Morbidity and mortality risk among the "forgotten few": why are girls in the justice system in such poor health?
The present study assessed the physical health of a population of girls sentenced to custody in a large US State via medical examinations and clinical assessments in adolescence and young adulthood. Findings indicated that injuries, obesity, and sexually transmitted diseases were the norm, with over 50% of the population meeting criteria for each of these health problems. A dose-response relationship was documented between childhood victimization and injuries and injury risk in adolescence and self-harm, HIV risk, physical health symptoms, and hospitalizations in young adulthood. The relationship between childhood victimization and poor adult physical health was fully mediated by health-risk behaviors in adolescence. Clinical and policy implications of the high mortality and morbidity risk among female juvenile offenders are discussed.
Odgers
Candice L
CL
Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, 4312 Social and Behavioral Sciences Gateway, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. codgers@uci.edu
Robins
Summer J
SJ
Russell
Michael A
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D019548:Crime Victims; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009017:Morbidity; D009026:Mortality; D011329:Prisoners; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012309:Risk-Taking; D015144:Southeastern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence