvenile court and 275 youths processed in adult criminal court. Results: Males, African Americans, Hispanics, and older youths had greater odds of being processed in adult criminal court than females, non-Hispanic whites, and younger youths, even after the analyses controlled for felony-level violent crime. Among youths processed in adult criminal court, 68% had at least one psychiatric disorder and 43% had two or more types of disorders. Prevalence rates and the number of comorbid types of disorders were not significantly different between youths processed in adult criminal court and those processed in juvenile court. Among youths processed in adult criminal court, those sentenced to prison had significantly greater odds than those receiving a less severe sentence of having a disruptive behavior disorder, a substance use disorder, or comorbid affective and anxiety disorders. Conclusions: Community and correctional systems must be prepared to provide psychiatric services to youths transferred to adult criminal court and especially to youths sentenced to prison. When developing and implementing services, psychiatric service providers must also consider the disproportionate representation of individuals from racial-ethnic minority groups in the transfer process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the efficiency of Youth Self-Report scales to predict psychiatric disorders in incarcerated male adolescents. Use of the tool Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children; Psychiatric disorders that utilize DSM-oriented scales; Assessment of sociodemographic factors.

BSTRACT [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes mental health treatment service delivery patterns and costs for youth in a juvenile justice system. A secondary data analysis on a random sample of juvenile offenders (N  = 312) was completed. Service patterns and costs were described. Selected variables were examined for their ability to predict who received treatment. Only 23% of youth diagnosed with a mental disorder received any treatment. Older youth and African American youth received fewer services, and race was the only significant predictor for receiving treatment (p  = .001). Mental health treatment services were scarce, and the data reflects a race bias in the provision of services. Although the law protects the right to treatment for these individuals, provision of services remains a challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the use of solution-focused and narrative therapeutic approaches in children and youth who are covered by the criminal justice system in Great Britain. Theoretical frameworks used in understanding youth crime; Instructions followed in a solution-focused exercise; Advantage of the exercise to participants.

Provides an overview of what is known about the prevalence, diagnosis and effective treatment of mood disorders among youths in the U.S., particularly among juvenile offenders. Discussion of the problems that arise for the delivery of treatment services; Relationship between mood disorders and disruptive or delinquent behaviors; Importance of proper diagnosis and treatment of mood disorders; Constitutional right of juvenile detainees to receive mental health treatment.

The article explores how behavioral health screening for young people is addressed by the juvenile justice system in the United States. Concern has arisen over how few young people in the U.S. juvenile justice system with behavioral disorders receive treatment despite the fact that they comprise more than half of the youth in the system. The perspectives of local, state and federal justice officials regarding the issue are presented. INSET: IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to (a) evaluate the relative effectiveness of wraparound services versus conventional services for juvenile delinquent youth and (b) create a predictive model that would assist the juvenile court system in correctly identifying youth at greatest risk of reoffending. Method: The study employed a pretest/posttest, control group design, with 6-, 12-, and 18-month follow-up assessments, of 141 youth court-ordered into community-based treatment programs for delinquent youth. Results: Analysis indicated that few of the variables studied differentiated between wraparound services recipients and conventional service recipients. However, a logistic regression model was developed that correctly predicted recidivism for 79% of the sample at the 6-month follow-up assessment (chi-square = 27.211, df = 6, p = .0001) and 78% of the sample at the 18-month follow-up assessment (chi-square = 16.453, df = 8, p = .036). Conclusions: Implications of the findings for improving community-based juvenile diversion programs for delinquent youth were explored and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background: The mental health needs of children and adolescents in secure care are a matter of concern, but little systematic research has been done. Our aim was to assess the mental health, social, and educational needs of these young people in a prospective, longitudinal study. Methods: We enrolled 97 boys aged 12-17 years who had been admitted to secure care. We assessed their needs (n=97) at the time of admission and 3 months later (n=90) with standardised interviews and psychometric tests. Results: 26 (27%) boys had an intelligence quotient (IQ) of less than 70. The need for psychiatric help was high on admission to a secure unit, with the most frequent disorders being depression and anxiety. There were high rates of aggression, substance misuse, self harm, and social, family, and educational problems, and associated needs. The mean number of needs was 8.5 (SD 2.9) on admission and 2.9 (SD 2.4) after 3 months (mean difference 5.6, 95% CI 5.0-6.3). Areas in which needs were mostly met included education, substance misuse, self care, and diet. Areas where the frequency of need fell substantially, but remained high, were social and family problems, and aggressive behaviours. Psychological needs persisted, with new onsets of depression, anxiety problems, and post-traumatic-stress symptoms shortly after admission. The most frequently required interventions were psychological assessment and cognitive behavioural work. Interpretation: Boys in secure care have many needs and a high rate of psychiatric morbidity. During the admission period, secure care units address some domains of need, but others remain unchanged or get worse. Psychological and psychiatric provision in secure units need to be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the disparities in accessing treatment for juvenile offenders and evaluates key legislation that addressed child mental health needs. Priority of the juvenile justice system; Primary concern of the mental health treatment system; Challenges in addressing the mental health needs of young offenders.

