Adult Criminality in Previously Hospitalized Child Psychiatric Patients: With Particular Reference to Girls and the Use of ICD-10 Diagnoses

• NCJ Number: 176629
• Journal: Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Dated: 1998 Pages: 19-38
• Author(s): B Wright; I McKenzie; J Stace; I Berg
• Date Published: 1998
• Length: 20 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

A sample of 171 children admitted to a psychiatric inpatient unit in England before 13 years of age was examined between 1967 and 1980 using criminal offenses between 17 and 25 years of age as the main outcome.

Abstract

The study employed a retrospective cohort analytic design and International Classification of Diseases (ICD) diagnoses. About 50 percent of males and 25 percent of females had received at least one standard list conviction by the time they were 25 years of age. Linear-logistic modeling was used on boys and girls separately to explore childhood variables that predicted adult criminality. Important variables for boys were large family size, parental criminality, and a diagnosis of conduct disorder. Important variables for girls were having been in care prior to admission, parental criminality, and diagnosis of conduct disorder. The use of ICD diagnoses, the study of females, and the investigation of a high-risk population were particular features of the study. 54 references and 4 tables