Insufficient criminal justice system response to the severity of domestic violence during the pandemic in Indonesia.

Domestic violence increased dramatically in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the previous pandemic. This article analyses how Indonesia's criminal justice system responded to domestic violence during the pandemic. This article used secondary data gathered from various online resources and legal publications. This article demonstrated that during the pandemic, victims of domestic violence in Indonesia were unable to access justice due to two significant barriers. Before filing a formal complaint with the appropriate official, victims would prefer to discuss the matter with their relatives. Furthermore, the victims could not report their cases to the responsible official due to mobility constraints. This case demonstrates that in patriarchal societies, the criminal justice system could not handle domestic violence cases more effectively. As a result, the technical operation of the criminal justice system necessitates the development of a novel method of case filing. This article proposes that the Indonesian criminal justice system establish a complaint system based on social media to provide victims of domestic violence with prompt justice. Furthermore, the legal advocacy role of the community in assisting domestic violence victims is critical.

A UK-wide survey of community forensic services for adults with intellectual disability and/or autism.

BACKGROUND: Specialist forensic community teams for people with intellectual disability and/or autism have been developed, but little is known about their extent and delivery. AIMS: To describe specialist forensic community teams for people with intellectual disability and/or autism across the UK. METHOD: An online survey was sent to representatives of each UK Trust/Health Board providing adult mental health and/or intellectual disability services. Questions covered the availability, structure and activities of specialist community forensic services. Quantitative data were summarised and associations between access to specialist forensic teams and care were tested with Chi-squared tests. Thematic analysis of free-text survey responses was used to understand the challenges of providing community forensic mental health services for this group. RESULTS: A total of 49 out of 78 (63%) eligible Trusts/Health Boards responded, of which 25 (51%) had access to a specialist forensic community team. Teams operated either as part of a single Trust/Board (n = 13) or over a larger regional footprint (n = 12). The availability of specialist forensic community teams was associated with better access to offence-related interventions (χ2 = 15.1002, P < 0.005) and co-production of patient care plans (χ2 = 7.8726, P = 0.005). Respondents reported a wide variation in availability, expertise and perceived quality of community services. The availability of secure and generic in-patient beds, commissioning and legal barriers were also significant challenges in providing appropriate care. CONCLUSIONS: Coverage of specialist community forensic teams is not universal. There are indications that such teams are associated with improved care processes, but further work is needed to establish longer-term outcomes and the optimal model of care.

Silenced Survivors: A Systematic Review of the Barriers to Reporting, Investigating, Prosecuting, and Sentencing of Adult Female Rape and Sexual Assault.

Sexual victimization of adult women remains an underreported crime. This systematic review identified and synthesized the barriers to reporting, investigating, prosecuting, and sentencing cases of sexual assault and rape against adult women in Western countries. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted on August 3, 2023, across databases including PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, ProQuest Central, Web of Science, MedNar, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria provided relevant information on the decision not to formally disclose, investigate, prosecute, or convict incidents of sexual assault and rape of adult women. We included 28 studies and identified 70 barriers in total. Identified barriers were most prevalent to reporting, followed by investigating, prosecuting, and, lastly, sentencing. Key themes in the barriers included lack of trust in the criminal justice system, internal reactions, rape myths and societal norms, and perpetrator characteristics. The identified barriers emphasize an urgent need for reform of the criminal justice system's response to sexual assault and rape. Prioritizing victim-survivors' needs, enhancing transparency of the criminal justice system, and addressing attrition rates are crucial. Future studies need to engage with diverse population to address all victim-survivors' needs and provide further insights into the challenges across all stages of the criminal justice system to enhance the outcome of rape and sexual assault cases.

Developing a coordinated response to chemsex across health, justice and social care settings: expert consensus statement.

SUMMARY: Chemsex occurs primarily among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), and there is evidence of a subgroup of users who carry out chemsex-related criminal offences and experience harm. Challenges with chemsex can present to various settings; there are concerns that harm is increasing, including at interfaces between health, social care and criminal justice systems. The UK response to date has lacked a coordinated approach. An expert reference group was convened to share chemsex knowledge, articulate priorities for research and pathway development, and foster collaborative working between agencies. It made three key recommendations: develop and increase training and awareness across all services; implement a coordinated research programme with the development of a common data-set and assessment tool to fully characterise population-level needs; develop a professional network to share information, provide professional support and act as a knowledge hub. There was support for a unified multi-agency strategy incorporating the priorities identified as overarching principles.

