For the study, researchers from Chicago's Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine "examined the cases of 1,715 youths, aged 13 to 18, who were processed in the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center in Chicago. Of the youths, 275 were transferred to adult court." The team "found that more than two-thirds (68 percent) of the transferred youths had a psychiatric disorder, and almost half (43 percent) had two or more types of disorders."

Notably, "the transferred youths who were eventually sentenced to prison had even higher rates of psychiatric disorders." In addition, "black and Hispanic males were more likely than non-Hispanic whites to be transferred." This finding "is important, since there is evidence that males from minority groups are among the least likely to receive mental health treatment, either in the community or in prison."

The number of U.S. "teenagers processed in adult criminal court is growing," Medscape (8/29, Busko) added. "In 2004, seven percent of the approximately two million youths who were arrested were transferred directly to adult court."

Discussing the study with Medscape, Louis J. Kraus, M.D., chair of the American Psychiatric Association Corresponding Committee on Juvenile Justice Issues, said that "the results are cause for concern." Dr. Kraus stated, "What's really important about this study is the tremendous percentage of kids who have mental-health issues, and how little is going to be done to help them. The tragedy here is that, in many of these kids, mental-health concerns are not going to be addressed."

Related Links:

- "Most Youths Tried as Adults Had Psychiatric Disorders," U.S. News and World Report, August 29, 2008.
- Abstract: "Psychiatric Disorders Among Detained Youths: A Comparison of Youths Processed in Juvenile Court and Adult Criminal Court," Jason J. Washburn, Ph.D., et. al., Psychiatric Services, 59:965-973, September 2008. (Full article available for fee/subscription.)
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