Philosophically, juvenile justice incorporates the need to assess offender needs and provide appropriate services to them. Yet the extent to which juvenile justice systems currently identify and service mental health needs is questionable. Furthermore, it is unclear whether certain types of offenders are more or less likely to receive services based on individual and case characteristics. In this study these issues were examined by using juvenile cases processed in an East Coast state between 1992 and 1994. Findings from this study show that mental health placements are used rarely relative to other court outcomes (i.e., dismissal, probation, or other types of placements), and gender and race significantly influence whether an offender receives this type of placement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite growing attention to the mental health needs of juvenile offenders, there are critical challenges yet to be resolved in addressing these needs. The challenges include: (1) increasing scholarly and practitioner recognition of juvenile offender mental health needs; (2) raising awareness about the importance of mental health as a potential predictor of recidivism and as constituting the "best interests" of juveniles; (3) focusing attention on co-occurring rather than specific areas of need (e.g., mental health, emotional stability, education/disability, substance abuse, peer and family relations, health/hygiene, sexual adjustment, employment/vocational skills); (4) promoting the use of needs assessments through [a] clarifying the purposes and appropriate uses of assessments throughout juvenile justice processing, [b] improving the reliability and validity of assessment instruments, and [c] enhancing the feasibility of conducting assessments; (5) identifying resource and service gaps and promoting diversion; and (6) encouraging collaboration among juvenile justice, child welfare, social service, and education systems. This paper outlines each of these challenges, their implications for efficiently and effectively addressing the mental health needs of youths, and recommendations for how to resolve them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Juvenile arrests have increased dramatically in recent years and emerging evidence suggests that youth involved in juvenile justice have significant mental health needs. In this study, we examined 473 youth in multiple counties from 3 settings: community settings (detention-petition), correctional settings, and residential treatment settings. Using the Childhood Severity of Psychiatric Illness Scale (Lyons, 1998), the mental health needs of youth in each of these settings was ascertained and compared. Results suggest an overall high rate of mental health needs, including serious emotional disorders. Youth in institutional settings had higher levels of need than those in the community. Youth with behavioral problems were more likely to be incarcerated, whereas youth with emotional problems were more likely sent to residential treatment facilities. Prior treatment experiences, both in mental health and substance abuse treatment, were strongly related to incarceration. Other clinical and demographic variables also distinguished youth in these three settings. Implications for service planning and integration are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following article outlines an empirically-validated treatment approach for addressing chronic, delinquent behavior in adolescents and their families: Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC). MTFC grew out of evidence for the effectiveness of behavioral parent training approaches and a clinical need for programs to address the behavior of delinquent adolescents who have been found to be beyond parental control. MTFC starts with a focus on the need to return the adolescent to the family and community, and, thus, the program stresses the generalization of treatment effects. Recent replication studies are reviewed that demonstrate the effectiveness, utility, and cost-effectiveness of the MTFC program. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Effective systems of care for youth with emotional disorders require shared values among stakeholders toward a variety of mental health issues. Juvenile courts represent one stakeholder group whose values can affect the delivery of services to young offenders with or at risk of emotional disturbances. This research uses statewide data from Tennessee to assess the mental health orientation (MHO) of juvenile courts, their use of treatment options for offenders, and whether MHO influences the treatment referral decision. Results show that courts have a positive MHO, but this subjective orientation does not correspond to higher treatment referral rates. Moreover, service referrals are at a considerably lower rate than estimates of need for this population of youth would predict. While positive MHO suggests a basis for nurturing the shared vision required for effective systems of care, other factors must be considered to account for courts' underutilization of treatment options for juvenile offenders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the mental health needs of and services available for severely troubled and troublesome youth in a National Health Service region of Great Britain. Levels of violent behavior among youth placed in penal and welfare establishments; Availability of mental health care services; Discussion on the effectiveness of treatments provided.

Deals with a study which described the relationship between psychiatric status and the use of alcohol, drug and mental health services among American Indian juvenile detainees. Service utilization among detained youths; Contrast of service utilization by detained and nondetained youths; Findings of the study.

A list of books related to public health is presented. These include "Designing for Aging: Patterns for Use," by Sandra C. Howell, "American Medical Association's Handbook of First Aid and Emergency Care," by Martha Ross Franks and "Juvenile Delinquents: Psychodynamic Assessment and Hospital Treatment," by Richard C. Marohn, Diane Dalle-Molle, Elaine McCarter and Doris Linn.