Lost diagnoses? A multi-year trajectory of patients with childhood ADHD in the criminal justice system in Switzerland.

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is prevalent amongst offenders, increasing risks for aggressive and delinquent behaviors. Since ADHD and its symptoms can persist into adulthood, accurately diagnosing and maintaining diagnoses in offenders is crucial to ensure appropriate treatment and reduce recidivism. Methods: This study employed a retrospective longitudinal design to investigate ADHD amongst adult offenders with a confirmed diagnosis of ADHD during childhood or adolescence at a Swiss forensic outpatient clinic between 2008 and 2021. N = 181 patient files were reviewed, including forensic expert witness assessments and treatment reports. We charted the adulthood trajectory of patients with a confirmed childhood/adolescence ADHD diagnosis, examining the course of their diagnoses. Results: Of 181 patients, evidence indicated that 12 (7%) had an ADHD diagnosis in childhood/adolescence. In 1 (8%) of these 12 cases, the diagnosis was maintained throughout the observation period. For 4 patients (33%), a diagnosis was given in the first forensic psychiatric expert witness assessment in adulthood but subsequently dropped. In another 4 cases (33%), the diagnosis was dropped in adulthood but later re-assigned, whereas in 3 cases (25%), the diagnosis was discontinued throughout the observation period. In 50% of cases with a diagnostic change, the discontinuation of an adult ADHD diagnosis coincided with a newly diagnosed personality disorder (or vice versa). Conclusions: Our findings highlighted considerable inconsistencies in the assignment of adult ADHD diagnoses amongst offenders. Whilst ADHD remission in adulthood occurs, the diagnostic variability in our results warrants detailed scrutiny. One possibility is that ADHD has similar fluctuations to conditions like depression, as argued elsewhere. Equally, diagnoses may become "lost", meaning they are not given even when applicable and replaced by other diagnoses. Additionally, residual symptoms may remain but beyond the diagnostic threshold. This is significant because untreated ADHD can increase re-offending risks and adverse health outcomes.

Implementing Interventions for Women and Youth with Traumatic Brain Injury at Transition from Custodial Settings: A Call to Action.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious public health concern and overrepresented among justice-involved populations. An emerging area of research focuses on the complex, interrelated and unmet health and social needs of justice-involved women and youth with TBI. Evidence of these needs continues to grow, yet the health and justice systems continue to underperform in supporting the health and social care of justice-involved women and youth. This commentary is a call to action to begin to redress these gaps. We first provide an overview of the needs of women and youth with TBI that affect their transition from custody to community, including those related to victimization, trauma, mental health, substance use, and homelessness. We then highlight the current gaps in knowledge and practice with respect to interventions for women and youth with TBI at transition from custody. The available evidence for the impact of interventions on people with head injury who are justice-involved is sparse, especially studies of interventions focused on women and youth. We conclude with a call for implementation science studies to support translation from research to practice, emphasizing that researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and women and youth at transition should collaborate to develop, implement, and evaluate accommodations and interventions for TBI. To have meaningful, positive impacts on the systems that serve these women and youth, interdisciplinary service delivery approaches should aim to prevent, raise awareness, identify, and provide timely support and services for the varied needs of women and youth with TBI in transition.

Co-production in the Lost Mothers Project: transforming criminal justice narratives through Lived experience engagement.

The Lost Mothers Project researches the repercussions of mandatory separation between newborns and women in the Criminal Justice System (CJS), aiming to address gaps in evidence and decision-making for pregnant women within the CJS. Co-production with Birth Companions and their Lived Experience Team (LET) is integral, involving substantial input from the LET in various aspects. This paper, written collaboratively, explores the success stories, challenges, and impact of co-production on The Lost Mothers Project, emphasising the profound role of the LET in reshaping the criminal justice landscape for mothers within the system.The LET, comprised of mothers with direct CJS experience, assumes a central role as co-creators and decision-makers, providing invaluable insights into systemic issues. The co-design process, exemplified by refining the project's title and logo, showcases collaborative efforts to reduce isolation and emphasise the transformative power of co-production. Challenges in co-production, such as power dynamics and language barriers, are acknowledged, with strategies for overcoming them discussed. The project's commitment to non-hierarchical co-production ensures equal partnership among all stakeholders. Remuneration for the LET is prioritised, avoiding tokenistic engagement.The co-production paradigm in The Lost Mothers Project contributes to a more compassionate, equitable, and effective criminal justice system. This article concludes that co-production is not just a slogan but a cornerstone for empowering sometimes disempowered populations and fostering positive change in the criminal justice landscape. The transformative impact of the LET in actively shaping the research, coupled with their role as decision-makers, highlights the significance of lived experience engagement in reshaping narratives and creating inclusive research practices within criminal justice studies.

