Implications for Treatment and Release

Considering the high prevalence and breadth of the mental health needs of incarcerated juveniles, secure-care facility staff must have procedures and tools in place to identify mental health symptoms at the earliest point of an adolescent's contact with the system.1 High rates of comorbidity ar...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Corrections Today 2011-12, Vol.73 (5), p.100
Main Authors: Grande, Todd L, Hallman, Janelle, Caldwell, Kristen, Underwood, Lee A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavior
Diversion programs
Juvenile justice
Recidivism
Standard deviation
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Summary:Considering the high prevalence and breadth of the mental health needs of incarcerated juveniles, secure-care facility staff must have procedures and tools in place to identify mental health symptoms at the earliest point of an adolescent's contact with the system.1 High rates of comorbidity are common in this population2 involving symptoms such as: somatization, anxiety, suicidality, affective disorders, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder and substance abuse.3 The need for standardized evaluation of juvenile offenders is apparent when considering that incarcerated youths with mental health needs are often not detected.4 Even when they are detected, an even smaller percentage, ranging from 13 percent to 40 percent, are actually treated.5 Knowing the mental health needs of juvenile offenders is crucial in making appropriate placement decisions (such as foster home care, outpatient behavioral health, institutional care or incarceration) since such decisions must be based not only on the severity of infraction, but also on the severity or nature of the mental health symptomatology and psychopathology.6 Given the continuing need for a more accurate assessment of this population, this study's objective is to illustrate the applicability of the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2) in assessing the mental health and emotional needs of incarcerated youths and to consider associated treatment recommendations.
ISSN:0190-2563
2163-2200