A field study of the impact of psychotropic medication on delinquency and juvenile justice system involvement among a high risk sample of children and adolescents

At-risk youth are more likely to engage in delinquent behaviors and be involved in the juvenile justice system (JJS). Improving outcomes for such youth increasingly include long-term administration of psychotropic medications (PM). Current research addresses short-term utility of PM, but evidence is...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of offender rehabilitation 2020-08, Vol.59 (6), p.334-353
Main Authors: Armstrong-Hoskowitz, Natalie, Schmidt, Adam T., Henderson, Craig E., Nelson, David V., Allen, Brian J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescents
At risk populations
At risk youth
Behavior problems
conduct problems
delinquency
Field study
Juvenile delinquency
Juvenile justice
medication management
Psychotropic drugs
psychotropic medication
Risk
Teenagers
Youth
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Summary:At-risk youth are more likely to engage in delinquent behaviors and be involved in the juvenile justice system (JJS). Improving outcomes for such youth increasingly include long-term administration of psychotropic medications (PM). Current research addresses short-term utility of PM, but evidence is mixed regarding long-term effectiveness. Using a large, cross-national, at-risk youth sample (n = 2065), this study examined how PM influenced total delinquent behaviors in a given year, and JJS entry, over a seven-year time period. PM treatment did not significantly decrease delinquent behaviors among youth; nor prevent entry into the JJS. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.
ISSN:1050-9674
1540-8558
DOI:10.1080/10509674.2020.1767258