SEVERE DELINQUENCY IN YOUNG-PEOPLE - BACKGROUND FACTORS AND CHARACTERIZING FEATURES

Citation
H. Adler et al., SEVERE DELINQUENCY IN YOUNG-PEOPLE - BACKGROUND FACTORS AND CHARACTERIZING FEATURES, Nordic journal of psychiatry, 49(4), 1995, pp. 263-274
Citations number
30
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry
ISSN journal
08039488
Volume
49
Issue
4
Year of publication
1995
Pages
263 - 274
Database
ISI
SICI code
0803-9488(1995)49:4<263:SDIY-B>2.0.ZU;2-K
Abstract
In a retrospective pilot study 127 young criminals, 16 female and 111 male, who underwent forensic psychiatric examination were subjected to an investigation to find individual and social background characteris tics and early symptoms. About 50% of the young offenders had been in child-psychiatric care. On the basis of information from child-psychia tric records it could be seen that in many of the subjects there was a multifactorial loading in the background with concomitant parental pr oblems and constitutional factors, mainly a developmental delay of the child. Equally often only a developmental delay or family problems we re noted. The early development was also characterized by aggressive a nd asocial behaviour. There were some associations between background factors and current crime. The biologically loaded person was more pro ne to commit crimes of property, although crimes of violence were comm on both in this group and in the group with family problems. The sanct ions did not show any special traits in relation to background problem s. Psychiatric care was the most common measure. It was concluded that different background factors must be taken into account, including ps ychologic, biologic, and social aspects. These factors may, however, d iffer in importance in an individual case as etiologic, concomitant, a nd/or secondary signs. All possible etiologic factors must be taken in to account to form the basis both for preventive measures and for adap ted rehabilitation.