A CLINICAL FOLLOW-UP OF DELINQUENT MALES - IGNORED VULNERABILITIES, UNMET NEEDS, AND THE PERPETUATION OF VIOLENCE

Objective: This paper describes the adult adaptation of a group of 97 formerly incarcerated male delinquents. Follow-up clinical interviews were administered to subjects, approximately 9 years after discharge f rom juvenile corrections. The records of the correctional school, stat e police, FBI, state psychiatric hospitals, and state health departmen t also were reviewed. Results: All but six had adult criminal records, most for violent crimes. Only 10% were graduated from high school; 30 % received minimal job training; most worked sporadically at unskilled jobs. Few married. Although 35 had fathered children, only 5 were liv ing with them. Psychiatric treatment for identified vulnerabilities wa s negligible. Upon discharge, the most neuropsychiatrically impaired a nd violent subjects tended to be placed in adult corrections; the most intact were placed in special schools and psychiatric hospitals. Numb ers of vulnerabilities continued to contribute most significantly to v iolent outcome regardless of placement. Placement in families was asso ciated with fewer adult aggressive offenses than was institutional pla cement, even while controlling for vulnerabilities and early juvenile violence. Conclusion: Based on their well-documented early vulnerabili ties and needs, this sample of delinquents did not obtain the kinds of supports subsequent to juvenile incarceration that might have enabled them to function independently in society.