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Abstract: 

A growing number of youth with psychiatric disorders enter and remain involved with the juvenile justice system. As many as 65% to 75% of youthful offenders have diagnosable psychiatric disorders (Garland et al., 2001; Teplin et al., 2002). Teplin and colleagues (2002) found that rates of major depression among females were as high as 22% and that two-thirds of youth with affective disorders also abuse alcohol or other drugs. A review of 34 studies on mental health needs (Otto et al., 1992) revealed that rates of mental disorders among youth in the juvenile justice system were twice as high as the rate of disorders found in the general population.

Keywords: suicide, depression, substance abuse, ODD, PTSD, Biopsychosocial Approach, gender-specific treatment

Affiliations:  1: Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center; 2: Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center.