Correlates and predictors of re-incarceration among Turkish adolescent male offenders: A single-center, cross-sectional study

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Tarih

2022

Dergi Başlığı

Dergi ISSN

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Yayıncı

Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd

Erişim Hakkı

info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess

Özet

Background: Adolescents involved in the legal system are known to be under elevated risk for repeat offending. There may be many reasons for recidivism. Specifically, we aim to investigate the clinical, socio-demographic, and familial factors and psychopathology among adolescents in a penal institution and to determine risk factors for re-incarceration. Methods: This single-center cross-sectional survey was conducted at Tarsus Closed Penal Institution for Children and Youth. This institution is for males only, and all male adolescents detained at the center within the study period were evaluated with semi-structured interviews (K-SADS-PL). The adolescents completed Meaning and Purpose of Life Scale, The EPOCH measure of Adolescent Well-being, Family Sense of Belonging Scale, Children's Alexithymia Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for themselves. Descriptive and inferential analyses were used. P was set at 0.05. Results: Ninety adolescent offenders with a mean age of 16.6 years (S.D = 0.7) were enrolled. Mean age at first offense was 14.6 years (S.D = 2.1). The most common reason for offenses was reported as as being with peers who were offenders, too (57.8%). Most common diagnoses were substance use (36.7%), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (33.3%), and conduct disorder (26.7%). Rates of offending and conviction in first-degree relatives were 62.2% and 60.0%, respectively, and most of the adolescents had at least one peer with a criminal record (n = 71, 78.9%). Re-incarcerated adolescents had lower education, committed more violent crimes, and reported elevated use of substances, suicide attempts, and psychopathology. However, in regression analysis, age of onset was the sole predictor of re-incarceration. Conclusion: Turkish male adolescents in forensic settings may be screened for externalizing disorders and referred for treatment. Re-incarcerated Turkish youth may be more susceptible to peer influence, substance use and externalizing disorders. It may be prudent to systematically screen offending youth for psychiatric disorders regardless of the individual's request for treatment and refer identified cases to treatment. Integration of child and adolescent psychiatrists with penal institutions serving youth may help in this regard.

Açıklama

We would like to thank the youths and their families agreeing to participate in the study. We would also like to thank the Ministry of Law of the Republic of Turkey and then-Tarsus Attorney General of the Re-public Mr. Mehmet Sabri Kilic, as well as the director and staff of Tarsus Closed Penal Institution for Children and Youth.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Prison, Adolescent, Inmate, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Juvenile-Delinquency

Kaynak

International Journal of Law And Psychiatry

WoS Q Değeri

Q1

Scopus Q Değeri

Q1

Cilt

80

Sayı

Künye

Aksu, G. G., Kütük, M. Ö., Tufan, A. E., Sanberk, S., Güzel, E., Dağ, P., ... & Toros, F. (2022). Correlates and predictors of re-incarceration among Turkish adolescent male offenders: A single-center, cross-sectional study. International journal of law and psychiatry, 80, 101726.