The Lost Mothers Project looks into how separating newborns from mothers in the Criminal Justice System affects women and staff. The research is trying to fill in the missing information and improve how decisions are made. This research, in partnership with Birth Companions and their Lived Experience Team (LET), focuses on getting direct input from mothers who have been in the justice system.The LET, made up of mothers with their own experiences of the system, is crucial in shaping the research. They actively contribute to decisions, like refining the project's title and logo. This involvement aims to make sure the research is not just about them but includes their perspectives, reducing feelings of isolation.Challenges in this collaborative process, such as power dynamics and language barriers, are recognised and strategies to overcome them are discussed. The project commits to a fair and equal partnership among everyone involved, and the LET is compensated for their time.The co-production approach in The Lost Mothers Project is seen as a way to create more understanding, and equality when undertaking research. The article stresses that co-production is not just a trendy idea but a crucial part of making positive changes in how we understand and address issues in the criminal justice system. The LET's active role, both in shaping the research and making decisions, shows the real impact of always including the viewpoints of people who have personally been through the prison system.This collaboratively written article is interwoven with quotations from members of the LET, utilising pseudonyms in certain instances. The paper was initially discussed with the team at one of our regular meetings, where volunteers were invited to contribute; consent was always sought for quotes and contributions. Iterations of the paper have been exchanged back and forth, ensuring accuracy, and relevant papers used as references were collectively read, reviewed and agreed upon.

Therapeutic and non-therapeutic practices in the child justice system in Kenya: A therapeutic jurisprudence perspective.

Child justice systems are specialized jurisdictions set up for the purpose of providing justice related services to children. In an effort to resolve many of the systemic injustices expereinced by justice involved children, Kenya recently legislated the Children Act 2022. This new law is viewed as a paradigm shift from previous children acts as it incorporates constitutional provisions, UN conventions, minimum rules and other international protocols that Kenya is a state party to. The Act seeks to transform the child justice system into a jurisdiction which is more amenable to prioritising the mental wellbeing of children. The current study sought to examine the practices applied by state child justice agencies and whether these were therapeutic or non- therapeutic. This would clarify areas where the Act may need to be amended or reviewed to further its own goals. The findings revealed that the most non-therapeutic procedures centred on the courtroom such as the formal court environment and children facing perpetrators in court as well as limited access to mental health services. Therapeutic practices included ensuring children access treatment, use of child friendly interviewing techniques and testifying in camera. These may guide justice actors as to how they apply the Children Act 2022 within their own contexts whilst developing rules and standards that embody the principles of therapeutic jurisprudence.

Exploring Social Interactions in the Context of Justice System Involvement: Perspectives of Patients and Psychiatric Nurses.

Psychiatric nurses who work with people who are involved with the justice system experience ethical and moral tension arising from their dual role (care and control). This is known to significantly affect the development of a therapeutic relationship between nurses and patients. (a) better understand how justice system involvement affects people living with mental disorders and the nurses who work with them; (b) explore the influence of judiciarization on social interactions between these actors. Grounded theory (GT) was used as the qualitative methodology for this research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants. The study was carried out in three different units of a psychiatric institution: Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Department, and Brief Intervention Unit. A sample of 10 patients and 9 psychiatric nurses was recruited (n = 19). Theoretical sampling was used to recruit participants. We followed the iterative steps of qualitative GT analysis (open coding, axial coding, constant comparison, and modelization). Three main themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: (a) Experience of Justice System Involvement, (b) Crisis, (c) Relational Aspects and Importance of the Approach. These results will inform nurses and healthcare providers about the impacts of justice system involvement on people living with mental illness and how clinical practices can be better adapted to this population with complex health needs.

Introduction to Special Section: CSA Victimization in Incarcerated Populations.

