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Abstract: 

Justice and mental health practitioners use different approaches to classifying adolescent misbehavior. Although the DSM-IV recognizes two related disorders (conduct and oppositional defiant disorder—CD and ODD), justice practices differ for status offenders (persons in need of supervision [PINS]) and delinquents (JD). Diagnostic interviews with 230 JD-designated and 248 PINS-designated youths revealed equivalent disorder rates, with PINS youths more likely to be female. Factor analysis of symptoms validated an overlap between mental health and justice perspectives. PINS individuals were more likely to endorse oppositional behavior. JD individuals were more likely to endorse illegal behavior. CD symptoms reflecting status offenses loaded on the authority challenging behavior factor, common across groups. Future discussion should distinguish between CD symptoms reflecting illegal versus authority challenging behavior.

Keywords: juvenile justice, PINS, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, delinquency

Affiliations:  1: Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University/NYS Psychiatric Institute; 2: Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University/NYS Psychiatric Institute; 3: Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University/NYS Psychiatric Institute; 4: Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University/NYS Psychiatric Institute; 5: Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University/NYS Psychiatric Institute.