Eight month follow-up of delinquent adolescents: predictors of short-term outcome

Clinicians working with young delinquents are concerned with finding methods to predict recidivism in these subjects. It has not been investigated yet to what extent psychiatric assessment can be of any help in this field. In this study, we investigated whether psychiatric assessment can help to predict recidivism in already delinquent adolescents. By means of semi-structured psychiatric assessment (Child Assessment Schedule), developmental interview of the parents and self-report instruments, we assessed the psychiatric status of 72 delinquent adolescents, adjudicated before the Juvenile Court of Antwerp (Belgium). A follow-up of criminal status after eight months was conducted. Self-report questionnaires by the subjects did not differentiate recidivists from non-recidivists, while parent questionnaires did. Through a semi-structured interview, we found that a diagnosis of conduct disorder significantly predicts recidivism, while subjects with ADHD and substance abuse show a tendency towards more recidivism. We were unable, however, due to the small number of subjects showing a psychiatric disorder (e. g. ADHA and PTSD) unrelated to conduct disorder, to assess the relative contribution of these disorders to the recidivism rate. This study found that psychiatric assessment of delinquent adolescents could be of help in predicting recidivism. The necessity of gathering information from parents and teachers is demonstrated. Future research should include a more extensive group of a delinquent adolescent and should focus on the effect of therapeutic interventions. Received: 29 June 1999 / Accepted: 1 February 2000     

Do Risk Factors for Re‐Arrest Differ for Female and Male Drunk‐Driving Offenders?

BACKGROUND: The present study investigated gender differences in factors affecting recidivism among 628 female and 659 male drunk-driving offenders. The study population included residents from New Mexico who completed a screening program for offenders and who were still residents when contacted 5 years later. METHOD: Risk factors for re-arrest in the 5-year period after screening referral were examined using multiple logistic regression models. Predictor variables included gender, age, ethnicity, education, marital status, blood alcohol concentration at arrest, parental alcohol problems, spousal alcohol problems, lifetime use of cannabis, cocaine, or amphetamines, abusive behavior toward spouse, and scores on two standardized assessments. RESULTS: Risk factors for re-arrest were similar for males and females except that young age predicted higher recidivism among males but not females. The overall 5-year re-arrest rate was 26%-20% for women, 38% for males age 30 and under, and 24% for males age 31 and older. CONCLUSIONS: Young age predicts re-arrest for males but not for females. Neither the type of risk factors nor the number of risk factors fully explained female offenders' disproportionately lower recidivism rates, compared with young males.     

Recidivism in HIV-Infected Incarcerated Adults: Influence of the Lack of a High School Education

Recidivism is a pervasive problem facing the incarcerated. Incarcerated persons who are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected often have multiple risk factors associated with initial incarceration and recidivism, in particular, injection drug use. Yet, some jails provide case management for HIV-infected inmates to provide continuity of health care, which might have positive effects on reentry into the community. We sought to measure recidivism and factors related to recidivism in an HIV-infected cohort in an urban county jail with an active case management program. Fifty-two inmates surveyed in 1999 at the San Francisco County Jail were followed for rearrests through 2006. In follow-up, 73% were re-incarcerated on an average of 6.8 times for 552 days. Risk factors included nonwhite ethnicity, history of homelessness and crack use, common risk factors for incarceration. Less than high school education was associated with recidivism, shorter time to reincarceration, and more incarcerations. HIV-infected inmates spend a high proportion of time in multiple incarcerations, a reflection of the cyclical nature of incarceration despite comprehensive case management. Well-known risk factors for incarceration were associated with recidivism; in addition, lack of high school education played a prominent role. Education should be explored as a way to make further progress on breaking the cycle of incarceration.     

Substance Abuse and Criminal Recidivism: A Prospective Study of Adolescents

Studies of substance abuse among delinquents have shown mixed results on criminal recidivism. The present study evaluates personality traits associated with substance abuse and recidivism among delinquent boys, and prospectively determines the extent to which these factors are predictive of criminal recidivism. 134 incarcerated boys ( = 15.9 ± 1.1) completed the Weinberger Adjustment Inventory and the Substance Abuse Screening Inventory. Youth were prospectively followed for up to 4.5 years following release. Among incarcerated delinquents, personality traits are predictive of a positive substance abuse screen and recidivism. A trend indicating a possible interaction between personality and treatment is observed. If these findings are replicated, personality traits may play a role in predicting substance abuse as well as individual delinquent responses to treatment.     

Monitoring and predicting the risk of violence in residential facilities. No difference between patients with history or with no history of violence

BackgroundMost people with mental disorders are not violent. However, the lack of specific studies in this area and recent radical changes in Italy, including the closure of six Forensic Mental Hospitals, has prompted a more detailed investigation of patients with aggressive behaviour.AimsTo compare socio-demographic, clinical and treatment-related characteristics of long-term inpatients with a lifetime history of serious violence with controls; to identify predictors of verbal and physical aggressive behaviour during 1-year follow-up.MethodsIn a prospective cohort study, patients living in Residential Facilities (RFs) with a lifetime history of serious violence were assessed with a large set of standardized instruments and compared to patients with no violent history. Patients were evaluated bi-monthly with MOAS in order to monitor any aggressive behaviour.ResultsThe sample included 139 inpatients, 82 violent and 57 control subjects; most patients were male. The bi-monthly monitoring during the 1-year follow-up did not show any statistically significant differences in aggressive behaviour rates between the two groups. The subscale explaining most of the MOAS total score was aggression against objects, although verbal aggression was the most common pattern. Furthermore, verbal aggression was significantly associated with aggression against objects and physical aggression.ConclusionsPatients with a history of violence in RFs, where treatment and clinical supervision are available, do not show higher rates of aggressiveness compared to patients with no lifetime history of violence. Since verbal aggression is associated with more severe forms of aggression, prompt intervention is warranted to reduce the risk of escalation.     

INNOVATIVE ALCOHOL- AND DRUG-USER TREATMENT OF INMATES IN NEW ZEALAND PRISONS*

The Kowhai Alcohol and Drug Treatment Unit at Rolleston Prison offers an innovative treatment approach for New Zealand inmates. The development of the program has involved local staff from Public Prisons, Psychological Services, and the Community Probation Service (CPS). This presentation outlines the author's impression of this bold innovation. The primary aim of the program is to reduce recidivism. This is achieved by assisting inmates to recognize the thoughts, emotions, and behaviours that are present in the period preceding and/or during the commission of criminal activity—particularly those that are precipitated and/or maintained by alcohol and drug use. This insight, coupled with the learning of specific coping skills and intensive lifestyle and reintegration planning, leads naturally to the follow-up phase that is conducted in the community. The functional relationship between offending and substance use is far more explicitly addressed in this new program compared with past programs that focused more on substance use.