Psychiatric morbidity in children remanded to prison custody-a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Forensic Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Approximately 40% of 15-16 year old boys in English and Welsh prisons had been "looked after."
• Children in the community who are "looked after" exhibit high rates of psychiatric disorders.
• There is a recognized gap in mental health services for incarcerated youth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the psychiatric morbidity in adolescents remanded to prison custody.
• To investigate the prevalence of mental health disorders in this specific population.
• To compare psychiatric morbidity between "looked after" and non-"looked after" incarcerated youth.

Main Methods:

• Pilot study utilizing the K-SADS (Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia) assessment tool.
• Interviews conducted with 19 adolescent boys aged 15-16 remanded into custody.
• Retrospective data collection on "looked after" status.

Main Results:

• High rates of affective disorders, substance misuse, and conduct disorder were observed.
• "Looked after" youth demonstrated significantly higher rates of psychiatric disorders compared to their peers.
• The findings confirm the hypothesis regarding increased psychiatric morbidity in "looked after" incarcerated adolescents.

Conclusions:

• Adolescents in prison custody exhibit substantial psychiatric morbidity.
• Youth with a history of being "looked after" are a particularly vulnerable group requiring targeted mental health support.
• There is an urgent need for enhanced child and adolescent mental health services within the prison system.