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.


METHODS
Follow-up clinical interviews were administered to subjects, approximately 9 years after discharge from juvenile corrections. The records of the correctional school, state police, FBI, state psychiatric hospitals, and state health department 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 living with them. Psychiatric treatment for identified vulnerabilities was negligible. Upon discharge, the most neuropsychiatrically impaired and violent subjects tended to be placed in adult corrections; the most intact were placed in special schools and psychiatric hospitals. Numbers of vulnerabilities continued to contribute most significantly to violent outcome regardless of placement. Placement in families was associated with fewer adult aggressive offenses than was institutional placement, even while controlling for vulnerabilities and early juvenile violence.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on their well-documented early vulnerabilities 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.
Lewis
D O
DO
New York University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, NY.
Yeager
C A
CA
Lovely
R
R
Stein
A
A
Cobham-Portorreal
C S
CS
D000293:Adolescent; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology; D003415:Crime / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment; D010553:Personality Development; D012114:Residential Treatment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014754:Violence