Research suggests that individuals involved in the criminal justice system have higher rates of childhood trauma, including experiences of child sexual abuse (CSA). Studies also suggest that childhood victimization has an impact on the success of mental health treatment for offenders which may contribute to recidivism rates. Accordingly, policymakers and correctional staff can be better informed in choosing appropriate assessments and intervention approaches when they understand the ways in which prior experiences of CSA impact individuals in correctional settings. This special section highlights four novel studies that advance the research examining CSA in incarcerated populations.

A descriptive study of sleep patterns and knowledge among department of juvenile services staff.

Study Objectives: Little is known about sleep health among staff in the US juvenile justice system. Poor sleep health is associated with negative mental and physical health, which may impact daily interactions and treatment of detained youth. The current study explored sleep-wake patterns and sleep health knowledge of Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) staff in Maryland (MD). Methods: DJS Staff (N = 218) were invited to complete a survey that queried staff on their own sleep-wake patterns, job role and schedule, and knowledge of youth sleep needs. Descriptive analyses and multivariate analyses of variance (MANCOVA) were conducted to summarize workers' sleep-wake patterns and examine differences by staff position and schedule. Results: Fifty-one percent of staff served as RAs who directly supervise the youth. Just over half (55%) worked in detention and 45% in treatment facilities. Staff reported sleeping 7.24 hours (SD = 4.10) on workdays and 8.59 hours (SD = 2.69) on non-workdays. RA staff working night/rotating versus day shifts reported the most sleep irregularity with larger weekend oversleep times. A little more than half of the staff (53.9%) were knowledgeable regarding youth sleep health with differences by position type. Conclusions: Findings show that DJS staff are meeting recommended sleep duration guidelines but are still experiencing sleep schedule and time in bed irregularity. Knowledge variability of youth sleep health across staff may necessitate focused educational programming. Overall, this study may inform future development and prioritization of sleep and circadian health interventions and educational campaigns for staff who work with detained juveniles. This paper is part of the Sleep and Circadian Health in the Justice System Collection.

The effectiveness of interventions for offending behaviours in adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD): a systematic PRISMA review.

Previous research has suggested that the core features of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may contribute to offending behaviours and increased vulnerability within the Criminal Justice System. To date, there is a paucity of evidence assessing the effectiveness of interventions for offending behaviour in adults with ASD but without co-occurring intellectual disability (ID) across a broad range of forensic settings. The lack of robust evidence is concerning, as limited effectiveness may contribute to an increased likelihood of prolonged incarceration, particularly in the most restrictive settings. A PRISMA systematic review was conducted with a narrative synthesis to: (a) evaluate the evidence of the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing recidivism, (b) assess whether the core features of ASD impact the effectiveness of these interventions, and (c) identify additional factors that may affect the effectiveness of interventions within this population. Seven studies involving ten male participants were identified. The findings suggest that interventions for offending behaviours in adults with ASD without intellectual disability (ID) are largely inadequate, and that core ASD features need to be considered. Additionally, a complex interplay of risk factors potentially impacting intervention effectiveness was suggested. Limitations include heterogeneity across intervention types, measures of effectiveness, and what constitutes effectiveness. Despite the limited number of studies and data quality, the review aligns with a growing body of literature highlighting vulnerability and a need for evidence-based interventions for people with ASD. The review also discusses the broader implications of ineffective interventions.

Identification and support of autistic individuals within the UK Criminal Justice System: a practical approach based upon professional consensus with input from lived experience.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (hereafter referred to as autism) is characterised by difficulties with (i) social communication, social interaction, and (ii) restricted and repetitive interests and behaviours. Estimates of autism prevalence within the criminal justice system (CJS) vary considerably, but there is evidence to suggest that the condition can be missed or misidentified within this population. Autism has implications for an individual's journey through the CJS, from police questioning and engagement in court proceedings through to risk assessment, formulation, therapeutic approaches, engagement with support services, and long-term social and legal outcomes. METHODS: This consensus based on professional opinion with input from lived experience aims to provide general principles for consideration by United Kingdom (UK) CJS personnel when working with autistic individuals, focusing on autistic offenders and those suspected of offences. Principles may be transferable to countries beyond the UK. Multidisciplinary professionals and two service users were approached for their input to address the effective identification and support strategies for autistic individuals within the CJS. RESULTS: The authors provide a consensus statement including recommendations on the general principles of effective identification, and support strategies for autistic individuals across different levels of the CJS. CONCLUSION: Greater attention needs to be given to this population as they navigate the CJS.

"We are struggling to seek justice": a study of the criminal justice system and transgender experiences in Pakistan.