This case study report an attempt to develop and evaluate a psychological intervention for depression in Young Offenders. Recognizing the pressure on clinical teams to be both cost- and time- effective, it was decided to pilot Barkham's 2+1 format in a prison setting. Results suggest that depression in prisons can be treated with cognitive-behavioural techniques and that the 2+1 format may be an appropriate model to investigate in more detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A group of 189 delinquents, first offenders between the ages of 16 to 21 were seen at the Psychiatric Clinic of the Court of General Sessions. All had been arrested on a felony charge although many had been convicted on a lesser charge after a plea had been accepted by the District Attorney's office. Some 12 factors relating to this group had been studied and findings tabulated. The results tended to show many of the problems that face adolescent delinquents and indicate the need for increased social services for individual treatment as well as for closer coordination of existing community resources. Many lacks in the present study had been pointed out but it is hoped that a follow-up work to the present study will be able to gather up all the loose threads and, at that time, offer interpretations of all results that had been collected. The viewpoint of Brill and Payne was quoted at the beginning of this study and we would like to conclude with the following quotation taken from their book: "Today there is a surprising lack of interest in the adolescent offender and a concentration of attention on the juvenile delinquent. It is not to be understood that there is any argument with this procedure. Many of the most noted scientists in the field of criminology have pointed out quite forcefully that the seeds of criminal careers are sown in the unguided years of early childhood. But the fact remains startlingly clear that the absence of social and legal facilities for the rehabilitation of the adolescent offender leads one to believe that society is not yet aware of the special problems of adolescence. This point of view-that the status quo is satisfactory-is preposterous, for there is every reason to believe, and every proof, that law itself is no deterrent of crime, with either the adolescent or the adult offender. It is hoped, however, and it seems reasonably certain, that with the socialization and humanization of legal procedures, predicted upon the thorough study of the problems of adolescents, it will be possible to save many youths from a misadventure into the folly of crime." There is every reason to believe that the proper use of a combination of such techniques as the sociological, psychiatric, psychological and medical in the socialized treatment of the adolescent offender will be able to prevent the human wreckage caused by treating adolescents as adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the report about mentally retarded delinquents, presented at the 64th Annual Meeting of the American Association on Mental Deficiency in Atlantic City, New Jersey on May 25, 1940. The commitment laws of the states provide that individuals who have intelligence levels below a certain more or less arbitrary figure are considered mental defectives and can be committed to an institution designed for their care.

This article focuses on community problems, specially concerned with child welfare services, with suggesting certain therapeutic methods. Psychiatry has gained sufficient prestige so that today it is accepted as the authority in the understanding of many types of deviant behavior. New psychological teachings have been applied to a large variety of community problems. There is no doubt that children with problems have been getting increasing recognition and help from society. Such a trend is reflected, for example, in the community's attitude toward its rampant adolescents. More and more of these youngsters are being referred to psychiatric treatment agencies before they get into too serious trouble. Courts, schools, local police, and parents are gradually recognizing the importance of motivational factors in antisocial behavior. Some time ago a pet peacock was strangled by a 9-year-old child. All the activity has been in trying to place him somewhere. Such children continue to have difficulty adjusting to their environment as they grow older. The authors suggest a "front-line therapy" to deal with delinquent behaviors. Such front-line therapy is what the social worker carries on, or could if given sufficient time and guidance. The worker is in the position to reach the youngster and be of help when needed.

This article examines some of the circumstances that fractured the egos of three delinquents, as well as processes and insights found useful in treating their problems. One of the boy is Marvin. He had experienced for years a disturbed relationship between his parents which has a growing impact on him. During the progress of the treatment, restrictions were lessened and emphasis was laid on placing the anxiety in his lap rather than carrying it for him. This was best illustrated in his performance as a newspaper boy. He had been able to peddle papers each morning only because the route man waked him up and anxiously covered for him when Marvin failed to up and deliver. Another was a 14-year-old boy Tom, was the offspring of a Protestant mother and a Catholic father. He accused the mother of having spoiled him and entered into a competitive situation with the boy for the mother. At the same time, he showed marked preference for his daughter. His attempts to hold the family together were unsuccessful; the mother insisted on a divorce, and in the face of the father's resistance, literally deserted. The father took the children to another city to live with his mother, while he returned to his job.

The article offers the author's insights on her work as educational psychologist (EP) for the local Youth Offending Team (YOT), wherein she offers consultation service. She offers information on her for a day which include consultation with nursery manager regarding aggression and gender identity of a child, administrative works, and providing Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) psychological advice for a child with Rett syndrome.