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Abstract: 

Why Conduct Mental Health Assessments on Youth in Juvenile Justice Settings? Youth within the juvenile justice system are at high risk for mental health conditions that may have contributed to the risk of offending, or may interfere with rehabilitation. Our recent work (Wasserman et al., 2002) indicates that these youth report high levels of many varieties of psychiatric disorder, such as depression and anxiety, beyond the expected high rates of conduct disorder and substance abuse. Use of reliable mental health assessments can enhance case finding and decision-making regarding dispositions.

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Affiliations:  1: Center for the Promotion of Mental Health in Juvenile Justice.