Background: This article aims to explore the complex intersection of transgender people's identities within Pakistan's criminal justice system; a nation in South Asia with a vast population of around 220 million. Aim: This paper aims to explore the myriad challenges faced by transgender individuals when they navigate the realms of justice, encompassing encounters with community people, law enforcement, experiences within the prison system, interactions with prosecution, and engagements with the judicial process in Pakistan. Method: Employing a qualitative research methodology, this study draws on one set of semi structured interviews with ten members of the Khawaja Sara communities, representing transgender individuals, within their residential spaces in Peshawar. Findings: Through the lens of an intersectional framework, the study's findings demonstrate the fragile nature of the criminal justice system in Pakistan as it fails to provide justice to transgender people and to safeguard their lives in Peshawar. Conclusion: The study demonstrates entrenched issues like transphobia, cisgenderism, and cisnormativity in the criminal justice system of Pakistan, contributing to suboptimal case handling and the exacerbation of hate crimes against the Khawaja Sara communities in Peshawar. Consequently, a considerable number of cases involving transgender individuals either go unreported or witness the voluntary withdrawal of First Information Reports (FIRs), perpetuating a cycle of impunity and significantly compromising the pursuit of justice in Peshawar, Pakistan.

Lessons Learned from Cross-Systems Approach to COVID-19 Pandemic Response in Juvenile Justice System, Colorado, USA.

The global COVID-19 pandemic illustrates the importance of a close partnership between public health and juvenile justice systems when responding to communicable diseases. Many setting-specific obstacles must be navigated to respond effectively to limit disease transmission and negative health outcomes while maintaining necessary services for youth in confinement facilities. The response requires multidisciplinary expertise and collaboration to address unique considerations. Public health mitigation strategies must balance the risk for disease against the negative effects of restrictions. Key aspects of the COVID-19 response in the juvenile justice system of Colorado, USA, involved establishing robust communication and data reporting infrastructures, building a multidisciplinary response team, adapting existing infection prevention guidelines, and focusing on a whole-person health approach to infection prevention. We examine lessons learned and offer recommendations on pandemic emergency response planning and managing a statewide public health emergency in youth confinement settings that ensure ongoing readiness.

HIV Risk and Interest in Preexposure Prophylaxis in Justice-Involved Persons.

Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is underused in persons who use drugs and justice-involved persons. In an ongoing randomized controlled trial in 4 US locations comparing patient navigation versus mobile health unit on time to initiation of HIV medication or PrEP for justice-involved persons who use stimulants or opioids and who are at risk for or living with HIV, we assessed HIV risk factors, perceived HIV risk, and interest in PrEP. Participants without HIV (n = 195) were 77% men, 65% White, 23% Black, and 26% Hispanic; 73% reported a recent history of condomless sex, mainly with partners of unknown HIV status. Of 34% (67/195) reporting injection drug use, 43% reported sharing equipment. Despite risk factors, many persons reported their risk for acquiring HIV as low (47%) or no (43%) risk, although 51/93 (55%) with PrEP indications reported interest in PrEP. Justice-involved persons who use drugs underestimated their HIV risk and might benefit from increased PrEP education efforts.

Correctional staff knowledge, attitudes and behaviors toward incarcerated trans people: A scoping review of an emerging literature.

Background: Trans people are incarcerated at disproportionately high rates relative to cisgender people and are at increased risk of negative experiences while incarcerated, including poor mental health, violence, sexual abuse, dismissal of self-identity, including poor access to healthcare. Aims: This scoping review sought to identify what is known about the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of correctional staff toward incarcerated trans people within the adult and juvenile justice systems. Method: This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the five-stage iterative process developed by Arksey and O'Malley (2005), utilizing the PRISMA guidelines and checklist for scoping reviews and included an appraisal of included papers. A range of databases and grey literature was included. Literature was assessed against predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, with included studies written in English, online full text availability, and reported data relevant to the research question. Results: Seven studies were included with four using qualitative methodologies, one quantitative, and two studies employing a mixed methods approach. These studies provided insights into the systemic lack of knowledge and experience of correctional staff working with trans people, including staff reporting trans issues are not a carceral concern, and carceral settings not offering trans-affirming training to their staff. Within a reform-based approach these findings could be interpreted as passive ignorance and oversights stressing the importance of organizational policies and leadership needing to set standards for promoting the health and wellbeing of incarcerated trans persons. Conclusions: From a transformational lens, findings from this study highlight the urgent need to address the underlying structural, systemic, and organizational factors that impact upon the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors staff have and hold in correctional, and other health and community settings to meaningfully and sustainably improve health, wellbeing, and gender-affirming treatment and care for trans communities, including make possible alternative methods of accountability for those who do harms.

