Display Full Text | Download Full Text
0.93 MB PDF file

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Social Welfare, 2007.

Abstract

Psychosocial Characteristics of Violent Juvenile Offenders with Serious Mental/Behavioral Disorders ABSTRACT by Mamadou Mansor Seck According to the literature and professionals in the field, incarcerated youths with mental and behavior disorders are overrepresented in juvenile correctional institutions. In 2002, every day over 110,000 youths under the age of 18 were arrested and resided in detention and correctional facilities; among them between 65 and 100% had a diagnosable mental disorder and approximately 20% had a serious mental health disorder. More and more individuals and organizations are becoming aware of this overrepresentation and lack of appropriate services to these youths with special needs. Many of them are not identified as such before and during their involvement with the juvenile justice system and therefore their sentencing and service provision are inadequate. As an exploratory research, this study aims at identifying personal, social, psychological, and psycho-affective/cognitive characteristics as well as the family structure and functioning of 88 violent youth offenders referred by the court for psychological evaluation for mental health/behavioral disorders. The early identification of this population by juvenile justice professionals will impact their sentencing and conditions of incarceration because it may contribute to a stronger knowledge of their psychosocial characteristics, enhance professionals and policy makers’ awareness and understanding of these youths’ needs, and finally, improve the provision of services.

Keywords

VIOLENT JUVENILE OFFENDERS; SERIOUS MENTAL/BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS

Advisor

MARK I SINGER

Pages

196p.

Document number: case1175886607
Permalink: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1175886607

This ETD has been downloaded 964 times (through March 2013)