title: The blurred vision of Lady Justice for minors with mental disorders: records of the juvenile court in Belgium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined (1) the information present in juvenile court records in Belgium (Flanders) and (2) whether there are differences in information between records that mention a mental disorder and those that do not.
  
  
  METHODS
  The file study sample included 107 court records, and we used a Pearson's chi-square test and a t-test to analyze the information within those records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Information in juvenile court records varied considerably. This variability was evident when we compared juvenile court records with and without mention of a mental disorder. Significantly more information about school-related problems, the functioning of the minor, and the occurrence of domestic violence was included in records that mentioned a mental disorder compared with records that did not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The content of the juvenile court records varied, particularly with regard to the mental health status of the minor in question. We suggest guidelines to standardize the information contained in juvenile court records.
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Institute of International Research on Criminal Policy (IRCP), Universiteitstraat 4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Sofie.Merlevede@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Sofie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Merlevede
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Institute of International Research on Criminal Policy (IRCP), Universiteitstraat 4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Freya.VanderLaenen@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Freya
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vander Laenen
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Institute of International Research on Criminal Policy (IRCP), Universiteitstraat 4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Leen.Cappon@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Leen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cappon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001530:Belgium; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003416:Criminal Law / Q000592:standards; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007603:Jurisprudence; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011996:Records / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards
keywords: Court records; Decision-making; Juvenile court; Mental disorders; Minors