Prevalence and Correlates of Heavy Alcohol use among People Living with HIV who use Unregulated Drugs in Vancouver, Canada.

Among people living with HIV (PLWH), heavy alcohol use is associated with many negative health consequences. However, the impacts of heavy alcohol use are not well described for PLWH who use drugs. Thus, we investigated the prevalence and correlates of heavy alcohol use among a cohort of people who use drugs (PWUD) living with HIV in Vancouver, Canada. We accessed data from an ongoing community-recruited prospective cohort of PLWH who use drugs with linked comprehensive HIV clinical monitoring data. We used generalized linear mixed-effects modeling to identify factors longitudinally associated with periods of heavy alcohol use between December 2005 and December 2019. Of the 896 participants included, 291 (32.5%) reported at least one period with heavy alcohol use. Periods of recent incarceration (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 1.48, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.01-2.17), encounters with police (AOR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.37-2.56), and older age (AOR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02-1.07) were positively associated with heavy alcohol use. Engagement in drug or alcohol treatment (AOR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.42-0.70) and male gender (AOR = 0.46; 95% CI: 0.27-0.78) were negatively associated with heavy alcohol use. We observed that heavy alcohol use was clearly linked to involvement with the criminal justice system. These findings, together with the protective effects of substance use treatment, suggest the need to expand access for drug and alcohol treatment programs overall, and in particular through the criminal justice system to reduce alcohol-related harms among PLWH who use drugs.

Trajectories of offending over 9 years after youths' first arrest: What predicts who desists and who continues to offend?

Antisocial and illegal behavior generally declines as youth approach adulthood, but there is significant individual variation in the timing of the peak and decline of offending from adolescence to young adulthood. There are two primary research questions in the present study. First, are there subgroups of youth who follow similar patterns of offending over the nine years after their first arrest? Second, what baseline factors predict which youth will follow each pattern of offending? Data were drawn from the Crossroads study, which includes a sample of racially and ethnically diverse boys who were interviewed regularly for 9 years following their first arrest. Boys were between 13 and 17 years old at the start of the study and were approximately 24-25 years old at the final interview. Trajectories were measured with youths' self-reported offending using latent class growth analysis (LCGA). Results indicated that there were four subgroups of youth: a stable low group (55%), an escalating group (23%), a short-term recidivist group (15%), and a persistently high group (7%). Several baseline factors distinguished the groups. In particular, the results indicated that youth who were informally processed after their first arrest were more likely to be in the low offending group than any of the other LCGA groups. Age at first arrest, peer delinquency, exposure to violence, substance use, callous-unemotional traits, physical aggression, and perceptions of police legitimacy were also significantly related to group membership. Results suggest that certain risk factors identified after youths' first arrest may predict which youth continue to offend and which desist.

Labyrinthine and Neuroscientific Impact of Schizophrenia in the Criminal Justice System.

Schizophrenia, a complex neuropsychiatric condition, manifests with severe neurobiological and psychosocial symptoms, including psychosis, cognitive dysfunction, and social withdrawal. Neuroscience links these symptoms to synaptic malfunctions and neurotransmitter dysregulation, leading to a profound disconnection from reality. The disorder significantly affects cognitive, affective, and behavioral functions, causing considerable neuropsychological distress and functional impairments. The interplay of schizophrenia with the criminal justice system is complex, often exacerbating psychiatric stigma and introducing challenging neuroethical dilemmas. From neuroscientific perspective, schizophrenia symptoms are classified into 'positive' (hyperfunctioning or distortion of normal mental processes) and 'negative' (reduction or loss of mental functions). Each category presents distinct medico-legal challenges. Studies, including those from the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness, highlight the importance of identifying neurobiological and psychosocial factors that increase the risk of criminal justice involvement, stressing the necessity of addressing concurrent disorders like substance use disorders. This convergence underscores the need for a delicate balance between therapeutic interventions and legal responsibility, advocating for policy reforms and neuroscience-based research initiatives. Such efforts are crucial for improving the management of schizophrenia within the criminal justice system, focusing on both the medical and societal aspects of the disorder.