ABSTRACT
The current study examines the prevalence and severity of psychiatric symptoms in incarcerated youth. A random sample of youth ages 13–17 who were referred for mental health services (n=120) and not referred for services (n=120) at a juvenile detention facility were studied. Psychopathology was evaluated using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children and the Child Behavior Checklist. Ninety-six percent of referred youth and 69% of non-referred youth had one or more psychiatric diagnoses. Co-morbidity was common in both groups. The findings suggest that youths in the juvenile justice system have noteworthy psychopathology that often remains unidentified.
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Kenneth M. Rogers is associated with the University of Maryland School of Medicine, 701 West Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
Andres J. Pumariega is associated with East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN.
D. Lanette Atkins and Steven P. Cuffe are associated with the University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.
This study was funded by Grant K12 MH00990 from NIMH (Kenneth B. Wells, MD, Principal Investigator) and the Fullerton Foundation, Gaffney, SC (Andres J. Pumariega, MD, Principal Investigator).
The authors thank Harry Wright, MD, MBA and Paul Adams, MD for their thoughtful critique of this manuscript.
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Rogers, K.M., Pumariega, A.J., Atkins, D.L. et al. Conditions Associated with Identification of Mentally Ill Youths in Juvenile Detention. Community Ment Health J 42, 25–40 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-005-9001-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-005-9001-z